DHL increase prices by 7 percent

Boitshepo Majube | Monday January 13, 2014 18:01

The company said in Botswana, the average price increase would be 7 percent.'Our annual price increase is targeted first and foremost at ensuring a competitive and sustainable value proposition for our customers,' said Mokgethi Magapa of DHL Express Botswana.

Magapa said through this process, they were able to maintain a competitive cost base while at the same time investing in the quality of their network. 'In 2013, for example, we have added capacity to our air networks in all regions, inaugurated our expanded Americas hub, and continued to invest in our Certified International Specialist training and development programme for all employees,” Magapa said.

He further added that these investments would benefit customers in every country that is shipping internationally.

Magapa stated that DHL Express adjusts its prices annually, taking into account inflation and other rising costs in each of the more than 220 countries and territories that it serves.

“Price adjustments will vary from country to country, depending on local conditions, and will apply to all customers where contracts allow,” DHL stated.

DHL trade between Botswana and South Africa constitutes 50% of their business that they carry out in Botswana.

 In 2012 DHL moved over 20,000 parcels from South Africa to Botswana, and over 25,000 from Botswana to South Africa.

“This was a growth of 11.96% from the previous year,” said Charles Brewer, managing director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa. Last year DHL revealed that they would sign a memorandum of agreement with Botswana Customs Department in an effort to ease operations.

The company sees Botswana as a strategic business hub in Africa Express and strives to initiate further expansions.

The company saw the small and medium enterprise (SME) as an engine for growth for Botswana and the rest of Africa and intended to tap into this aspect more, it said last year.