The South African Freight and Logistics Association (SAFLA) and the Road Freight Association (RFA) are jointly calling for an immediate, unified recovery plan to restore predictable cargo flow through Durban Gateway Terminal (DGT) after sustained disruption across vessel, yard, system and landside operations.

The record is stark. In July, vessels at DGT averaged some 80 hours at anchorage and 106 at berth. After the mid-August NAVIS N4 cutover, weekly throughput fell 26% and reported terminal waits reached eight to 12 days. Independent monitoring data shows average Durban port call time rising from under five days in late June to more than twelve by late August, and monthly berth calls down from 34 to 19 since May. On the roadside, the time transporters spend in the port precinct per visit has risen by more than half in three months, while Bayhead Road transit times have climbed steadily since January. The whole gateway is slowing.

The cost runs well beyond storage and demurrage: production lines waiting for inputs, emergency airfreight at a multiple of ocean cost, and trucks standing without bookings. In the 2023 logistics crisis, the GAIN Group put the cost of freight-system dysfunction at around R1 billion a day in lost output. Durban is running the same mechanisms again.

International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) assumed operational responsibility for DGT on 1 January 2026 under a 25-year partnership with Transnet, inheriting longstanding infrastructure, yard, road and rail constraints alongside pre-handover investment in 20 new straddle carriers and four ship-to-shore cranes. The question is no longer equipment purchased, but equipment available, reliable and synchronised. The NAVIS N4 transition did not create DGT’s constraints; it compounded them.

Accountability must follow the contracts: cargo owners contract with shipping lines, the lines with the terminal, and Transnet granted the concession under defined performance commitments. Transnet and the shipping lines therefore hold the standing to bring the terminal to account — and neither should pass the cost of disruption down a chain that controls none of it.

“Cargo owners and freight forwarders do not experience the port as separate institutions. They experience one chain,” says David Logan, Executive Officer of SAFLA. “If systems, straddles, slots, gates, roads or rail fail to align, cargo stops. The priority is not institutional blame. It is disciplined recovery, with clear owners, deadlines and one trusted set of numbers.”

“Transporters are carrying this crisis on their balance sheets,” continues Gavin Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of the RFA. “Fleets are standing without bookings while fixed costs run, drivers are queuing on Bayhead Road, and every standing hour ends up in the price of goods. Slot releases must match real capacity, and truck staging must be fast-tracked now. Without trucks, South Africa stops.”

The associations propose a DGT Recovery Compact built on five actions:

1.  One recovery structure — the terminal, Transnet entities, eThekwini, shipping lines, transporters, labour and industry bodies in one daily structure, with government facilitating rather than managing.

2.  A public, 30-day recovery plan — daily targets and one public dashboard: vessel waiting and berth times, crane productivity, equipment availability, system stability, yard utilisation, dwell, truck turnaround, rail evacuation.

3.  Stabilisation of systems, equipment and the yard — NAVIS Hypercare retained until cargo-flow thresholds are sustained, backed by a straddle and crane reliability programme and accelerated evacuation of long-dwell containers.

4.  A coordinated landside plan — appointment releases aligned with real capacity, published slot schedules, reasons for cancellations, disclosure of any preferential access, and fast-tracked truck staging.

5.  Fair commercial treatment — transparent prioritisation of reefers, perishables and critical cargo, and published relief processes for storage, demurrage and detention where delays lay beyond the cargo owner’s control.

The associations acknowledge DGT’s Hypercare support, storage extensions and Radar platform, and the Presidency’s involvement. What is still missing is one consolidated, independently understandable set of performance indicators.

“The Transnet–ICTSI partnership was created to change Durban’s trajectory, and we want it to succeed,” Logan says. “Success will be measured by predictable berthing, productive ship hours, reliable truck access, effective rail evacuation and cargo arriving on time. Durban needs one recovery plan, one set of trusted numbers and shared accountability. Cargo must move — and it must keep moving.”

SAFLA and the RFA stand ready to contribute member evidence and practitioner expertise to a joint recovery task team alongside DGT, Transnet, government and other industry bodies.

RFA Chief Executive Officer Gavin Kelly

SAFLA’s Executive Officer Dave Logan

Next time you’re driving on the N3, take a look at the trucks around you. Some will be carrying supermarket stock, vehicle components or building materials. Others, despite looking exactly the same, won’t be carrying anything at all.

Their deliveries have already been completed, and they’re making the journey back with an empty trailer.

For the average motorist, it probably goes unnoticed. For the logistics industry, it’s one of the biggest challenges on South Africa’s roads.

Every kilometre still costs money. The truck still burns fuel, the tyres continue to wear, the driver is still on the clock and the vehicle is unavailable for another job. The only thing that’s missing is the load.

The Delivery Might Be Finished, But the Trip Isn’t

Dropping off the last pallet doesn’t mean the day’s work is over.

As soon as a truck is unloaded, the focus shifts to the next journey. Ideally, there’s another load waiting nearby. If there is, the vehicle keeps moving and continues earning revenue. If not, it heads back empty, ready for its next assignment.

That might not sound like a major issue, but think about it across hundreds of trucks travelling every day. What looks like the occasional empty trailer quickly becomes thousands of kilometres where expensive equipment is moving without transporting a single product.

