BARNEY CURTIS Executive Director FESARTA (Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations) Road Freight Transport Workshop, Johannesburg. 27 th -28 th September 2011

OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENTATION To detail the main challenges faced by road transporters operating in the region (including East Africa) 2USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

CONTENTS What is FESARTA Challenges Photos 3USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

WHAT IS FESARTA A regional association, set up in 1993, according to Article of the SADC Protocol on Transport Communications and Meteorology, to: represent the road transport private sector at regional road transport forums Work with the National Road Transport Associations (NRTAs) to remove non-tariff barriers along the road transport routes 4USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

WHAT IS FESARTA A Section 21 company (association not for gain) registered in South Africa Its membership is the 12 or so NRTAs in East and Southern Africa It is the road transporter’s and other interested parties’ voice at regional COMESA, EAC and SADC forums 5USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

NON-TARIFF BARRIER SYSTEM COMESA/EAC/SADC Tripartite system to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade Hosted in each of the three RECs, though SADC is the most active Anyone can raise an NTB REC will confirm, then take up with State Don’t exactly correlate with problems 6USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations agreed at REC level. Some are now annexes to the Protocol Member States are required to implement the recommendations, but don’t always comply The Protocol does not have “teeth”, like the EAC Acts, which are supra-national 7USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

INTER-STATE RECOGNITION One Member State may not recognize the arrangement that another State may have with its transporters Eg Tanzania customs requires transporters to license with it; not recognizing the home customs licence A transporter’s own customs will know the transporter better 8USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

CHARGES, LEVIES, TAXES Transporters are seen as “cash cows” Charges are summarily introduced without consultation with those who are paying the charges Charges are not transparent, eg CBRTA permits, GFIP toll system, entry fees into Zambia and Swaziland, DRC border charges 9USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

OVERLOADING CONTROL Load limits not harmonized. Eg 9 to 10 tons single axle, 48 to 49 tons artic. Weighbridge allowances on gvm/gcm. Eg SA 2%, Zim 0%, Malawi 5% Weighbridge calibration not always done regularly and/or accurately Weighing of empty trucks 10USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

INFRASTRUCTURE Borders. Many were built decades ago and have not been upgraded Bridges. There are ferries where there should be bridges eg Kazungula. The Tete bridge is limited to 48 tons gcm Road design. Many need upgrading eg Dar to Chalinze 11USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

INFRASTRUCTURE Bypasses. Eg Lusaka, Lubumbashi Road maintenance well below standard. Eg Kapiri – Nakonde, Nata – Kazungula Weighbridges. Many are still single axle, are not suited to multi-axle units and should be phased out 12USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

BORDER POSTS PROCEDURES, DOCS Very little joint management of borders Most are still two-stop borders. Only Chirundu is one-stop Authorities at borders often don’t communicate, with duplication and inefficiencies Operating hours insufficient for traffic 13USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION Borders. Delays, smuggling, complex and excessive documentation. Drivers are not “saints” and can be involved in smuggling Weighbridges. Readings differ along a corridor Road blocks. Often illegal and there to earn private income 14USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

MARKET ACCESS Bi-lateral agreements not managed well Third Country Rule in place in most States COMESA carrier licence to liberalize cross-border transport, but some States don’t comply. Eg Kenya’s restrictions Overlapping between COMESA and SADC creates confusion 15USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

IMMIGRATION CONTROL OF DRIVERS Unfair application of visitors visas and work permits. Eg South Africa Visitors visas can be very expensive and difficult to obtain. Eg Angola Limit of annual stay by a driver in a State. Eg Botswana and Zambia limit 90 days total in a year 16USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

OTHER DRIVER ISSUES General Health. Bad eating and exercise habits, leading to diabetes, etc. HIV/AIDS. Being away from home encourages bad sexual behaviour Driving licence. The professional driving permit (PrDP), or equivalent, is not harmonized and sometimes not acceptable 17USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

ROAD SAFETY Advanced driver training probably the most important factor in road safety Poor management of drivers and their driving hours on trips Inadequate truck stops. To link with Wellness Centres and emergency services Left-hand drive trucks questionable 18USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

HIJACKING Not well publicized Especially with high value loads, eg copper, cigarettes, liquor, TVs Drivers’ trips to be better managed with vehicle tracking and direct phone contact Drivers don’t manage stops well enough Insufficient truck stops 19USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

FITNESS OF VEHICLES Importation of old trucks compromises the ability to maintain a good level of fitness Rate-cutters do not maintain their vehicles to the required standard Enforcement of standards by authorities not effective enough 20USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

LEFT-HAND DRIVE TRUCKS Transporters in less developed transport industries import USA 2 nd hand lhd trucks Authorities believe lhd trucks compromise road safety Mozambique and Zimbabwe deciding to ban their importation Affected transporters will struggle 21USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

ROAD USER CHARGES Not harmonized and some countries very high, eg DRC USD300 for 180 kms South Africa does not implement Toll road fees complicate the matter COMESA recommended US$10/100 kms. SADC recommended country-specific SADC process is struggling 22USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

3 RD PARTY INSURANCE Three systems. Yellow Card, Fuel Levy, Cash Systems not harmonized, drivers have to carry cash Some States Yellow Card fees very high Overlapping of COMESA and SADC complicate the matter 23USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

DIMENSIONS OF VEHICLES Overall height. SADC recommended 4.3 metres. States vary between 4.1 and 4.6. A high-cube 12-metre ISO container on a standard trailer requires 4.5 metres. Overall width varies between 2.5 and 2.6 metres Artic length varies between 16.5 and 18 metres 24USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

DANGEROUS GOODS Lack of knowledge and regulations Becoming a serious problem for road safety States introducing restrictions which may not be reasonable. Eg Zimbabwe Insufficient and unprofessional emergency services 25USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

ABNORMAL LOADS No harmonized regulations States apply punitive charges without professional calculations Escorts a problem across borders 26USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

CUSTOMS DOCS AND PROCEDURES Not really a transporters issue, but can create serious problems Licensing by foreign states Bond payment delays at borders, due to “briefcase” agents Continually changing requirements Delay in implementing a transit bond 27USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

RELATIONSHIP WITH AUTHORITIES In some states, relationship is not good, eg in East Africa Authorities apply tough and punitive measures. Transporters try to outsmart them. Stalemate Self-regulation not yet far enough forward to make a difference 28USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

TRIPARTITE ACTION PLAN Many initiatives to try and solve the problems Most notable is the Tripartite Trade and Transport Facilitation Programme FESARTA works with TMSA on it USAID programme fits with this plan 29USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011

IRTE AGM, 15th July

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THANK YOU 40USAID Workshop, Johannesburg, 27th Sep 2011