It is understood that negotiations between freight industry stakeholders and officials representing Port Health operations at OR Tambo International Airport are at a sensitive stage about the current backlog affecting imports (*).
On Monday, Freight News heard from various reliable industry sources – whose names are being withheld – that public-sector resources were battling to cope with the spike in seasonal demand.
One source said the backlog stood at about 5 000 shipments that would take two weeks to clear.
Another, who is closer to official data, said the backlog on Monday was about 4 800 shipments and that it would take at least 13 days to clear.
Both sources confirmed that the Southern African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff) and the South African Express Parcel Association (Saepa) were locked in ongoing negotiations with the Border Management Authority (BMA).
It means that meetings about the airport’s “problem with resources”, believed to be about personnel deployment, have been ongoing for more than two weeks.
On the 23rd of October, Mmemme Mogotsi, the deputy assistant commissioner of communications and marketing at the BMA, confirmed that the current acting commissioner, Major General David Chilembe, had met with private-sector stakeholders to sort out the backlog.
That meeting was on the 21st.
Mogotsi said that “following various discussions noting capacity and financial challenges”, it had been agreed that there should be an “augmentation of resources to address inspections at OR Tambo International”.
Mogotsi also mentioned the Port of Durban in this regard.
She said: “A project team will be set up to map out processes to be followed regarding resourcing of the affected ports and viability of the project in consultation with National Treasury and following their prescripts.”
It’s not clear whether this was done.
Mogotsi’s response to questions by Freight News was received after a weekly Cargo Movement Update (CMU) by Saaff and Business Unity SA found that inbound airfreight at OR Tambo was under significant strain because of resources not coping with an increase in volume.
CMU 256, reported on by Freight News on October 23, found that at least 4 000 shipments had been affected, amounting to a delay of 12 days.
Delay-causing challenges posed by Port Health at OR Tambo have also been cited by Leon Bruwer, FedEx managing director for sales in sub-Saharan Africa.
During an industry session looking at logistical developments in South Africa on October 22, he said: “Customs is a key issue.”
He specifically mentioned Port Health, saying it had been “giving us a lot of problems”.
Exports via OR Tambo into the SSA region would be a certainty, Bruwer said, if the airport became more competitive.
When industry stakeholders were approached for comment on Monday, they were reluctant to provide up-to-date information.
Freight News is also still waiting for comment from Mogotsi.
* This post has been updated with the following information received from Saaff CEO Dr Juanita Maree:
Last week, we had 5 000 shipments and the backlog was 12 days.
Industry is busy assisting the BMA, working weekends and overtime.
We hope to clear the backlog in the next five days.
National Treasury didn’t allocate funds to cope with the increase in trade volume.
BMA, Saaff, Saepa and cargo owners are working together to come up with solutions that will increase capacity, assist with weekend work and overtime, and introduce a transparent productivity index that will keep all role players accountable.
She said the BMA was working with industry to resolve delays at OR Tambo, and that executive meetings were held every Wednesday and Friday evening.
Maree added that they were also looking at longer-term strategies focused on effective risk management and digitisation.
