SA VIOLENCE: ESWATINI FEELING THE PINCH

MBABANE – If the ongoing violence in South Africa (SA) continues, it could cripple Eswatini businesses as some companies are already feeling the effects. 
According to international media, violence fuelled by xenophobia has resulted in many truck drivers abandoning their duties in fear for their lives.

Eswatini companies such as Swaziland Plantations depend on trucking services to transport their goods to SA. As such, they have been affected by the truck blockade.

Swaziland Plantations, one of the major companies in the kingdom is also a major financial driver of the Pigg’s Peak community and surrounding areas as it employs several people.

Production

Its services include the production of timber from pine and eucalyptus.
When reached for comment yesterday, the company’s General Manager Pierre Prinsloo said the situation had affected the company.
“I’m struggling to get goods out,” said Prinsloo in a brief interview.

He said transport owners were not keen on taking the risk but said the company had made alternative means.
Prinsloo said one of the alternatives was to keep some of the goods at a depot for a day or two and then transport them later.

Prinsloo, however, remained positive that the situation in SA would be resolved and that operations would be back to normal.
Meanwhile, Swaziland Plantations is not the only company which is feeling the ‘xenophobic heat’. Other companies such as Build It which brings in goods from neighbouring SA have also been affected.

Mfanimpela Nkambule, the Manager at Build It Pigg’s Peak, when contacted earlier in the week, stated that the company had been expecting some cement but it had not been delivered.
Nkambule attributed this to the ongoing violence in SA. He also expressed hope that the SA government would resolve this issue so that operations could return to normal.

Also affected are major companies in Lubombo, specifically sugar exporters.
Mananga Sugar Packers and Dyson & Lincoln Sugar Packers, which reportedly enjoy a large market in the neighbouring country, are feeling the pinch of the border blockade staged by disgruntled South African truck drivers.

Since the blockade began last Friday, the two companies have reportedly been unable to export sugar to the neighbouring country and to other countries in the region.

“All our fleet of trucks are grounded and have not left the premises of the company since Friday (last week),” said an insider at Dyson & Lincoln.
Management of the company could not be reached for comment at the time of compiling this report yesterday evening.

An employee who responded to calls from this publication, said the authorised people to respond to questions from this reporter were out of the office.
However, at Mananga Sugar Packers, management confirmed that the company was currently struggling to export sugar to clients in the neighbouring country.
“Some of our trucks are stuck at the border as drivers fear for their lives. However, some are able to eventually reach their destinations but the goods arrive late. This (border blockade) has really affected us,” said Felix Gamedze, the General Manager at Mananga Sugar Packers.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: