By Mpho Selepe, Acting Logistics Manager: SPM
We often treat logistics as the machinery behind the curtain: invisible when it works, front-page news when it doesn’t. But today’s reality demands more. Logistics isn’t a back-office function anymore — it’s where strategy, reputation, and growth converge.
In a world increasingly defined by uncertainty, forward planning isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between a brand that leads and one that apologises.
At SPM, we’ve stopped thinking of logistics as reactive. We treat it as a source of strategic power — a tool to unlock speed, control, trust, and resilience. And that starts with planning.
The Case for Foresight in an Unpredictable World
Global disruptions are no longer rare — they’re cyclical. From the Suez Canal blockage to the Red Sea crisis, from pandemics to port strikes, logistics professionals everywhere are now expected to operate with a crisis mindset.
Yet according to McKinsey, only 21% of companies globally believe their supply chains are resilient enough for the next major disruption.
Here in South Africa, the challenges are layered:
- Aging port infrastructure
- Unreliable rail freight and road congestion
- Border delays and red tape across SADC trade routes
- Load shedding affecting warehousing and cold-chain integrity
Despite these constraints, the demand for reliability is rising. South African businesses are expected to compete globally, but we often do so with systemic disadvantages our counterparts in Europe or Asia don’t face.
Which is why planning ahead — strategically and aggressively — isn’t just smart. It’s survival.
The Biggest Myth: That Agility Is About Speed
Let’s be clear: agility isn’t about how fast you move after a disruption.
It’s about how well you saw it coming.
At SPM, we’ve made scenario planning part of our logistics culture. What happens if fuel prices spike again? If Durban port closes due to unrest? If a neighbouring country’s customs agency goes offline for 72 hours?
We don’t just ask these questions — we model them. We plan around them. That’s what real agility looks like.
Because in logistics, reacting is expensive. Anticipating is priceless.
Your Brand’s Reputation Lives and Dies in Your Supply Chain
Marketing builds brand perception. Logistics proves it.
When a delivery misses its mark, the damage isn’t just operational — it’s reputational. In a market where South African consumers are increasingly vocal and online, one delayed shipment can unravel years of trust.
Globally, 88% of consumers say reliable delivery influences whether they return to a brand (PwC, 2024). South Africans are no different — and given our high rates of digital engagement, they’ll also tweet, tag, and review that experience in real time.
Which means logistics is no longer invisible. It’s public. It’s emotional. It’s brand-defining.
Where South Africa Can Leapfrog — If We Choose To
While our logistics environment faces undeniable infrastructure challenges, there’s also an opportunity. We are not burdened by legacy systems at the scale of Europe or North America. That means we can adopt new models faster — from AI-powered forecasting to collaborative supply chain networks and smart load planning.
But it requires leadership. Not just operations teams running leaner, but executive teams treating logistics as a strategic pillar, not a delivery cost.
The Future Will Be Planned — Or Paid For
We’re entering an era where the companies that win won’t just be faster. They’ll be more prepared. They’ll have mapped their risks, modelled their routes, and integrated logistics into the strategy room.
If you’re leading a logistics function in South Africa, your job isn’t just to move things. Your job is to think ahead of disruption, not just respond to it.
Because in today’s climate, planning isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s leadership.
And in South Africa — perhaps more than anywhere else — it’s the competitive edge we can’t afford to ignore.
