As ports continue to rank among the worst in the world and road infrastructure buckles under pressure, local innovators are building the tech solutions we need to steer the country’s logistics and fleet industries toward a smarter, faster future.
Daniel Novitzkas, chairman of digital innovation agency Specno, says one of the most frustrating knock-on effects of South Africa’s logistics bottlenecks is the sluggish, manual-heavy process of truck insurance claims.
“While structural reform at Transnet is long overdue, we are already building the technical solutions we need to deploy upstream to bypass some of the worst choke points in our supply chain,” says Novitzkas. “Technology is now moving faster than our bureaucracy; and with it, we’re seeing tangible improvements in trade outcomes and business operations.”
Specno is helping companies build and launch systems designed specifically for South Africa’s road-freight sector, where truck damage is frequent due to failing roads, traffic congestion, and increased wear and tear. These systems allow users to instantly scan, assess, and report vehicle damage using 3D diagrams, quickly create claim requests, and submit them via integrated insurer portals to speed up approvals.
Instead of waiting seven to 30 days for damage assessments and quote approvals, repair shop managers and fleet operators can now generate and submit complete claims with repair estimates in a matter of minutes. The delays, paper trails, and pricing inconsistencies that have plagued the industry for years are being eliminated as a result.
With South Africa more reliant than ever on road transport due to the collapse of rail freight and port inefficiencies, fast-tracking truck repairs has become a business-critical priority. Features like VIN scanning for instant vehicle identification, offline damage estimation in low-connectivity zones, and real-time parts pricing are streamlining the entire insurance workflow.
“Smart tech isn’t just improving processes; it’s preserving our economic potential,” Novitzkas adds. “Digitising the claims process frees up cash flow for businesses, reduces downtime, and gets our goods moving faster, which is vital for an economy so dependent on logistics.”
The applications being built are already drawing interest from logistics and insurance leaders, setting a new benchmark for what’s possible when private sector innovation steps in where public systems have failed. And while the focus is currently on trucks and logistics, the broader implications are game-changing. Industries like construction, heavy machinery rental, and agriculture, which also rely on frequent insurance claims, are next in line for disruption.
“The era of 30-day claims is over,” Novitzkas says. “Whether you manage a fleet of 50 or 500, the ability to process repairs faster and more transparently has a measurable impact on the bottom line.”
As the country grapples with systemic delays in its ports and freight systems, Cape Town-built innovations show that smart technology may be South Africa’s most promising cargo yet.