Empty Space Comes at a Cost

It’s easy to assume empty kilometres are mainly about fuel, but the impact runs much deeper.

Every trip still adds wear to the truck. Drivers still spend hours on the road. Maintenance schedules don’t change simply because the trailer is empty. More importantly, every truck travelling without freight is capacity that could have been used somewhere else.

In an industry where margins are often tight, getting more from the fleet you already have is usually far more valuable than simply adding another vehicle.

There’s No Simple Fix

If reducing empty kilometres were easy, the problem would have disappeared years ago.

A return load isn’t always available where a delivery ends. Customer collection times may not line up. Warehouses have different operating hours. Production schedules change. Sometimes the next load is simply too far away to make commercial sense.

That’s why transport planners spend so much time looking beyond individual deliveries. They’re constantly trying to connect one journey to the next, finding opportunities to keep trucks loaded for as much of the day as possible.

Technology has made that easier, but it hasn’t replaced experience. Knowing where freight is moving, understanding customer operations and building strong relationships across the supply chain still play a huge role in making those decisions.

Every Journey Counts

Whether a truck returns with another load often has very little to do with the transport company alone. Production schedules, warehouse operations, customer delivery windows and even where businesses are located all influence what happens once a delivery has been completed.

Most people driving past a truck will never know whether it’s carrying a full load or an empty trailer, and chances are they’ll never think twice about it. Yet for the businesses behind the scenes, that difference shapes everything from operating costs to fleet capacity and customer service. In logistics, making the delivery is only part of the job. Finding a way to make the journey back count is where the real challenge begins.

The South African Freight and Logistics Association (SAFLA) and the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters of South Africa (AMIE SA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to deepen collaboration on the logistics, port-operational and regulatory issues affecting South Africa’s meat trade.

SAFLA and AMIE SA will use the MoC to identify recurring constraints, exchange evidence and develop practical, solutions-focused proposals for engagement with government agencies and stakeholders. The partnership will support constructive dialogue on port operations, border processes, veterinary and sanitary requirements, market access, rail and road connectivity, and supply-chain resilience.

A United Voice to Find Practical Solutions

“Logistics is fundamental to food security, trade competitiveness and economic growth,” says Jonathan McDonald, Vice Chairman of SAFLA. “This MoC gives SAFLA and AMIE SA a stronger platform to speak with one informed voice, engage constructively with government agencies and work with them to resolve issues that affect cargo flow, costs and reliability. We are most effective when industry brings evidence, expertise and practical solutions to the table.”

Paul Matthew, CEO of AMIE SA, adds that improved collaboration between industry and government is essential if South Africa is to turn trade opportunities into measurable growth. “We have the product, the capability and markets that are ready to buy South African meat,” Matthew notes. “What is required is effective coordination: clear communication between national and provincial authorities, efficient certification and inspection processes, and a willingness to bring the private sector into the solution.”

For meat exporters, the ability to supply international customers consistently is crucial. Delays in market-access processes and veterinary approvals can cause buyers to source from alternative suppliers. Animal-health events remain a trade risk, underlining the importance of robust traceability, credible controls and internationally accepted approaches to regionalisation.

Matthew highlights that trade is not a zero-sum choice between exports and domestic affordability. “Export markets enable producers to obtain value for different cuts across the carcass. That improves overall carcass balance and can support a more sustainable, affordable domestic supply,” he says.

The MoC recognises that food safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable. Its purpose is to support processes that are rigorous, proportionate and consistently applied, while ensuring that avoidable administrative bottlenecks do not undermine trade, jobs or consumer access to protein.

AMIE SA estimates that South Africa exported approximately 81,000 tonnes of red meat, including beef, sheep and goat meat, worth around R63 billion between 2025 and May 2026, demonstrating the significant economic potential of the sector even amid disease-related and administrative constraints.

The freight-forwarding sector that enables this trade is itself substantial, with South Africa’s freight-forwarding market estimated to have generated approximately R81 billion in revenue in 2025. Freight forwarders also coordinate more than 80% of the country’s international trade, reinforcing the strategic importance of efficient, reliable logistics systems.

Room for Further Improvement

“Meat trade depends on logistics, predictable inspection and cargo-release processes, veterinary controls, and reliable access to international markets,” continues McDonald. “When these systems do not operate in concert, the consequences are felt by producers, importers, exporters, cold stores, transporters, processors, retailers and consumers.”

While there have been encouraging improvements in infrastructure and equipment in the Durban port, industry continues to confront operational pressure points, including cold-chain capacity, container handling, inspection coordination and release of consignments.

“Through industry engagement, communication and joint advocacy, SAFLA and AMIE SA intend to help convert recurring challenges into coordinated action,” concludes McDonald. “The associations believe that a unified industry voice, combined with respectful partnership with government, can improve the country’s logistics ecosystem, strengthen national supply-chain performance and support a competitive, resilient South African meat sector.”

Jonathan McDonald – Vice Chair of SAFLA, with Paul Matthew, CEO of AMIE SA

Jonathan McDonald – Vice Chair of SAFLA, with Paul Matthew, CEO of AMIE SA