Trouble-shooting is part of the deal

For a road freight firm specialisng
in cross-border transport since
the 1970s, wisdom learned
from millions of kilometres travelled
between countries is worth a listen.
One bit of advice offered by Sikelela
Vilakati, managing director of Chrisilda
Transport, is for operations managers
of road haulage firms to be prepared to
rush to the scene of an emergency.
“You never know when something
may happen, even on a route you drive
every day for years without a problem,”
said Vilakati, recalling how recently
he had no alternative but to drop
what he was doing and go to Maputo
when Mozambican customs for some
inexplicable reason impounded a truck.
“Thank goodness it wasn’t
perishables,” said Vilakati, whose
main commodity to Maputo now is the
importation of soft drink bottles used by
Coca-Cola.
From its base at the Matsapha
Industrial Estate in central Swaziland,
Chrisilda’s fleet of 34 cross-border
trucks fans out to Lesotho to deliver
food aid for the World Food Programme,
as well as doing the regular Maputo
runs. Trucks ferry goods daily to
and from Johannesburg and Durban,
and ply a plethora of other SA routes.
Occasionally, a customer requests road
service to or from Botswana.
“It’s important to handle problems
the moment they arise. You don’t make
money if the wheels aren’t moving,”
said Vilakati.