Workshop on NTBs: Synopsis of Discussions

The synopsis details findings that approximately 25% of transport costs in the Durban-Gaborone corridor are attributed to non-tariff barrier (NTB) impediments, including toll roads, border posts, and poor road infrastructure. Discussions focused on the inefficiency of two-stop border processes within SACU, the impact of fuel levy redirection on infrastructure funding, and the potential for technological solutions to reduce downtime at toll plazas. Participants suggested expanding future research to include rail, ports, and a comparison of South Africa's cross-border trade costs against other emerging markets.

• Approximately 25% of the transport costs for moving goods through the Durban-Gaborone corridor are caused by non-tariff barrier (NTB) type impediments. These include 18 stops on the Gaborone-Johannesburg toll roads, the requirement for harbour carrier permits, the inefficiency of stopping twice at border posts within a customs union, and the poor state of roads, particularly in Botswana.
• The proliferation of toll roads is linked to the fact that the fuel levy is not being used for infrastructure construction, possibly because the road network is being used to fund rail upgrades.
• Internal border posts within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) are maintained because the revenue-sharing formula requires member states to monitor the value of internal trade to ensure their share of revenue.
• The current two-stop border process is described as inefficient in terms of time, money, and logistics; the implementation of one-stop border posts is proposed as an alleviation strategy.

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} }