A surgical procedure was scheduled for the following morning when healthcare company Cardaxes urgently needed to move a critical vascular shipment into Namibia. A public holiday and customs-related delays left little room for error.

FedEx teams assessed the options, coordinated an air solution and stayed in close contact with the customer. The shipment arrived in time for the procedure.

Healthcare logistics requires more than moving products from one location to another. It calls for careful coordination, specialised handling and the ability to respond when conditions change. For time-critical shipments, every part of the journey matters.

Meeting Time-Critical Healthcare Needs

In healthcare, delivery timelines can be tied directly to procedures and treatment plans. A delayed medicine shipment or medical device can disrupt care and have consequences beyond the supply chain.

“Healthcare logistics operates on a different level of urgency,” says Nelson Teixeira, Managing Director of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx. “You’re not just moving packages; you’re supporting patient outcomes. Every shipment matters.”

The Cardaxes shipment highlights the role of operational expertise in managing unexpected challenges. Assessing route options, working through customs-related delays and coordinating the movement helped get the shipment to its destination in time.

Protecting Product Integrity

For vaccines, biologics, clinical samples and other temperature-sensitive products, maintaining the required temperature throughout transit is critical. Speed alone is not enough if product integrity is compromised.

FedEx offers temperature-controlled packaging designed to maintain temperatures of 2°C to 8°C for either 48 or 96 hours, depending on the option selected. Actual performance can vary with external temperatures, making it important to match packaging to the shipment and expected conditions.

A second shipment over the same weekend involved life-saving stem cells for a patient with blood cancer. FedEx Special Services helped coordinate the movement and provided updates throughout the journey.

Both cases highlight the importance of matching operational planning and shipment handling to the requirements of each healthcare shipment.

Using Visibility to Support Timely Decisions

Healthcare customers need information that helps them monitor critical shipments, identify potential risks and determine when intervention may be needed.

FedEx Surround combines near-real-time monitoring and predictive analytics to help teams identify potential disruptions and prioritise intervention. Sense Aware provides shipment information, including real-time location and temperature data, with alerts for selected conditions.

These capabilities support teams in assessing changing conditions and determining the appropriate response. This is particularly relevant across Sub-Saharan Africa, where customs processes, transport infrastructure and regulatory requirements can vary across markets.

The World Bank has highlighted the importance of improving connectivity and reducing barriers to trade across African markets. For healthcare businesses, effective cross-border logistics is an important consideration when planning the movement of sensitive products.

Planning for Reliable Delivery

Healthcare logistics depends on network capability, specialised handling and timely operational decisions. Involving logistics teams early can help healthcare businesses account for regulatory requirements, assess route options and determine the handling and visibility needed for each shipment.

As healthcare supply chains expand across Africa, these capabilities will remain important to moving medicines, medical equipment and other sensitive products across borders. 

Reliable healthcare logistics means delivering the right product, within the required timeframe and in the right condition.

When the cost of getting goods from A to B keeps climbing, businesses have two choices: absorb the increase and watch their margins shrink, or take a closer look at how their supply chains work.

For many companies, logistics costs are treated as a necessary expense,  something to negotiate when a quote comes in too high or revisit when the budget starts looking uncomfortable. But the biggest savings are not always found in securing a cheaper freight rate. They can be found in the decisions made long before a shipment leaves the warehouse.

From the timing of orders to the way cargo is packed, routes are planned and suppliers are managed, small inefficiencies can accumulate into significant costs.

“Businesses are under pressure from every direction. The challenge is that when costs increase, the instinct is often to look for the cheapest quote and move on,” says Craig du Toit, Managing Director of RSA Global Forwarding South Africa. “But the cheapest rate on paper does not always translate into the lowest overall cost. A delayed shipment, poor planning, unnecessary storage or an unexpected charge can quickly wipe out the saving. Businesses need to look at the full picture.”

Rather than treating logistics as a transaction, RSA Global Forwarding encourages businesses to view it as a strategic part of their operations – one that can influence cash flow, customer satisfaction, competitiveness and profitability.

