'Not an easy market'

Botswana’s transport industry
continues to battle the effects
of the economic downturn with
many operators struggling to
compete with cross-border
operators.
“It is not an easy market,” said
Neville Lucas, general manager of
VTH Heavy Haulage in Botswana.
“There is a lot of competition from
less reputable operators that drive
rates down as well as from crossborder
operators who are stepping
into our market arena. Then there
are the big multi-nationals that
one also has to contend with – all
in an economically depressed
environment.”
Transporters in many instances
have yet to reach the rate per
kilometre that was charged as far
back as 2008 – prior to the global
economic crash.
According to Kevin Lees,
managing director of VTH Heavy
Haulage, mining continues to
offer the big opportunities thanks
to significant mining expansion.