Civil Engineering nOVEMBER 2021 | Vol 29 No 10

Civil Engineering November 2021 23 Q Q Market access restrictions and inappro- priate models implemented to control the supply side of transport services (e.g. through permits and quota systems) Q Q Inefficiencies caused by member states belonging to different Regional Economic Communities result in administrative and operational constraints, as well as high costs of compliance for cross-border road transport operators Q Q Conflicts in corridors targeted at foreign drivers and increased criminal activities such as bus robberies Q Q Uncoordinated implementation of measures aimed at containing the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The challenges listed above result in lengthy delays for cross-border road trans- port operators, excessive border crossing times, poor road safety, longer journey times, high transportation costs and poor service delivery. RECOMMENDED INTERVENTIONS The above challenges must be attended to and addressed without delay as they have the potential to derail the achieve- ment of the objectives of key continental and regional programmes aimed at enhancing regional trade, intra-Africa trade, regional economic development, and integration. To address the chal- lenges, the following interventions are recommended: Q Q Implement prioritised regional road transport infrastructure projects Q Q Implement one-stop border posts and single window systems at key border posts connecting the region Q Q Implement regional corridor perfor- mance monitoring systems Q Q Establish a regional monitoring and evaluation body for regionally agreed programmes Q Q Accelerate harmonisation of the regu- latory environment Q Q Re-engineer permit issuing procedures and systems Q Q Implement risk-based regulatory systems in SADC Q Q Establish a regional parliament Q Q Embrace single stop/joint law enforce- ment inspections Q Q Establish a regional law enforcement training academy. EXPECTED IMPACT OF THE INTERVENTIONS It is expected that the full implementation of the above interventions will go a long way in closing gaps in the current interventions and eradicating long-standing challenges that affect cross-border road transport op- erations in SADC. It is recommended that a corridor approach be pursued with respect to implementation of the interventions. Dismantling barriers to cross-border trade and transport will stimulate the growth of the cross-border transport industry insofar as cross-border opera- tors will enjoy the benefits that go hand in hand with the seamless movement of traffic within and across SADC member states.  REFERENCES C-BRTA. 2021. Annual State of Cross-Border Road Transport Report. C-BRTA. 2021. Comparative Assessment for Trade Volumes and Values Report. • Earth embankments • Bridge abutments • Cut slopes • Steep channels • River banks • Culvert inlets/outlets APPLICATION: UNIQUE PRODUCTS: • Florawall (earth terrace retaining support) • Earthform (natural support for terraces) • Enviro-Wall & RocEnviro-Wall (retaining wall system) Find our branches at www.technicrete.co.za p a v i n g | m i n i n g | m a s o n r y | k e r b s | e r o s i o n p r o t e c t i o n | r e t a i n i n g w a l l s | d r a i n a g e Technicrete is a subsidiary of ISG, a leading supplier of innovative infrastructure products to the construction and mining markets in Southern Africa.