South Africa must try to significantly reduce red tape and costs at border crossings if it wants to increase intra-regional and continental trade.
According to Geordin Hill-Lewis, DA shadow minister of finance, to move a single truck load of goods between South Africa and Angola it requires some 1000 pieces of paper, while it costs a minimum of at least $190.
“It is near impossible to expand trade under such commitments,” he said. “Reducing these trade barriers has to be a focus for us as a country and a continent if we want to increase trade between countries on the continent.”
He said a talk with any of South Africa’s top retailers that operate across the borders highlighted the many barriers they faced when moving goods to their stores.
“We have to make it easier to do business. In the past eight years South Africa has dropped from a high point of 38th in the World Bank’s ease of doing business report to 89th. This is a great concern.”
Hill-Lewis said it was imperative that South Africa take action to move back into the top 50, if not the top 35. - Liesl Venter