10 Practical Ways to Cut Logistics Costs

1. Stop Paying to Move Air

Are you paying to transport half-empty containers, oversized packaging or vehicles carrying far less than their capacity? Review the dimensions, weight and volume of your cargo before booking. Better packaging and load planning can help businesses make better use of available space and avoid paying for capacity they do not need.

“Space is one of the easiest things to overlook because you don’t necessarily see the cost immediately,” says François Coetzee, Managing Director of RSA Global Forwarding. “But when inefficient packaging is repeated across dozens or hundreds of shipments, that unused capacity becomes a very real cost to the business.”

2. Consolidate Shipments Where Possible

Multiple small shipments can mean multiple handling fees, transport charges and administrative processes. Where delivery deadlines allow, combining orders into fewer, better-planned shipments can reduce the cost per unit moved. The key is balancing consolidation with the cost of holding stock for longer.

3. Plan Ahead to Avoid Unnecessary Urgency

Last-minute bookings leave less room to compare options, coordinate cargo and choose the most suitable transport method. Forecasting demand, confirming orders earlier and communicating shipping requirements in advance can help businesses avoid preventable expedited freight costs.

“Urgency is expensive,” says du Toit. “There will always be shipments that genuinely need to move quickly, but businesses should not be paying premium rates simply because planning happened too late. The earlier we understand what a customer needs, the more options we can explore with them.”

4. Compare Total Landed Cost, Not Just Freight Rates

A low freight quote may look attractive until customs duties, clearance fees, port charges, insurance, storage and inland transport are added. Businesses importing or exporting goods should calculate the full cost of getting cargo to its final destination before choosing a shipping option.

Coetzee says businesses should be careful not to let a headline freight rate dictate the entire decision.

“A freight rate is only one piece of the cost equation. What matters is what the shipment ultimately costs the business from origin to destination. Looking at the total landed cost gives you a much more accurate basis for making a decision.”

5. Choose the Right Transport Mode for the Job

Air freight, sea freight and road transport each have a role to play. Air freight may be justified for urgent, high-value or time-sensitive goods, while sea freight may suit larger shipments that can accommodate longer transit times. Road freight can offer flexibility for domestic and regional movements. The objective is to match the transport method to the shipment’s urgency, value, volume and commercial requirements.

“The fastest option is not automatically the smartest option,” says François. “If a shipment does not need to arrive tomorrow, paying a premium for speed may simply be unnecessary. The right question is: what does the business actually need this shipment to achieve?”

6. Treat Customs Documentation as a Cost-Control Tool

Incomplete paperwork, incorrect tariff classifications and missing permits can lead to delays, additional handling, storage costs and penalties. Ensure commercial invoices, packing lists, shipping documents and any required permits are accurate and submitted on time. A little preparation can prevent expensive complications later.

“Documentation may seem like administration, but in international logistics it directly affects time and cost,” du Toit explains. “A missing document can hold up cargo, and a delay can quickly turn into storage, demurrage or other additional charges. Getting the paperwork right is one of the simplest ways to avoid unnecessary costs.”

7. Review Your Inventory Strategy

Holding too much stock ties up working capital and increases warehousing costs. Holding too little can lead to emergency orders and expensive expedited shipments. Review sales patterns, supplier lead times and demand forecasts to find a balance between availability and unnecessary inventory expenditure.

François says logistics decisions should never be made in isolation from the wider business.

“Your inventory strategy and your logistics strategy are connected. If you consistently run out of stock, you may end up paying for emergency freight. If you consistently over-order, you are tying up capital and potentially paying more for storage. The objective is to find the point where availability and cost make commercial sense.”

8. Question Every Recurring Charge

Do not simply accept freight invoices at face value. Review fuel surcharges, storage fees, demurrage, detention, handling charges and other additional costs. Understand what triggers each charge, verify that it has been applied correctly and identify recurring problems that could be prevented through better planning.

“Recurring charges are worth investigating because they can tell you where a process is breaking down,” says Coetzee. “If a business is repeatedly paying storage or detention fees, for example, the answer may not be to negotiate the fee. The better question is why the fee keeps happening in the first place.”

