ISSN 2412-7779 REGULARS

INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

11 Continued on

VOL . 36 - NO . 1 | MARCH / APRIL 2022

22 26 37

NEWS

5 CNG : A greener fuel alternative for SA 7 City Logistics expands its fleet 7 Paarden Eiland solar project

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

8 FAO publishes new plan to counter antimicrobial resistance 9 Making headlines for the wrong reasons : Cybercrime on the rise

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS

13 Looking forward to FRIGAIR 2022

PROJECT

1 , 22 High-end meets convenience – 24 hours a day

FEATURES

26 Telematics and monitoring : impacts in risk management

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In a time where energy supply is constrained to the point of loadshedding , which affects every business ( and individual ) in a negative way , one would think that the solution of self-generation of electricity would be a no-brainer to assist in a looming disaster . This is however once again not the case as some reports state that Eskom is resorting to “ bullying tactics ” to force the price of solar photovoltaic ( PV ) generation up . This on the heels of yet another tariff increase proposal well above 20 %, which , if implemented , will result in grid energy being far more costly than this alternative . Yes , capital costs are significant with the technology involved in PV , but when considering payback periods and lifespan , the cost to generate a unit of electricity is now cheaper than supply from municipality .

While I am not fond of offering an opinion on politically-linked issues , I do find this flurry of activity around electricity generation a potential red flag given the fast deployment of this technology and sector growth over the past six months alone . Surely guidelines , policy and regulations should be established before every other business has reached the point of such frustration that they take the big step to help themselves . The clarity of how PV installations will get controlled has

not been received well as so much confusion now exists and having had a look at the proposals – they are very complicated . From being grid-tied to totally off-grid , varying tariffs / fees have been suggested to “ cover the costs of grid infrastructure ”.

Having spoken to some people on the subject , the perception right away ( even if not factually correct ) is that the mere mention of the topic “ comes as yet another form of tax business and residents have to be burdened with ”, and , ” being punished for another shortfall of the country ’ s leadership ”, and “ as ludicrous as charging us to use the country ’ s air – what is next , farmers being charged a sun-tax to grow food for the country ?” Perhaps the subject will get clarity soon , or even disappear – who knows , but this is definitely another very sensitive subject that will no doubt get a lot of attention .

In this issue we look at various news from the local and international fronts and carry various association updates . We have a range of contributor articles addressing issues in the industry that have been around for decades , but changes are not being applied . We would really like to know if these articles and the subject matter add value to you as the reader !

Our feature is the last in the three-part series on insurance factors in the cold chain and in this instalment , we cover another high-level look at telematics and monitoring and how they influence a business in terms of risk management , but more importantly ,

how these devices will shape the future of this , and many other sectors , in terms of what will be possible to achieve optimal efficiency and control . A very interesting subject when you consider how insurance companies are using data and in future will be able to predict the likelihood of an incident down to the individual level . A marvellous outcome of artificial intelligence and machine learning that currently still holds a lot of doubt in South Africa .

Our project this issue is the flagship concept store called Pantry by Marble – a high end store that provides patrons with quality local and imported fresh produce , ready to eat foods , a selection of top-notch wines , and while you are there you can also fill up your car as the proposed rollout will be linked to new-style fuelling stations ( for conventional combustion engines and electric vehicles ).

We also feature a sneak peek into what you can expect to see at FRIGAIR 2022 , which is right around the corner . Find a list of exhibitors with a short write-up on what they plan to show or launch at this year ’ s face-toface event on page 13 . Check it out and be sure to diarise the dates : 1 – 3 June 2022 at Gallagher Convention Centre , Midrand , Gauteng . Industry is showing great support to come together once again in-person . The exhibitor list keeps growing so be sure to keep up to date with all of the latest additions by following us online or connecting to our social media channels .

EDITOR ’ S COLUMN

This month ’ s quote is something I think everyone can find value in – because it ’ s very true . How do you use the challenges you face to get ahead rather than get a headache ?

“ When things do not go your way , remember that every challenge , every adversity , contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth .” – Roy T . Bennett

I welcome your comments , compliments , complaints , and suggestions to continue to make Cold Link Africa a world-class product for you !

Have a great month ahead . CLA

Ben

Please contact me via any of the following channels : Email : benjamin @ interactmedia . co . za Office : + 27 11 579 4940 Cell : + 27 82 940 0701 ( Call / Text / WhatsApp )