Political stability provides the edge

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT in Zambia is attainable and viable. And there are several good reasons for this, says Kingfisher Freight Services MD Alwyn Nel. Compared to its neighbours in the region, Zambian development is founded on greater political stability, says Nel. It also serves as a major transit area for the DRC with huge potential in mining. Zambia is definitely increasing both in agricultural and industrial development, the latter with a major emphasis on mining and allied support services and infrastructure. Kingfisher specialises in seafreight, airfreight, roadfreight, project cargo, hazardous chemical movements and abnormal project movements – imports and exports. Specific to Zambia, they still consider the best freight options to be air and road. The company even offers a dedicated express road service for cargo ranging from a few hundred kilograms to six or seven tons, using a dedicated vehicle and driver who carries no other load to facilitate speedy deliveries on the round trip to and from Zambia. The company serves as a facilitator for its overseas network to deliver cargo from across the globe to Zambia and also to the south-east DRC through Zambia. “We have global infrastructure to ship from all ports globally,” says Nel. “Most of the cargo comes in through the Durban port with some through Cape Town, although Dar es Salaam is a viable option; in terms of logistics South African ports are the better option for us.” As always the major challenges in Zambia include communications, delays in capital financing and payments of duties and taxes on arrival at border crossings. But, all in all, the future outlook is good for Zambia, in his view.