Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
‘South African high cube ban to cause chaos’
This was said in a statement by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has warned that enforcement of the ban on the use of high cube containers on standard trailers in January 2019 has the potential to cause chaos to roads, exports and relations with other countries.
A statement by the chamber, released last week, pointed out that the ban would be especially damaging to the vital fruit export industry. President of the Cape Chamber, Janine Myburgh, noted that the cost of conversion from standard to low-bed trailers, required by the Department of Transport, would be around R300 000 (€20,000) per trailer.
“Many of the companies that transport the containers of export fruit are small businesses run by the previously disadvantaged and operate just two or three trucks,” added Myburgh. “They simply cannot afford the conversion costs and recovering them from an agricultural industry that has just experienced the worst drought in more than100 years will not be possible.”
She also pointed out that it was not practically possible to convert all trailers in the remaining few months before the implementation date.
According to Myburgh, these high cube containers on standard trailers are legal in South Africa’s neighbouring countries which meant that trucks could be stopped at our borders - and this could not only strain relations but also possibly cause international incidents.
Source: ftwonline.co.za
