July 15, 21:00

Agreement between RFA and SAFLA aims to optimize cargo forwarding in South Africa

The Road Freight Association (RFA) and the South African Freight and Logistics Association (SAFLA) announced on Tuesday the formalization of a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Objectives of the Cooperation

The partnership is intended to create a broader foundation for advancing interests in logistics and cargo forwarding. According to the statement, this agreement establishes a framework for structured interaction in areas such as customs modernization, border digitalization, trade facilitation, and capacity building, with the overall goal of reducing costs and eliminating obstacles across the entire supply chain.

RFA CEO Gavin Kelly welcomed the partnership, calling it timely and a natural alignment of goals. He emphasized that the road transport industry does not exist in isolation, and any delay at an entry port, manual process by any Other Government Agency (OGA), or bottleneck in compliance directly affects carriers in the supply chain.

Kelly added that the formal alliance with SAFLA expands RFA's lobbying capabilities in the forwarding sector, allowing it to present the government with a unified and coordinated signal regarding trade facilitation priorities, rather than fragmented requests from the industry.

Advocating for the power of a collective voice, Kelly noted: 'Many voices speaking in unison carry much more weight than any single association acting alone. This MoU allows RFA to expand its lobbying scope in a meaningful and credible way.'

Importance of Joint Action

SAFLA Executive Director Dave Logan highlighted the necessity of solving practical issues for members of both SAFLA and RFA, as well as the wider South African transport and logistics industry, through coordinated measures. Logan stated that cooperation is essential in freight transport because members operate at the intersection of customs, border management, regulatory compliance, and international trade, facing challenges that no single association can solve.

He also noted that joining forces with RFA creates a platform where the combined weight of memberships can contribute to real and tangible improvements. Logan expressed particular support for the momentum being built through SAFLA's participation in the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Stakeholder Forums, as this MoU deepens those interactions, including the prospects of road transport in discussions with the country's tax authorities.

Priority Areas of Work

According to the statement, the MoU defines several priority areas for joint action, including engagement with SARS, digitalization of OGA processes, development of 'Smart Borders,' improving trade facilitation, capacity building, and process mapping. The associations will also establish escalation mechanisms to address systemic issues on behalf of their members. Special emphasis is placed on OGA digitalization and simplifying customs procedures, where inefficiency continues to generate unnecessary compliance costs.

The statement concluded by asserting that smoother processes within OGA and SARS reduce the administrative burden on forwarders and customs brokers, and the resulting savings are passed directly down the supply chain to operators and carriers. For RFA, this link is central to the partnership's value proposition, and the Memorandum will be reviewed annually by senior executives of both associations to ensure the collaboration meets evolving sector needs.

iol.co.zaJuly 6, 19:00

AFIAAR and ACCA sign memorandum of understanding to enhance audit quality in Africa

The African Forum of Independent Accounting and Auditing Regulators (AFIAAR) and ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This document aims to strengthen cooperation between independent audit regulators.

Goals of the Partnership

According to the statement, a key feature of this partnership is the recognition of the complementary roles of regulators and the professional community in providing high-quality accounting and auditing services. AFIAAR, as a forum for independent audit regulators, promotes quality through supervision, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with norms in the public interest. In turn, ACCA, as a leading global professional organization in accounting, supports audit quality through professional education, training, and continuous development.

Enhancing Reporting Quality

The partnership is aimed at improving the quality of accounting by aligning professional capabilities with reliable and credible oversight. Representatives from ACCA, including Jamil Ampomah, Director for Africa; Jane Ohadike, Regional Head of Public Relations for Africa; and Madhavi Ramdin Clarke, Head of New Markets for Mauritius and signatory of the MoU from ACCA, participated in the signing ceremony.

Location and Participants of the Signing

The MoU was signed in Mauritius during a hybrid ceremony. Attendees included representatives of the AFIAAR Board of Directors and regulatory members such as the Financial Reporting Council of Mauritius (FRC Mauritius), the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors South Africa (IRBA South Africa), and the National Board of Accountants and Auditors Tanzania (NBAA Tanzania).

Significance for Africa

Jamil Ampomah noted that strong institutions depend on trust, and trust, in turn, depends on both professional competence and effective oversight. He emphasized that the joint work of AFIAAR and ACCA in aligning professional excellence with robust oversight will help strengthen audit quality, support future talent, and contribute to increasing confidence in reporting, governance, and investments across Africa. Vishwajit Singh Tuhobol, Chairman of AFIAAR, stated that high-quality audits are the foundation of public trust, investor confidence, and the effective functioning of markets.

The statement also clarified that AFIAAR promotes quality through independent supervision, inspections, and enforcement, while ACCA strengthens quality through education, training, and professional development. Admaire Ndurunduru, CEO of AFIAAR, added that this MoU provides a practical platform for regulators and the professional community to address common tasks and challenges, which will enhance both regulatory effectiveness and professional capabilities in the interest of protecting the public.