‘Riding the ups and downs is what it’s all about’

The changing face of Swaziland’s Matsapha Industrial Estate mirrors the growth of the country’s industrial and transport sectors. From a farmer’s field a generation ago, a sprouting of factory shells and truck yards has expanded each year, with residents like Sharp Freight, the largest Swazi-owned clearing and forwarding firm, moving with the times. “Business is sometimes seasonal, it can be up or down, but the general trend is toward growth – in this business, in the economy, at Matsapha,” said Jabu Vilakati, one of Sharp Freight’s founding partners. “We move general goods. Textiles – inputs coming and exports to take out – are seasonal, and are down this year. But we’ve been busy overall, carrying everything that comes through the door. A transporter must do that, and have the right equipment and also be prepared to ride the ups and downs of this business,” said Vilakati. Sharp Freight handles airfreight for clients who need immediate deliveries. The firm’s routes have expanded into Botswana and Lesotho, but SA remains the primary destination and point of origin for Swaziland-bound goods.