SUGAR, MINING INDUSTRY WEIGH BRIDGES VERIFIED

MBABANE - The government of Eswatini has approved and verified weighbridges associated with the sugar industry, mining, construction, and other sectors.

This was done through inspections to protect consumers and traders. The Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade Weights and Measures Department was tasked with achieving the realisation and dissemination of national measurements to all related standards for traceability purposes. This was disclosed by the Minister of Commerce Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo in the first quarter performance report of the ministry of commerce industry and trade.

Calibrations

He said they were tasked to provide metrological calibrations, inspections and verification services to related sectors and products across the country and economy. To achieve this task, the department of weights and measures assessed all weighbridges in different sectors to check if they comply with the requirements of the regulations. Khumalo said the weighbridges are scattered across the four regions of the country and those found to be working outside the maximum permitted error (MPE) were re-calibrated and re-verified. “These big scales weighbridges are scaled and marked with a green sticker for owners, traders and consumers to know their status,” he said.

The minister also mentioned that the department was tasked with achieving the global facilitation of trade concerning measured traded goods. He said they managed to verify filling station pumps and discovered that 30 of the pumps were non-compliant with the metrology requirements. Khumalo attested that those which did not comply were closed and ordered to be recalibrated before further use. He outlined that the promotion of International System Units (SI) was also a task for the department and they calibrated the volumetric standards measures belonging to fuel retailing companies. They were adjusted until they complied with the regulation. A new digital information system to monitor and speed up cross-border truck movements and driver health checks at land borders in Eastern and Southern Africa has been launched at Tlokweng Border Post in Botswana. Trucks traveling to and from Eswatini transporting goods and trade will now be monitored at entry and exit points across all border gates.

Quantities

This will also revamp the truck weigh system to see if the trucks are still importing or exporting quality goods in the appropriate quantities. The Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe aforesaid that the country was working on upgrading the usage of roads by cross-border trucks. He said there were projects in place to improve roadworthiness and systems that control the movement of goods. Part of these projects is Team Europe’s Global Gateway initiative and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Corridor Trip Monitoring System (CTMS) which was funded by a €1.6 million grant from the European Union (EU) and more than €500,000 from the Federal Republic of Germany. This was mentioned by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a statement. SADC said CTMS had now been installed at major commercial border posts in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, along sections of three regional transport corridors, and will soon be installed in other Eastern and Southern African countries.

Procedures

“Once fully operational, the system will minimise the need for paperwork and speed up border procedures, reduce waiting and transit times and allow trucks to deliver essential goods more quickly while ensuring health and safety measures under COVID-19 protocols,” mentions SADC in the statement. Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology for the Republic of Botswana, Thulaganyo Merafe Segokgo, said the CTMS had proven to be a highly effective and efficient digital solution in the management of safe cross-border road transport and compliance to COVID-19 requirements by operators and drivers. Most importantly, it will enhance trade facilitation and movement of goods across the Southern African region and beyond. SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo that the CTMS further enhances collaboration among and between the Tripartite members of COMESA, EAC and SADC through increased information and data sharing and standardisation of procedures, including for testing, vaccination and for mutual recognition of COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates using a common monitoring and surveillance tool at all Points of Entry and in-country checkpoints.

System

“The system we are showcasing at Tlokweng will boost transport efficiency from Cairo to Cape Town,” said Jan Sadek, the European Union’s Ambassador to SADC and Botswana, at the launch. “Economic integration is in the EU’s DNA, and we are delighted to help build a transit system that will ultimately streamline trade and travel between all parts of Africa,” he said.
The system equips border agents with hand-held devices to check, validate and register the COVID-19 health status of truck drivers and their crews, as well as the compliance of their vehicles with cross-border regulations and road safety rules. Transport operators will use a custom-made app to upload vehicle and driver health information onto the CTMS website. This information can then be instantly accessed by authorised border and law enforcement officials in the country of destination and transit by scanning QR codes shown by drivers. The CTMS also allows authorities and operators to monitor driver trip progression and deviations against pre-approved routes and designated rest areas. Source: Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade Weights and Measures department.

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