SA Truckers Accused Of Unfair Business Practice
Pauline Dikuelo | Monday August 10, 2015 16:53
In an interview with The Monitor, BOTRA chairperson, Comfort Mokgothu, said that South African truckers usually penetrate the local market and are mostly given preference in tendering, especially by the mines.
“SA trucks come into Botswana to off load and due to lack of regulation, they end up transporting more goods from one point to another within the country penetrating our local market,” said Mokgothu.
He also said that they have realised that the mining industry, which they are heavily reliant on, prefers to deal with South Africans as they are said to be cheaper than the local ones in terms of transportation.
Mokgothu said they usually encounter unfair competition from the South African truckers when mines float a tender because they (South Africans) usually use their back load as an originating load hence the lower charges.
Said Mokgothu: “I think everyone who is involved in this industry should work together to help us create jobs and have sustainable businesses that will contribute to the economic development of this country. Police officers should also start assessing the loads in trucks to help us in this regard.”
Furthermore, Mokgothu called for cooperation between the relevant authorities, especially the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
He explained that their corporation would help in the economic diversification of the country and thus improve the safety and easy flow of goods.
Principal traffic and safety officer, Timothy Phalane said his department is aware of the situation. Phalane said foreigners are given preference when it comes to winning tenders in the country, while locals can also do the work adding that this is a challenge.
“Foreigners win tenders in Botswana, come with their own trucks even when they should subcontract local companies to deal with the internal delivery of goods, which in turn helps empower citizens,” said Phalane.
He also encouraged everyone who is in the freight industry to be a member of BOTRA so that they could be one voice and be heard.-He said that they have decided to hold a freight industry mini Pitso to hear out their concerns and find out ways to deal with them.