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The Courier Industry
th
EVERYONE’S GETTING excited about the 50 its current poor showing of 0.8 percent GDP
anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s ‘one small growth. Moves are afoot to compel all items to
step’ and the ‘Woodstock’ of Jimi Hendrix, move through the postal service.
Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Courier does not covet the carriage of
Down here on earth, those who can letters, but it is instructive to note that the
remember those events as they happened taxpayer-funded Post Offi ce, which enjoys a
were also party to another life-changing monopoly thanks to the 1998 Act, is shrinking
event, also not far short of its half century. In its number of outlets and employees while its
1973, Federal Express unzipped its hub-and- need for fi nance increases. It is also struggling
spoke express parcel concept and the world with outdated capital equipment and recently
of business got the afterburners it had been had to cope with a backlog of up to 60 million
craving. items, which took months to clear. One only
In an exciting development, business could hopes urgently needed items among them
now move time sensitive and high value were few.
parcels faster and more securely than through Conversely, the free-enterprise courier
postal services. The courier industry was born. industry – paid for by willing buyers and
One large step for mankind. sellers – continues to grow with new added-
Today, few lives in South Africa are value products in cold chain, high value,
untouched by this indispensable industry, the contamination-free, ships spares and other
fastest-growing sector in transport. From early niches. To do so, it imports equipment and
beginnings, it’s come to dominate express procedures from leading countries in the
distribution, aided by the partial liberation of world. And the avalanche continues of online
aviation and the proliferation of competing ordered electronics, fashion, books, gadgets,
daytime airlines and dedicated overnight household items, spares – volumes undreamt
freighters. of in the pre-internet days when the outdated
In automotive workshops and service 1998 Act was written.
stations, parts departments keep inventory to To cope with this unprecedented demand,
the bare minimum to save costs. As vehicles the industry has become the leader in
are booked in, mechanics order needed parts upskilling, recruiting young South Africans
for immediate just-in-time next-fl ight delivery and training them for jobs in this vibrant
from centralised distribution centres. sector. Working with the Transport Education
When vehicle off road (VOR) or aircraft on Training Authority, it has pioneered numerous
ground (AOG) emergencies occur in remote new industry-specifi c National Qualifi cations
places, engineers rely on the courier industry Framework-approved qualifi cations from entry
to collect and deliver necessary components to B.Com level. So, the future of the express
same day or overnight, wherever the need. No parcel industry seems assured.
one would dream of posting them. The sole cloud on the horizon is that while
Clinics and hospitals are not all able to the two service regimes are distinctive and
aff ord expensive medical equipment, so this is scarcely overlap, the SA Post Offi ce (reserved
often fl own from point to point as necessary. postal services) and the courier industry
And, of course, urgent medicines are ordered (unreserved postal services) are both subject
from central distribution. Plus, the courier to the Independent Communications Authority
industry helps keep patients alive and well of South Africa (ICASA). Comparing oranges
through home delivery of chronic or topical with apples should not be a problem were
medication. it not for the fact that the SA Post Offi ce
The game has changed irrevocably, but, regards the courier industry volumes as its
sadly, not everyone has realised that. Luddites lunch and is determined to capture them by
continue to oppose this industry with its force of law.
tsunami of express parcel deliveries without As Neil Armstrong, Joni Mitchell or Jimi
which our economy would struggle below Hendrix might have said in 1969, “Go fi gure.” •
July 2019 | Logistics News 25
