Vicious cycle of corruption continues

After a difficult 2009, freight
forwarders and transporters
are cautiously optimistic about
the coming year.
Transworld Road Freight says
while volumes may have only picked
up slightly in recent months, the
company remains optimistic that
cross-border volumes will grow
significantly in the next few months.
“The recession affected our crossborder
projects greatly and turnover
was down. In many African countries
there were many mining companies
that closed and all of this impacted
heavily on cross-border operations
and on the flow of traffic,” a
spokesman said.
Add to this the lack of the usual
“silly season” and an increase in
volumes is needed for 2010. “We
were busy toward the end of the
year, but not in comparison with
the previous year. We are however
confident that things will pick up and
that 2010 will be a better year than
the last.”
Mainly transporting between
South Africa and Namibia,
Transworld Road Freight has seen
much improvement in Africa’s
infrastructure and border post
operations.
“A major concern remains
corruption, which is not being
addressed at all,” says the spokesman.
“Most operators just pay the money
asked and bill it into their charges
so that a vicious cycle just continues
and the expectation is that everyone
must pay.”
Another problem he said, was
the lack of fencing along the Trans
Kalahari, especially in Botswana
where animals are allowed to
migrate freely. “Ironically the
problem is not the game, but rather
the domesticated animals such as
donkeys, horses and goats that are
causing very dangerous conditions.”