Interview with:
Mrs. Rita Pretorius
General Manager
Who are the owners of the company?
The owners are Peet Pretorius, Director and Rita Pretorius, General Manager.
Tell us about your speciality, if any, and what you believe are the strong points of Afrikan Logistics.
As Afrikan Logistics, we believe that frequent updates and communication with our clients form the basis of good customer service, especially in our industry. This combined with a “we can” attitude means that our client’s challenges, obstacles and frustrations are overcome with cost-effective and timely solutions.
There are many logistics companies in South Africa. Why would you say that you should be the first one to call?
Afrikan Logistics offers more than just transportation; we provide an end-to-end solution that includes port-to-door logistics, warehousing, and distribution centre functionality. Our road freight network solutions offer services and support as far as the DRC.
This comprehensive service allows us and our clients to focus on core business while we handle the complexities of shipping.
Have you got experience in handling or transporting projects or such related cargoes? If so, could you provide our readers with a few examples?
Afrikan Logistics was involved in the following Watertronics Projects:
ROMANIA
1000Ha irrigation in Romanian Agriculture.
Pump stations designed and built by Watertronics, South Africa, and exported by Afrikan Logistics (Pty) Ltd in Container loads via Sea freight.
– POL Cape Town, South Africa
– POD Port of Constanta, Romania
Final project
2 pump stations, 1 large river extraction, and a second infield irrigation pump station. Delivered on time via sea and road freight from Port CPT to Site in Romania.
MALAWI
250 Ha irrigation, lake extraction, 3 pumps on barges to feed centre pivot irrigation.
Some of the smaller items were taken off the truck in Kasungu and the remaining large items were taken off in Lilongwe.
Designed and built by Watertronics in South Africa.
Delivered via road freight from Cape Town to Lilongwe to site, on time by Afrikan Logistics (Pty) Ltd team.
ANGOLA
2000 Ha Irrigation, Malanje Province, Irrigation for the Cotton and Soya farmers.
Afrikan Logistics once again assisted with the delivery of the cargo on time to the site for the client Watertronics.
Other Watertronics projects in Sudan and Nigeria handled by Afrikan Logistics:
Cape Town is a world-famous port. It has not gone unnoticed that there are several problems right now with some ports in your beautiful country. Can you give our readers an update and possibly give them a tip on what/how to do if having import/export nowadays to South Africa?
As mentioned, the Port of Cape Town and for that matter all other ports in South Africa, do undergo certain challenges due to all the changes taking place in the political landscape in our country, with particular reference to the Western Cape moving forward at a much greater pace than the rest of the country.
Plus, the Cape Town port is more export-oriented because of the agricultural exports moving through the Cape Town terminals. The underlying cause of the majority of the problems that we experience in the Cape Town port is the lack of funding to maintain, upgrade or purchase new equipment.
There are frequent discussions and workshops between the industry and industry forums (like the Exporters Western Cape) and TNPA (Transnet National Port Authority) together with the Government of the Western Cape to discuss proposals and solutions to address the challenges in the port of Cape Town.
The Port of Cape Town is very much open for business – just look at the 53% increase in maritime traffic around the Cape of Good Hope since the Red Sea issues in October 2023.
Afrikan Logistics is a proud member of the “independent voice of the export industry” in the Western Cape, called Exporters Western Cape, which is a completely independent body, funded only by its members. Exporters Western Cape is also an affiliated member of the PCC (Port Consultative Committee) and directly reports to the National PCC, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Public Enterprises.
These affiliations enable Afrikan Logistics to provide a better service solution for our clients and in case of any challenges regarding the port of Cape Town we have access to push things up the chain of command to resolve the issues in a timely manner.
We are strongly supportive of the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town’s initiatives to ensure the port of Cape Town’s rightful place on the Global stage.
Are you able to facilitate inland transport via South African ports (given the constraints above, of course)?
- Yes, Afrikan Logistics arranges inland transport and even cross-border road transport even as far as the DRC, and this is going to come more into play when the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement comes into force
- 2024 could and should be a good year, although there are so many outside factors that can influence this, like the Red Sea issue and the Ukraine/Russia situation.
On an international scale, how does Afrikan Logistics try to have a “larger” presence?Are you currently part of any networks?
Afrikan Logistics is a proud member of CLC Projects, which is a network of small- and medium-sized project freight forwarders.
If you look into your crystal ball, what do you foresee for the year 2024?
Afrikan Logistics is working more closely with our international network members to better assist our local export customers and to further grow our clearing and forwarding market share in the Southern African region. We are in the process of evaluating other properties that will give us bigger warehouse floor space to expand our storage offering to local and international clients. Further investing in expanding our tail-lift fleet will allow us to serve more clients simultaneously, especially airfreight clients without loading facilities on site.
How would it be best for our readers to reach you?
Afrikan Logistics (PTY) Ltd
11 & 12 Boston Circle
Matroosfontein
7490
Tel: +27-21-200 8200
Mobile: +27-82-447 0312
Email: rita@afrikanlogistics.com
Email: info@afrikanlogistics.com
Website: www.afrikanlogistics.com
