# African logistics and transport infrastructure challenges

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/african-logistics-and-transport-infrastructure-challenges
> Updated: 2026-09-24T08:21:39.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Logistics and transport infrastructure across Southern and Central Africa are facing significant bottlenecks that hinder economic activity and trade.

In South Africa, the freight and logistics networks struggle with inadequate infrastructure and a lack of integrated connectivity between production sites and ports. Challenges include road congestion, unreliable rail services, and port delays. While private capital, such as Absa’s R5.1 billion financing for Newlyn Group, is being utilized to develop multimodal infrastructure, industry experts are advocating for a permanent logistics council to coordinate structural reforms and engage with the Department of Transport.

In the Copperbelt region, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia face similar difficulties transporting copper to maritime ports. A heavy reliance on road transport—accounting for over 80% of copper exports—is driven by weak railway infrastructure and a lack of direct rail connections at mining sites. In the Republic of the Congo, transporters are increasingly adopting mobile application-based fleet tracking to manage costs, security, and operational uncertainties associated with road transport.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: Logistics and transport infrastructure face bottlenecks in Central and Southern Africa

Logistics challenges persist in Africa, where the DRC and Zambia rely heavily on road transport for copper exports, while Congolese firms adopt mobile fleet tracking to manage rising transit costs.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/logistics-and-transport-infrastructure-face-bottlenecks-in-central-and-southern-africa

### 2026-09-21: South Africa logistics sector faces infrastructure and coordination challenges

South Africa faces logistics hurdles due to disconnected freight infrastructure. Industry leaders are calling for a permanent logistics council to coordinate reforms as temporary crisis committees wind down.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-africa-logistics-sector-faces-infrastructure-and-coordination-challenges

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Cite as: African logistics and transport infrastructure challenges. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/african-logistics-and-transport-infrastructure-challenges