Improvements in the Angolan road
and Customs infrastructure have
reduced road freight rates by up
to a third over the past few years,
says Quintin Calitz, managing
partner of Tutungeni Import and
Export.
Only around 60 kilometres of the
main Trans Caprivi Corridor on the
Angolan side remains in very bad
condition, he says.
Describing the company as “the
agent’s agent,” Calitz and business
manager Drury Parrell specialise
in moving cargo into and out
of Angola, Namibia and global
countries.
Their systems and network have
been honed to the point where they
can move a truckload of cargo from
Durban on the east coast to their
Luanda warehouse in 14 days.
“We have created the structures
needed to overcome the bottlenecks
on the way,” says Parrell.
Blockages are sometimes
caused by clients. One shipment
was delayed because the shipper
decided to include a “thank you”
box with the cargo at the last
minute. When Angola customs
inspected the cargo and found the
undeclared box, they held up the
shipment.
“Declare everything. In the long
run you save money by being
honest,” says Calitz.
Tutungeni has its own offices
and agents all the way from
Durban, Cape Town or Walvis Bay
to the main centres in Angola.
“We are one of few companies
that offer door to door in Angola.
Under our fully controlled logistics
offering we can certainly manage
our clients’ expectations for
full supply chain functions in a
controlled environment.
Tutungeni also operates its own
fleet of medium commercials
which are best suited to the
conditions and loads which are
distributed within Angola.
There is an ‘open book’ policy
where goods and services are
procured and offered on behalf
of the client. Being transparent,
Tutungeni does not add on to the
costs of third-party suppliers.
“We focus on building long-term
relationships with our clients,”
he says.
CAPTION
The Tutungeni team – left back Quintin
Calitz (managing partner) and Drury
Parrell (business manager). Sitting
in front is business partner Paula
Mupopiwa.
