Zimbabwe’s importers cause delays of up to 3 days

Clive Emdon LATE RECEIPT of duties from Zimbabwean importers is one of the major reasons for delays of up to three days at the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe, according to Mark Green of Leo Shipping Services. “Zimbabwean importers are often held up because clearing agents do not receive the required duties from importers prior to the truck’s arrival,” he told FTW. With 30 years experience in the freight industry, Green is the major shareholder in Leo Shipping Services, a freight forwarding and logistics company trading since 1999 and operating road transport services to and from Zimbabwe. He says 90% of his business revolves around Zimbabwe. The company provides full and part-loads and a regular consolidation service into Zimbabwe. His two partners operate a shipping, forwarding and transport company from within Zimbabwe. “Although there is a general decline in freight volumes through Zimbabwe we are picking up on active sales and marketing with our associate there.” Green says Zimbabwe’s agricultural exports have diminished by about 60% in five years with a huge drop in the tobacco crop that is increasingly being replaced by the cotton crop. “While we used to ship 300 to 4 00 containers of tobacco each season this has dropped to 100-200 containers.” Other crops include paprika and timber (up to 100 loads a year). Leo Shipping also offers full loads to Malawi, Zambia and the DRC. He says the export of cotton from Zambia is doing well. With cotton consignments from Malawi they make up half of his work-load. Green believes the economics and seasonal needs of small freight agents have made it financially prudent to outsource trucking, warehousing and customs clearing. “This allows us, the freight agent, to concentrate on the quality of service to clients. We are based on-site at warehouse and depot facilities which have direct access to rail lines in Kazerne.”