FleetWatch

As regional trade volumes continue to grow across Southern Africa, investment in warehousing, fleet operations and integrated logistics facilities is becoming just as important as investment in roads and border efficiency. Consequently, SMSA Africa Logistics Group has officially broken ground on a major new logistics facility that will expand capacity, improve operational efficiency and reinforce the company’s long-term commitment to regional supply chains.

Sponsored Blog A tribute to loyal customers and the trucks that keep going. ISUZU Motors South Africa trucks have long been synonymous with longevity, durability, and reliability. For decades, the brand has celebrated the engineering excellence behind its vehicles. The machines that have become trusted business partners to customers across South Africa. ISUZU is now turning the spotlight onto the people behind the brand.

Supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence and public sector procurement reform will dominate discussions when hundreds of supply chain professionals from across Africa and around the world gather in Cape Town later this month for the 48th annual SAPICS Conference.

While South Africa’s rail and port recovery activates, the road freight industry continues to sustain the country’s logistics momentum. Trucks remain the backbone of national supply chains, keeping freight moving despite years of infrastructure underperformance.

Transport reform is once again under the spotlight as South Africa edges closer to wider implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system. While government positions AARTO as a key tool to improve road safety and driver compliance, concerns remain over whether its administrative complexity and operational demands could undermine its intended benefits.

Africa’s logistics future will be shaped as much by seamless border crossings as by new roads. While governments continue to invest in strategic freight corridors under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), private sector investment in vehicles, support networks and transport ecosystems will determine how effectively those corridors unlock intra-African trade.

From the Editor’s Desk June 19, 2026 In response to the ‘From the Editor’s Desk’ comment in last week’s newsletter titled “While politicians debate ideology, businesses navigate the fallout”, I received an email from Jayesh “Tiny” Daya, director of TDRSA (Pty) Ltd (Trans Diff Remanufacturing SA). In his mail, he explained how the points made in the comment resonated with him as the owner of a small specialist driveline remanufacturing business.

From the Editor’s Desk July 03, 2026 Last week the 57th FleetWatch Brake & Tyre Watch event was held at Donkerhoek and, once again, our valued partners* gave generously of their time and expertise to educate Traffic Officials on the practical signs of truck unroadworthiness. The project’s purpose is straightforward. Traffic Officials don’t have brake testers or specialised equipment at the roadside so they need to recognise visible warning signs that suggest a truck may not be roadworthy.

With South Africa’s unemployment rate climbing to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026 – leaving 8.1 million people without work – the pressure on South Africa to move beyond statements and deliver real economic participation has never been greater. The dire situation of jobless youngsters was spotlighted in many quarters during June’s Youth Month and in all honesty, the situation seems daunting.

The humanitarian sector’s growing exposure to climate shocks, protracted crises and complex supply chain constraints has placed renewed focus on logistics capability as a critical enabler of effective disaster response. In light of these challenges, DHL Group has launched the DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics (DAHL), a global capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening practical logistics skills among humanitarian organisations.