The Road Freight Association (RFA) and the South African Freight and Logistics Association (SAFLA) have formalised a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), thereby creating a broader advocacy framework into the freight forwarding and logistics space.
The agreement establishes a framework for structured collaboration across customs modernisation, border digitalisation, trade facilitation and capacity building, with the shared goal of reducing friction and costs throughout the supply chain.
RFA CEO Gavin Kelly welcomed the partnership, describing it as a natural and timely alignment of purpose. “The road freight sector does not operate in isolation. Every delay at a port of entry, every manual Other Government Agency (OGA) process, every compliance bottleneck has a direct bearing on road freight transporters in the supply chain.
“By aligning formally with SAFLA, we extend our lobbying reach into the forwarding sector and give government a combined and unified signal on trade facilitation priorities rather than a series of fragmented requests and proposals from the industry.
“Multiple voices, speaking in concert, carry far greater weight than any one association speaking alone. This MoU allows the RFA to broaden its advocacy footprint in a meaningful and credible way,” Kelly said.
SAFLA Executive Officer Dave Logan expressed equal enthusiasm, emphasising the importance of addressing the practical needs of both SAFLA and RFA members, as well as the broader transport and logistics industries in South Africa through coordinated action.
“Collaboration is a necessity in the freight industry. Our members operate at the interface of customs, border management, regulatory compliance and international trade, and they face challenges that no single association can resolve alone.
“Joining forces with the RFA creates a platform where the combined weight of our memberships can drive real, tangible improvements. We are particularly encouraged by the momentum already building through SAFLA’s participation in the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Stakeholder Forums. This MoU deepens those engagements by bringing road freight perspectives into our discussions with the country’s revenue services.
“SAFLA is excited about this development and looks forward to working with the RFA,” Logan added.
Shared Focus Areas and Practical Priorities
The MoU identifies several priority areas for joint action, including engagement with SARS, the digitalisation of OGA processes, Smart Border development, trade facilitation improvements, capacity building and process mapping.
The two associations will also establish escalation mechanisms to address systemic challenges on behalf of their respective memberships. A particular emphasis has been placed on OGA digitalisation and customs streamlining, areas where inefficiencies continue to generate unnecessary compliance costs.
Smoother OGA and SARS processes reduce the administrative burden on freight forwarders and clearing agents, and those savings filter directly down the supply chain to road freight operators and transporters. For the RFA, this connection is central to the partnership’s value proposition.
The Memorandum will be reviewed annually by the Chief Executives of both associations, ensuring that the collaboration remains responsive to the evolving needs of the sector and to developments in South Africa’s customs and border management environment.