Author:nick-poree
A vacuum at the wharf? March 20, 2026 From April 2026, the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) plans to move expertise from South Africa’s ports to a centralised executive. NICK PORÉE asks, is this the right path to choose? While this centralisation of capacity and decision-making aligns with current dirigiste government strategic planning by the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), it does pose potential challenges. The decision will leave […]
Is ignorance truly bliss? April 8, 2026 As the world’s logistics networks grow smarter and more connected, South Africa’s transport sector remains trapped in a fog of missing data, institutional neglect and deliberate ignorance. NICK PORÉE unpacks the situation. In a world of increasing information overload, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI) and media availability, the gap between developed economies and less sophisticated regions is widening. Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of transport and logistics, where the seamless […]
Derailed by design? February 19, 2026 South Africa wants its railways back; the target is 250 million tonnes a year by 2030. The obstacles are enormous, the policy is cloudy and the private sector is unconvinced. This, writes NICK PORÉE, is the story of a modal shift that may never shift. From 2024, the recapitalisation of Transnet from the national fiscus has been supporting a gradual recovery of bulk freight tonnages on rail and improved efficiency at ports. Current plans […]
Beit Bridge set to become OSBP February 3, 2026 The recent decision by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Border Management Agency to convert the Beit Bridge border post into a One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) could be good news for the trucking industry. But, warns NICK PORÉE, only if it includes very significant modernisation of freight procedures and operational efficiency. A recent press release from the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) raises concerns, however, as it contains […]
Open letter to the Minister of Transport February 3, 2026 Nick Porée, managing director of Nick Porée and Associates (NP&A) and FOCUS columnist, has written this open letter to Barbara Creecy, South Africa’s Minister of Transport. It will resonate with many of our readers… In 2026, it will be 40 years since the National Transport Policy Study (1986), which resolved the logistics impasse of the time by enabling the private sector to transport approximately 85% of freight by road – […]
Boom or Bust: Costing Road Freight Operations January 27, 2026 Costing road freight operations can be a formidable undertaking, but the extent to which operators get it right can make or break the business. NICK PORÉE unpacks the intricacies of these critical procedures. There is a quote from an Australian “truckie” that aptly sums up the pressures of managing one’s own transport operations: “When I worked for a firm, I was pressured and stressed, but since I started my own […]
From chaos to control: Why SA must digitalise November 19, 2025 South Africa’s transport and logistics systems are collapsing under poor data, weak regulation and corruption. NICK PORÉE says true accountability begins with digitalisation – the only route back to discipline and efficiency. The announcement that South Africa’s government intends to engage in the digitisation of official processes is good news. Much of the existing chaos in the management of government functions might have been averted had there been effective […]
Unlocking Africa’s trade arteries: The North-South challenge October 20, 2025 The North-South Corridor is the lifeline of Southern Africa’s trade, yet inefficiency, corruption and poor coordination are choking growth. Unlocking its potential, writes NICK PORÉE, could transform regional economies under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The North-South Corridor (NSC) extends inland for over 3,000km and serves the landlocked countries of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and the DRC. The NSC provides maritime access for international trade into South and Southern […]
Five Es, one F: failing road safety October 16, 2025 South Africa spends R1.6 billion annually on road safety, yet maintains fatality rates five times worse than developed nations. NICK PORÉE explains that with 12,000 deaths costing R162 billion per year, our road safety system demands urgent examination and reform. “Road Safety” is a conceptual term describing an undefined state of social satisfaction regarding the impact of road usage by various users of public roads. The safe conditions enjoyed in […]
Crooks, spooks, and a transport mythtake September 8, 2025 South Africa’s economy is staggering under crises of debt, crime, and collapsing logistics. With rail and ports in disarray, government clings to failed policies. Is our “revival strategy” real reform, or yet another costly mythtake? NICK PORÉE suspects that the latter could apply… South Africa’s economy is once again at a crossroads reminiscent of the 1980s. We face crises in international relations, exports, logistics, crime, debt, water, electricity, education, defence, and […]
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