Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in Southern Africa: Towards a Measurement Approach

This 2008 report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade in Southern Africa, specifically focusing on the road transport corridor between Durban and Gaborone. The study aims to develop a measurement approach for NTBs by quantifying direct and indirect costs—such as toll fees, fuel consumption from stop-start operations, and downtime—to determine their impact on supply chain costs and overall export competitiveness.

• User charges on South African toll roads are identified as the most visible non-tariff barrier on the Durban–Gaborone route. For a heavy vehicle (class 4, 5+ axles), the direct cost for a south-bound trip is R727.00, totaling R1,454.00 for a return trip.
• Toll roads impose significant indirect costs on heavy vehicles due to fuel consumption and downtime. A return trip involving 18 stops is estimated to consume an additional 126 litres of diesel (costing approximately R910.36) and result in 90 minutes of downtime (costing R727.55).
• Inadequate infrastructure and maintenance act as NTBs, including road deterioration and congestion. For example, the road from Gaborone to Tlokweng is in such poor repair that a 16km trip can take 1.5 hours. Additionally, roadworks on the Durban–Tshwane/Pretoria corridor can add an hour to trips, costing heavy vehicles an additional R485.03.
• Weighbridges and border posts contribute to trade costs through delays. Weighing processes average 20 to 30 minutes, and a delay of 1.5 hours can add R727.55 in downtime costs. Total costs at the border, including downtime and fuel, are estimated at R681.59, representing 12.07% of the total identified NTBs on the route.
• The total assessed cost of NTBs for a return trip on the Durban–Gaborone corridor is R5,645.36, which represents 24.4% of the total trip cost (R23,142). This is estimated to translate to 1.83% of the final cost of sales.
• When modeled against South Africa's GDP of R1,727.5 billion, the impact of these NTBs is crudely estimated at R31.61 billion annually, although the author cautions that this is based on a single corridor.

APA

Pierides, C. (2008). Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in Southern Africa: Towards a Measurement Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_rep_21_pierides_2008.pdf

Chicago

Pierides, Costa. Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in Southern Africa: Towards a Measurement Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2008. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_rep_21_pierides_2008.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pierides |first1=Costa |title=Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in Southern Africa: Towards a Measurement Approach |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_rep_21_pierides_2008.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pierides2008nontariff, author = {Pierides, Costa}, title = {{Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in Southern Africa: Towards a Measurement Approach}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_rep_21_pierides_2008.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }