3.6 South Sudan Additional Service Providers
South Sudan Additional Service Providers: Vehicle Rental, Taxi Companies, Freight Forwarding Agents, Handling Equipment, Power Generation and ISPs
Since independence the market of service providers have expanded exponentially with both national and international companies providing a host of support services. As in other business sectors, domestic operators and service providers have also seen significant growth and the government is actively encouraging the development of local ownership. However the growth in this sector and the quality of the services provided is constrained by a shortage of specialised skills in the local labour market and the perceived difficulty of doing business in South Sudan.
Vehicle Rental
Various vehicle rental companies are present in South Sudan with a wide selection of vehicles available for hire. The vast majority of such companies however have small vehicle fleets with varying capacities and vehicles maintained to questionable standards. No large international vehicle rental companies are present in South Sudan and organisations looking to augment their vehicle fleet will need to negotiate directly with vehicle owners.
Taxi Companies
The taxi industry is unregulated and characterised by privately owner-operated vehicles and motorbikes. There are a number of larger locally owned taxi operators however travel rates vary and needs to be negotiated for. Travel by motorbike or ‘boda-boda’ is readily available and at a relatively low cost, however at significant risk due to prevailing road conditions. In general the use of locally available taxi’s and motorbikes is reliable; however it does pose some personal security risk to travellers. As no taxi operators have ‘passenger liability’ insurance. Hence, it is advisable that international travellers include this in any travel insurance.
Freight Forwarding Agents
A number of freight forwarding companies and brokers with varying capacities are operational in South Sudan. The larger operators have good contacts within relevant government departments and access to a variety of logistical services including air, water and land transport providers making their services relatively reliable. The majority of freight forwarding agents are situated in Juba with a smaller number located in other major towns.
Handling Equipment
Handling equipment can be rented from local commercial companies
or acquired in the market. Most specialised equipment need to be
imported from neighbouring countries however.
Non-standardised pallets can be manufactured in the local market,
in general however all wooden and plastic pallets are imported.
Electricity and Power
The Ministry of Energy and Dams is responsible for the
development of the country’s electricity infrastructure. In 2012,
the ministry established the South Sudan Electricity Corporation
(SSEC), which oversees the generation, transmission, distribution
and sale of electricity within the country, and most of the state
capitals now have some electrical power, commonly referred to as
‘City power’. The in-country power-generating infrastructure
consists of large diesel operated power plants and distribution
systems. However, the electrical power coverage is limited to these
urban areas and prioritized for local administration/government and
local hospitals, as the power grid is severely limited. The
electricity supply in South Sudan is only partially accessible in
certain areas and in these areas the supply is often erratic, and
characterised by frequent power outages due to broken power units,
or more commonly, a lack of fuel.
The most recently commissioned power plants and electrical
distribution systems are situated in Juba, Malakal, Wau, Bor,
Yambio, Rumbek and Renk. The power production plant for Juba has
been greatly improved in terms of efficiency but still coverage of
the town is limited. Malakal has good coverage through large
functioning diesel generators. Considering that power generation is
largely unreliable and inconsistent it is essential that major
organizations have their own power generating capacity and back-up
units. Small to large portable generators are readily available in
local markets. In 2012, the country had approximately 33MW of
installed generating capacity with partial access mainly to the
towns Juba, Malakal and Wau.
In 2012, the Government entered into an agreement with the
government of Ethiopia to import electricity into the country. The
agreement called for the installation of a 230 KV transmission line
from Gambela and a 500 KV transmission line from the Grand
Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia to South Sudan. The agreement is to
come into affect upon the completion of the dam.
Production Unit |
Type [1] |
Installed Capacity (MW) |
Current Production (MW) |
---|---|---|---|
Juba (Wartsila) |
Diesel |
12 MW |
Operational |
Juba (Cummins) |
Diesel |
8 MW |
Non-Operational |
Malakal |
Diesel |
4.8 MW |
Operational |
Wau |
Diesel |
2 MW |
Operational |
Bor |
Diesel |
2 MW |
Non Operational due to severe fuel shortages |
Yambio |
Diesel |
2 MW |
Non Operational due to severe fuel shortages |
Rumbek |
Diesel |
2 MW |
Non Operational due to severe fuel shortages |
Renk (S/Station) |
Diesel |
40 Mva |
Operational |
[1] E.g. Hydroelectric power, Thermal power...
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
South Sudan is one of the most expensive countries in Africa in
terms of Internet usage, with an average retail cost of USD$ 4,000
per megabit via satellite. All licenced service providers use
satellite-based V-Sat and WiMax technology as the country has no
established fibre optics network, nor is it directly connected to
East Africa’s internet fibre-optic networks serviced by The East
African Marine Systems (TEAMS), Eastern Africa Submarine Cable
System (EASSy) and SEACOM providers.
The Ministry of Telecommunication and Postal Services (MOTPS) plays
an oversight function and is in charge of regulating and licencing
of local telecommunications companies. Currently telecommunications
regulations are set to change with the adoption of new regulations
in late 2013.Currently there are no national carrier in South
Sudan, however the Council of Ministers approved the establishment
of a national telecommunications operator in May 2013. In late
2012, the country had five licensed Internet Service Providers and
this number continues to grow with an estimated 15 ISPs currently
in various stages of operation.
Internet Service Providers |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Are there ISPs available? (Yes / No) |
Yes | ||
Private or Government |
Private | ||
Dial-up only (Yes / No) |
No | ||
Approximate Rates |
Dial-up: |
n/a | |
Broadband: |
n/a |
||
Max leasable 'dedicated' bandwidth |
n/a |