Hundreds of trucks traverse daily between South Africa and Eswatini, carrying goods vital to both economies. Yet border congestion and customs delays act as invisible barriers, hindering the smooth flow of trade. To address these bottlenecks, the two nations have launched a groundbreaking Time Release Study (TRS) at the Oshoek-Ngwenya land border.
On November 13, 2023, with support from the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Trade Facilitation Acceleration Program, Eswatini and South Africa officially initiated an end-to-end Time Release Study at the Oshoek-Ngwenya border. Funded by the UK's HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), this initiative builds upon years of collaboration between HMRC, the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The joint effort underscores the strategic importance of this border crossing—one of the busiest between the two countries, handling an average of 600 trucks daily.
Key Stakeholders and Strategic Importance
The launch ceremony saw participation from high-ranking officials including SARS Customs Commissioner Beyers Theron, ERS Acting Commissioner General Thobile Dlamini, ERS Customs Commissioner Gugu Mahlinza, and Eswatini's National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) Co-Chair Nathi Dlamini. Representatives from other government agencies and private sector executives also attended.
Commissioner Theron emphasized the TRS as a globally recognized tool for identifying border process inefficiencies, enabling agencies to transform crossings into technology-driven smart borders. He stressed the need for cross-sector collaboration at national levels for successful implementation. NTFC's Dlamini highlighted how study findings would prove crucial for executing Eswatini's National Trade Facilitation Roadmap, while acknowledging WCO and UK government support.
Methodology and Expected Outcomes
The comprehensive study employs an end-to-end approach to measure cargo clearance performance, recording timestamps from truck entry on one side of the border through exit on the opposite side. Beyond quantifying delays, the TRS will identify systemic bottlenecks and propose targeted solutions. A final report containing key findings is expected by April 2024.
Preliminary preparations followed WCO's integrated capacity-building approach, with technical working groups conducting virtual groundwork before field implementation. In keeping with WCO's "Customs-to-Customs" knowledge-sharing model, technical experts from Namibia and Zambia—fellow Trade Facilitation Acceleration Program partners—supported the initiative.
The Transformative Potential of Time Release Studies
Time Release Studies serve as strategic diagnostic tools that:
- Quantify cargo movement efficiency across borders
- Pinpoint procedural and operational bottlenecks
- Generate data-driven recommendations for process optimization
- Establish baseline metrics for continuous improvement
- Foster inter-agency and cross-border cooperation
Successful TRS implementation typically follows seven key phases:
- Scope Definition: Establishing geographical and commodity parameters
- Data Collection: Systematic recording of clearance milestones using advanced tracking technologies
- Data Analysis: Statistical evaluation of processing times and delay patterns
- Bottleneck Identification: Root-cause analysis of inefficiencies
- Solution Development: Targeted interventions addressing identified constraints
- Implementation: Execution of improvement measures with performance monitoring
- Evaluation: Impact assessment and knowledge dissemination
Broader Economic Implications
Beyond immediate border efficiency gains, TRS initiatives yield significant macroeconomic benefits:
- Enhanced trade competitiveness through reduced clearance times
- Lower transaction costs for importers and exporters
- Improved predictability for logistics planning
- Strengthened regional economic integration
- Increased attractiveness to foreign investment
The Oshoek-Ngwenya TRS represents a critical step toward realizing these benefits while serving as a model for cross-border collaboration in Southern Africa. As both nations await the study's findings, the initiative already demonstrates how strategic partnerships can transform trade facilitation from concept to concrete reality.