RFA, SAFLA sign MoU on cross-border logistics

South Africa's Road Freight Association (RFA) and the South African Freight & Logistics Association (SAFLA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on improving cross-border trade, with a focus on reducing customs delays, border inefficiencies and rising supply chain costs.

The strategic partnership aims to enhance industry engagement with the government on key freight issues, including customs modernisation, border digitalisation, trade facilitation and regulatory reforms. The organisations said the initiative is intended to reduce delays that continue to increase costs and hinder the efficient movement of goods.

RFA CEO Gavin Kelly said the agreement reflects the interconnected nature of South Africa's freight ecosystem, where road freight operators, freight forwarders, clearing agents and other logistics stakeholders depend on one another to keep supply chains moving efficiently.

SAFLA described the MoU as a practical step towards reducing friction across the supply chain, noting that inefficiencies at any stage from border posts to South African Revenue Service (SARS) customs processes have a ripple effect on the wider logistics network.

The association said combining its advocacy efforts with those of the RFA would strengthen the industry's representation at key platforms, including the SARS Stakeholder Forums, enabling government to receive more coordinated and unified recommendations on issues affecting cross-border freight.

SAFLA added that the collaboration will focus on advancing smart border initiatives, digitalisation of Other Government Agencies (OGAs), and process mapping to improve the efficiency of freight movements. It said the partnership is aimed at delivering tangible benefits for members while supporting a more streamlined and competitive logistics sector.

Wide disparities in road freight regulations across African countries continue to hamper market access, with a highly restrictive regulatory regime in one country capable of disrupting trade flows along an entire regional corridor.

Based on data from the WB-WTO- Services Trade Policy Database and Services Trade Restrictions Index, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and several West African economies maintain relatively open road freight services regimes. Whereas Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, and Zambia record the highest indices in STRI for road freight services, signaling the most restrictive regimes.