Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions

This briefing provides a synopsis of discussions from a November 2007 workshop hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) regarding Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and logistics-related obstacles to trade in Southern Africa.

• A study on the Durban-Gaborone corridor indicates that Non-Tariff Barrier type impediments account for approximately 25% of transport costs. Major cost drivers include toll roads (with 18 stops between Gaborone and Johannesburg), border posts, required harbour carrier permits, and the poor state of roads, particularly in Botswana due to overloaded traffic diverted from Grobler’s bridge.
• The proliferation of toll roads is attributed to the fuel levy not being used for infrastructure construction, potentially because road network funds are being used to upgrade rail. Discussions highlighted that road user charges in the region may bundle other fees, such as hazardous substances charges and carbon taxes.
• Internal border posts within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) persist because the revenue-sharing formula requires member states to monitor the value of internal trade to ensure their share of revenue. Additionally, border posts are complicated by the presence of up to 17-18 government departments on both sides, though the implementation of one-stop border posts is suggested as a solution to the current inefficient two-stop process.
• Previous research, including a 2005 Imani report for the SADC Secretariat, identified customs and border posts as major problem areas. A Barloworld Logistics report found that for major surveyed South African companies, logistics accounts for an average of 15% of final product costs, with transport making up half of that amount.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2007). Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dttp_ntb_workshop_synopsis_20071121_02.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions. 2007. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dttp_ntb_workshop_synopsis_20071121_02.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions |date=21 November 2007 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dttp_ntb_workshop_synopsis_20071121_02.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2007workshop, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2007}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dttp_ntb_workshop_synopsis_20071121_02.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }