The contribution of district freight logistics strategy to local and regional economic development in Vhembe district Municipality : experiences, prospects and options

Abstract

Paper presented at the 33rd Annual Southern African Transport Conference 7-10 July 2014 "Leading Transport into the Future", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.

Vhembe District Municipality’s economy is largely based on agriculture, agribusiness, mining and forestry, wholesale and retail. Improved freight transport can effectively enhance socio-economic development and job creation in the area. Consequently, in 2012, Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) commissioned a study for the development of the District Freight Logistics Strategy. The key objective of the study was to unpack freight logistics operations in the District and to inform the District of the freight situation in terms of type, origin and destination of freight products, condition and capacity of key corridors and intervention measures required to address any bottlenecks. The argument presented in this paper is that the District could, with a clear freight strategy and action plan, become the most important gateway of general cargo at Musina servicing Zimbabwe, Botswana in the West, Zambia and further countries in central, eastern and northern parts of Africa. The outcome of the study is the positioning of the district to manage in a sustainable manner current and future freight demand across all modes in support of the broad goals of social-economic development.