Private sector initiative tackles Gauteng’s critical logistics issues

Logistics veteran helps co-ordinate representative bodies Kevin Mayhew AS WITH the logistics industry countrywide the problems with the Gauteng infrastructure remain the critical issues of road congestion and degradation and as yet unresolved problems at ports for import and export of mainly container traffic. So important is the state of logistics that the private sector’s most representative body, the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob), has appointed a dedicated professional at its Johannesburg head office. He will try to co-ordinate the disparate bodies and associations that represent the industry – many of which are based in Gauteng. A 20-year logistics industry veteran, Wayne Bateman took the position of policy executive, transport and logistics in January this year. “There were obvious weaknesses in the whole set-up with repetition of functions and glaring lack of participation in certain forums where Sacob should have been involved. For instance we are not represented directly on the Road Freight Association (RFA), although one of our executives at Sacob is a member, but in his capacity as an executive of one of the major logistics companies,” says Bateman.