Building confidence through consultation

South Africa’s freight and logistics sector enters a new phase of cooperation with the launch of the Department of Transport’s RFI portal. According to DR JUANITA MAREE, CEO of the Southern African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF), this marks a valuable opportunity to advance transparency, policy alignment, and stronger collaboration between public and private stakeholders.

The recent launch of the Request for Information (RFI) portal by the Department of Transport (DoT) marks a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors. This initiative reflects a significant step towards greater transparency, inclusion, and efficiency in shaping South Africa’s logistics landscape for the future.

At the launch, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy emphasised that the RFI portal’s mission is to capture essential industry insights, designed to accelerate Private Sector Participation (PSP). This is a positive development; it reinforces the collaborative spirit needed to build confidence among private-sector investors. It also signals a commitment to transparency. Adopting good practices will ultimately drive success for the PSP projects. It represents a valuable opportunity to guide other fundamental consultative processes, such as the Merchant Shipping Bill, which is currently under review.

SAAFF’s opinion is that by enabling comprehensive industry input from logistics subsectors, this mechanism should enhance the depth and quality of stakeholder engagement. The RFI portal signals a maturing approach to cross-sectoral consultation – one that aligns with the industry’s commitment to constructive dialogue and evidence-based policymaking.

It is important to look at this through a magnifying lens and examine the knock-on impact in the medium and long term. This initiative by the DoT represents a turning point in efforts to restore South Africa’s logistics network to full operational efficiency. Moreover, it aligns with the broader national imperative of driving inclusive economic growth through job creation, skills development, and delivering world-class logistics performance, as well as maximising trade, to reaffirm South Africa’s leadership in regional and continental trade – as recognised by global markets.

In the case of the Merchant Shipping Bill, due process will require thorough assessment by NEDLAC with relevant recommendations to the minister to guide process and definition; this before it reaches Cabinet and then, finally, Parliament. Today, in addition to the action of representative industry bodies such as the SAAFF, the existence of the RFI bodes well, serving as a window for robust consultation and lifting the platform to best practice.

This initiative by the DoT sends a strong signal to international investor communities. The commitment to structured engagement and transparency in policymaking reflects a level of governance and maturity of process that inspires confidence. It serves as an open invitation for global investors to recognise South Africa as a strategic growth hub – one with a clear roadmap for sustainable logistics development and economic resilience.

The SAAFF calls on the private sector to seize this opportunity by actively contributing insights and engaging in the RFI consultation processes. Adopting best practice will be key to the success of PSP projects.