Together we move South Africa forward

Transport month, celebrated in October each year, is about celebrating the critical role that transport and logistics have to play in both the social upliftment and economic development of the country.

This year’s theme, “Together we move South Africa forward”, recognises the need for collaboration between the public and private sector to improve the country’s transport and logistics performance.

Recently, the World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI), ranked South Africa as the third-most competitive market, in terms of logistics performance, among upper-middle-income economies.

Moreover, the country achieved an overall ranking of 33 out of 160 countries that were assessed in this year’s LPI. Among the many important factors considered by the World Bank in compiling the LPI is the quality of a country’s logistics services.

A leading example in the South African transport and logistics arena is Cargo Carriers. In the 2018 fiscal alone, the Cargo Carrier’s revenue-earning fleet covered well over 19-billion kilometres in South Africa and across its borders. This ensured the timely delivery of, among other commodities: fuels to mines, cement to construction sites, gasses to health facilities, as well as chemical and steel products to various industrial sectors.

People first
Just as important is Cargo Carriers’ unwavering commitment to health, safety and the environment. This is demonstrated by its robust, integrated systems that provide a holistic view of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ).

Certified by independent third-party accreditation body, Dekra, the company’s policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated, while all employees undergo regular training to update risk-assessment and reporting standards.

Moreover, the company conducts its own biannual internal SHEQ audits to monitor health and safety standards across the group.

Certainly, this focus supports the National Department of Transport’s drive to ensure a safe and eco-friendly transport sector.

Sustainable development
Importantly, the sustainability of the industry is also dependent on accelerated transformation.

As a Level-2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) third-party logistics provider, Cargo Carriers has demonstrated its commitment to the establishment of a more inclusive transport industry.

This has always been a fundamental pillar of the “Cargo Way”, which is aligned to government’s B-BBEE policies and the Transport Sector Charter, to ensure meaningful participation of South African citizens in the local economy.

Cargo Carriers is now 53,06-percent black owned, of which it boasts 12,55-percent black women ownership. Notably, the company has received an outstanding 125-percent scoring for procuring products and services from black businesses in its latest B-BBEE verification audit.

At Cargo Carriers innovation has enabled the company to drive down fuel consumption, as well as significantly improve road safety and reduce its carbon footprint. As one of the country’s foremost supply-chain solutions specialists, Cargo Carriers stands ready to play its part in moving South Africa forward.