A strong contingent of industry leaders, representing all modalities in the logistics sector, air, sea, road, rail, freight forwarders and e-commerce from the public and private sectors ,gathered in Johannesburg to position an industry-wide collaborative drive to accelerate transformation for the logistics sector – a sector that is at the forefront as a key contributor to the national economy, an enabler of trade and a central pillar to the country’s growth strategies.
Co-hosted by the Logistics Network Transformation Group and the Southern Africa Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF), the forum also welcomed delegations from Academia, NPOs and Regulatory bodies, to make it, arguably, the most representative session of its kind in the history of Logistics locally.
Chairperson of the Logistics Network Transformational Group, Vincent Zikhali says timing is a make-or-break factor in Logistics. In-step with the nation’s current transformational wave, Zikhali reports the meeting secured the commitment of all entities represented on the day to engage as a cohesive transformational force towards stabilising sector performance at world-class levels of excellence. Subject matter expert speakers delivered provoking analyses of pressing issues, engaging delegates to broaden the perspective, with employment creation and the placing of an alarming number of un-employed graduates being placed at the top of the agenda.
“It is clear that, for South Africa to compete effectively on the world stage, capacity building, skills development and new capabilities are all fundamental for growth and stability, alongside the government’s imperative to restore and develop supporting infrastructure,” said ZIkhali.
“To reinstate the country’s leadership position as a destination and gateway to Africa, we need to reawaken a culture of relentless improvement and continuous innovation, digitisation and automation. This is recognised as a collective imperative – so we should leave no one behind.”
Success in transformation for a broad and diverse sector such as Logistics needs to be anchored by well-defined, unified principles. This is now made possible by what President Ramaphosa calls ‘the deepening partnership between government and business” – in itself a transformation and clearly work-in-progress, says Dr Juanita Maree, the Chief Executive Officer of SAAFF. “South Africa plays a significant role in continental and world logistics, a vantage position that must be strengthened,” commented Maree. “The pace of change and operational complexities of today threaten core transformational deliverables. It becomes clear that demanding unequivocal inclusivity right at the core of the sector’s overarching transformational strategy as undertaken by the meeting, sets the pace for the bigger picture.”
The introduction of sub-working groups was a strong and very important outcome. This structured approach will ensure that issues of transformation in the logistics sector and sub-sectors are systematically and efficiently addressed through unified strategies and collaborative solutions, underpinned by open communication across all stakeholder circles.
Our nation has entered a most significant transformational phase. The winds of change are already showing signs of positive realignment in critical areas of governance, policy, and economic stabilisation, already impacting positively on investor confidence here and abroad, lifting sentiment among the business sector. Transformation is not only a race and gender thing – but an ‘all of us’ thing from international conglomerates, to SMMEs.
As an independent body, the Forum of the Transformation Working Group is tasked to provide the platform for dialogue and engagement going forward as all participants, together, get down to reinventing the logistics sector which is at the heart of the South African economy.
About the Logistics Network Transformation Group
The Logistics Network Integrated Transformation Working Group is committed to fostering a competitive, equitable, and sustainable logistics sector through strategic collaboration and innovation. By uniting industry associations and stakeholders, we aim to drive inclusive transformation by addressing systemic challenges, promoting skills development, and embracing digitalization. Our mission is to enhance access to markets, finance, and capacity development, while ensuring a unified voice on critical issues affecting trade and the economy. We strive to build a forward-thinking logistics sector that supports economic growth and social progress, with a particular focus on including historically disadvantaged communities.
About The South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF)
SAAFF was formed in 1921 and is a national association with members throughout the Republic of South Africa. While it attends to matters of national interest, its constitution permits regions to form chapters of the association to deal with local issues.
The association is a non-profit organisation governed by a constitution which provides for a board of directors, with a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Its directors are highly experienced senior executives from member freight forwarding companies, who are nominated and voted for by these members. A CEO reports to the Board of Directors and manages and directs the association.
Freight forwarding plays an essential role in international trade, and our members are dedicated to facilitating this activity through their involvement in the management of transportation, customs clearing, documentation, third-party payments and many other elements of international supply chains. We call the freight forwarder the “architect of the supply chain”. Globalisation and the need to reduce cost and speed up processing over the entire supply chain have re-focused the freight forwarder in ways that are innovative and functional.
Distributed by:
Catherine Larkin APR CMILT – Chief Visionary: CVLC Communication
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