Trans Kalahari highway battles to shrug off white elephant label

THE Trans Kalahari Highway is still struggling to reach the desired levels of traffic despite efforts to cut down on bureaucratic hassles faced by transporters who use the road.

Frank Gschwender of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) said the highway was currently utilised at between 50 and 60 per cent of its capacity. Briefing a European Commission delegation, headed by Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Poul Nielson at Walvis Bay last week, Gschwender said the utilisation of the Trans Kalahari Highway had, however, improved significantly.The route – which runs from Walvis Bay via Windhoek and Gaborone to Gauteng – was hailed as a landmark for economic integration in southern Africa when it was officially opened in 1998.But truckers, hunters and visitors complained that vehicles passing through Botswana faced costly delays at customs posts, time-consuming searches of cargo, high road-user fees and roadblocks manned by bogus traffic officers for two years after its opening.In 2002 a scheme was set up to to cut down on bureaucratic hassles.It introduced a single customs document and customs bond for the three countries of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, and preferential treatment at border posts for registered trucking companies.The WBCG, a public-private partnership aiming to promote the route from Walvis Bay to Gauteng as a major transport corridor, implemented the plan along with the customs authorities of the three countries.If it proves workable, the system will be extended to all major routes in the SADC region.Gschwender said the Trans Caprivi Highway was also struggling to yield the desired results while the route connecting Namibia to Angola was in its “infancy”.However, that was normal because two years after completion the Trans Kalahari Highway was only utilised for 15 per cent to 20 per cent of its capacity.He said SADC was in dire need of a major west coast harbour since the east coast was “rather inefficient” and time-consuming.So far, Gschwender said, Namibia had seen a massive increase of cross-border traffic but it could be much better.The reduction in transport costs – owing to a shorter routes to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia – was seen as a boost to the marketability of the region’s resources and products, cutting the cost of imports such as foodstuffs, building materials and agricultural products.However, the expected trade volumes through Walvis Bay have taken some time to materialise, even though other SA ports were considered slow and congested.Briefing a European Commission delegation, headed by Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Poul Nielson at Walvis Bay last week, Gschwender said the utilisation of the Trans Kalahari Highway had, however, improved significantly.The route – which runs from Walvis Bay via Windhoek and Gaborone to Gauteng – was hailed as a landmark for economic integration in southern Africa when it was officially opened in 1998.But truckers, hunters and visitors complained that vehicles passing through Botswana faced costly delays at customs posts, time-consuming searches of cargo, high road-user fees and roadblocks manned by bogus traffic officers for two years after its opening.In 2002 a scheme was set up to to cut down on bureaucratic hassles.It introduced a single customs document and customs bond for the three countries of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, and preferential treatment at border posts for registered trucking companies. The WBCG, a public-private partnership aiming to promote the route from Walvis Bay to Gauteng as a major transport corridor, implemented the plan along with the customs authorities of the three countries.If it proves workable, the system will be extended to all major routes in the SADC region.Gschwender said the Trans Caprivi Highway was also struggling to yield the desired results while the route connecting Namibia to Angola was in its “infancy”.However, that was normal because two years after completion the Trans Kalahari Highway was only utilised for 15 per cent to 20 per cent of its capacity.He said SADC was in dire need of a major west coast harbour since the east coast was “rather inefficient” and time-consuming.So far, Gschwender said, Namibia had seen a massive increase of cross-border traffic but it could be much better.The reduction in transport costs – owing to a shorter routes to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia – was seen as a boost to the marketability of the region’s resources and products, cutting the cost of imports such as foodstuffs, building materials and agricultural products.However, the expected trade volumes through Walvis Bay have taken some time to materialise, even though other SA ports were considered slow and congested.