9. Improve Communication Across Your Supply Chain

A supplier who does not know when cargo is required, a warehouse that is not ready to receive a delivery or a customer who changes requirements at the last minute can create a costly chain reaction. Clear communication between suppliers, freight partners, customs teams, warehouses and customers helps reduce avoidable delays and duplicated work.

“Good logistics is built on communication,” says François. “There are a lot of moving parts between a supplier and the final destination. When everyone has the right information at the right time, problems can often be addressed before they become expensive problems.”

10. Work With a Logistics Partner Who Looks Beyond The Shipment

A logistics relationship should involve more than receiving a rate and arranging a collection. An experienced partner can help identify suitable transport options, flag potential delays, explain cost drivers and coordinate the different stages of a shipment. Regular reviews of shipping patterns, recurring charges and operational challenges can reveal opportunities that individual bookings may not show.

Du Toit believes this is where the role of a logistics company can move beyond simply moving cargo.

“A logistics partner should understand what the customer is trying to achieve, not just where a shipment needs to go,” he says. “When you understand the business behind the shipment, you can start identifying opportunities to improve the process, manage risk and ultimately make the supply chain work harder for the customer.”

The Biggest Saving May Be the Problem You Prevent

According to François Coetzee, Managing Director of RSA Global Forwarding, cost reduction should not mean compromising on the reliability, visibility or service businesses depend on.

“Cutting costs is not simply about paying less for transport. It is about understanding where money is being lost, making better-informed decisions and preventing avoidable expenses before they happen,” says François. “Sometimes the answer is consolidating a shipment. Sometimes it is correcting a documentation issue, changing the timing of an order or choosing a more appropriate transport solution. The important thing is to understand the customer’s operation and find an approach that makes commercial sense.”

For businesses moving goods across borders, the stakes can be particularly high. International shipments involve multiple parties, regulatory requirements, transport stages and timelines. A decision that saves money at one point in the process can create a more expensive problem somewhere else if the wider supply chain is not considered.

That is why cost management needs to be ongoing rather than reactive. Reviewing shipping data, identifying recurring inefficiencies and maintaining open communication with logistics partners can help businesses make improvements before cost pressures become operational problems.

Smarter Logistics is a Business Advantage

Rising costs may be outside an individual business’s control, but how it responds to them is not entirely out of its hands.

“Businesses do not always have the luxury of controlling the market, but they can take greater control of how they plan, procure and manage their logistics,” says du Toit. “The goal should not be to cut costs at any price. It should be to build a supply chain that is efficient, dependable and fit for the business’s needs. That is where smarter logistics can make a real difference.”

For RSA Global Forwarding, the conversation starts with a simple question: are businesses paying only for the logistics services they need, or are they also paying for inefficiencies that better planning could prevent?

In a market where every rand matters, the answer could make a meaningful difference to the bottom line.

Second-year sponsorship comes as the platform reaches 2 million TikTok views and expands its influence among South Africa’s road freight SMMEs

FNB and WesBank have renewed their sponsorship of the On The Road Podcast for a second consecutive year, backing the continued growth of one of South Africa’s most distinctive platforms dedicated to the road freight and transport SMME sector.

Hosted by Florence Musundwa, Convenor of the Road Freight SME Summit, On The Road has grown from a specialist industry podcast into a platform giving voice to the entrepreneurs, fleet owners, drivers and businesses that keep South Africa’s freight economy moving.

The sponsorship renewal comes as the podcast reaches a significant new audience milestone, with more than 7,100 YouTube subscribers, past 300,000 YouTube views, more than 30,000 TikTok followers and 2 million TikTok views.

When the podcast entered its first sponsored year, it had approximately 800 YouTube subscribers and 2,700 TikTok followers.

The latest figures demonstrate not only audience growth, but a growing appetite for industry specific conversations that speak directly to the realities of running a transport business in South Africa and across the region.

In the 28 days to 5 October 2026, the YouTube channel recorded more than 18,500 views and approximately 1,600 hours of watch time, with nearly 58% of viewers not yet subscribed to the channel, indicating that On The Road continues to attract new audiences beyond its established community.

