The South African Freight and Logistics Association (Safla) has identified restoring structured engagement with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) as one of its immediate priorities.
It comes after the new organisation for the local freight forwarding industry held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday.
The absence of regular meetings with the tax authority was cited as one of the principal reasons why Safla’s founding members decided to break away from the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff).
Safla maintains that, following Saaff dissolution of the executive committees (Excos) at regional level, regular meetings with Sars on behalf of cargo owners were compromised.
Saaff denies this claim.
Along with its intention to hold regular meetings with Sars, Safla said Transnet and relevant government agencies, at both national and regional level, would form part of its expedited engagement efforts.
Furthermore, as for immediate priorities, Safla has identified the following:
- Constituting regional executive committees across the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and border regions within the next two weeks.
- Launching a professional website and member communications platform.
- Making Safla Standard Trading Terms and Conditions available to members as a non-mandatory, competition-compliant template.
- Planning a formal public launch event in each region.
Wednesday’s meeting also confirmed the appointment of Arend du Preez of Freitan as national chairperson of Safla, Jonathan McDonald of JLog International as vice chair, and Dave Logan as executive officer.
Safla reiterated that its formation was due to “a sustained breakdown in structured industry government dialogue as a primary motivation”.
Saaff continues to claim that disbanding the Excos was necessitated by internal restructuring.
Safla states: “Across multiple regions, no formal meetings between the freight industry and Sars have taken place since December 2025. Dialogue with Transnet has similarly stalled at a regional level, even as port performance and supply chain pressures remain front of mind for importers and exporters.
“Safla's founders are determined to restore these channels urgently – with regional structures planned to be in place within two weeks of the founding meeting, and immediate outreach to Sars, Transnet and other government bodies already under way.”
Du Preez said: “It's nice to have a home again. Safla is not here to compete with other associations – we are here to serve our members. With the support of the founding members, I believe we can make this something truly strong and worthwhile."
Logan added: “Every morning I ask myself: what value are we adding to members today? That question will drive everything we do at Safla. We are here to do what members ask us to do, and to add real, tangible value.”
Berrydon founding member Clifford Evans, who was particularly vocal about the loss of regular customs meetings with Sars following the recent Exco fracas, described the inaugural meeting as history in the making.
“What we are doing is going to be a game changer. Safla gives our industry a credible, fresh home – and I believe we will attract members who would never have joined before. I cannot wait to start tackling the issues that have been sidelined for too long.”
