Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on cross-border road transport
sector, particularly within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The
pandemic has caused significant disruption to passenger (bus and taxi), tourism, and
freight transport, prompting the adoption of digital solutions and adaptive strategies to
ensure continuity. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, saw the emergence of the
Malayisha industry, which serves to highlight the importance of coordinated regional
policies and technology adoption. Despite the challenges, the freight transport sector has
shown remarkable resilience, ensuring the delivery of essential goods and business
continuity. The tourism sector is still in recovery, but there are encouraging signs of
improvement. The paper suggests that there is a need for technological synchronisation,
harmonisation of regulations, and futures thinking to drive the cross-border road transport
industry towards sustainability in the post-pandemic landscape. The objective of the paper
is to provide an analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the cross-border road
transport industry.