A Platform for the People Behind the Freight Economy

“Road freight is fundamental to the movement of goods across South Africa and the wider Southern African region, yet the experiences of the small and emerging operators who form an important part of the industry are often absent from mainstream business conversations,” explains Musundwa. “On The Road was created to change that.”

The podcast provides a platform where transport entrepreneurs can have candid conversations about cash flow, pricing, access to finance, fuel costs, fleet management, procurement, market access, regulation, cross border opportunities and the realities of building a sustainable transport business.

Its audience includes truck owners, drivers, fleet managers and other stakeholders across the road freight ecosystem. Approximately 65% of YouTube viewers are based in South Africa, with audiences also watching from Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya.

Why FNB and Wesbank are Returning

The renewal reflects a strong strategic alignment between the issues explored on On The Road and the financial and operational realities facing transport businesses.

Transport operators operate in an environment where fuel costs, fleet costs, working capital and effective fleet management can directly determine profitability and business sustainability.

FNB Fleet Services, offered and serviced by WesBank, provides solutions designed to help operators manage these pressures, including the Auto Card, which enables secure payment for fuel, oil, tolls, repairs and maintenance, as well as Fleet Online, which provides fleet owners with information to manage and monitor fleet costs.

The decision to continue the partnership reflects the value of meeting transport entrepreneurs where they are: in an environment where practical information, access to the right financial tools and informed conversations can make a material difference to business outcomes.

From Industry Challenges to Industry Opportunities

One of the defining characteristics of On The Road is its willingness to tackle difficult conversations rather than simply celebrate success stories.

Through its flagship The Reality series, the podcast has explored issues including:

• Rising fuel prices and their impact on transporters
• Cash flow, pricing and financing in trucking businesses
• Fleet management and profitability
• Procurement, public procurement reform and corruption
• The rule of law in road freight and illegal truck drivers
• Cross-border trade between South Africa and Botswana
• Rail reform and its implications for road freight
• Last mile delivery and opportunities for small courier businesses

Guests have included Gavin Kelly (The Road Freight Association), Lebo Letsoalo (African Women in Supply Chain Association and Sincpoint), Gary Marshall (SA Express Parcel Association (SAEPA), Kamogelo Mampane (Supply Chain Council SA), Jonathan Mphake, Joshua Kadish, Mesela Nhlapo (Africa Rail Industries Association), Rogers Rasetapa and Khaya Mahlangu, Oliver Naidoo (JA Auditors), Thabo Moodie (Oricred), Reneiloe Semenya (Maysene Logistics), Malesela Tloana (Alter Clique Energy) and Tshepo Mokoa (Brima Investments), alongside transport business owners who have shared candid stories of setbacks, resilience and recovery.

Building a Stronger SMME Voice in Road Freight

For Musundwa, the growth of On The Road demonstrates the need for platforms that do more than report on the transport sector. “I started On The Road because the people who keep this country moving needed a platform where they could have honest conversations about what it really takes to build and run a transport business. The response has shown us that the industry was waiting for this conversation.”

“For me, the significance of FNB and WesBank returning for a second year goes beyond sponsorship. It demonstrates that there is value in investing in platforms that understand the lived realities of entrepreneurs and create access to information, ideas and conversations that can help businesses grow.”

Musundwa believes the future of industry engagement will increasingly be shaped by platforms that allow audiences to access depth, expertise and authentic conversations on demand.

“Podcasts are becoming an important way for industries to talk to themselves. They allow people to hear from the people doing the work, understand different perspectives and access conversations when and where it suits them. We are building On The Road to become a platform that not only reflects the industry, but contributes to how the industry thinks about its future.”

Looking Ahead

The renewed partnership comes as On The Road enters its next phase of growth, with the platform continuing to expand its content across YouTube and TikTok and deepen its focus on the issues affecting transport entrepreneurs.

The ambition is clear: to build a platform that connects industry knowledge, entrepreneurial experience, financial education and market opportunity while creating a stronger and more informed voice for road freight SMMEs.

New episodes of On The Road Podcast are available on YouTube and TikTok.