About PLASA
Logistics is essential to healthcare.
A national industry platform connecting the organisations that support safe, efficient and sustainable medicine supply across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our purpose
A unified voice for the healthcare supply chain.
PLASA is a non-profit association representing pharmaceutical logistics and the wider healthcare supply-chain ecosystem.
We bring together wholesalers, distributors, logistics providers, manufacturers, suppliers and specialist service partners. Our work connects industry expertise with the policy, regulatory and operational conversations that shape medicine access.
PLASA promotes ethical conduct, responsible information-sharing and collaboration with government, regulators and healthcare stakeholders.
Mission
Safe, efficient medicine movement
Strengthen and support the compliant movement of medicines and health products across healthcare systems.
Vision
Reliable access to medicines
A modern, digitally enabled logistics sector supporting quality, safety and continuity of supply.
Values
Excellence, innovation & service
Champion operational improvement, ethical practice and collaboration in support of healthcare.
South African market overview
The scale behind everyday access to medicines.
The value, volume and variety of medicines in the South African market underline the importance of a reliable healthcare supply chain. These market-wide figures provide context for PLASA’s work in industry representation and collaboration.
R62bn
Private market value
Pharmaceutical market · ZAR
R10bn
Public sector value
Pharmaceutical market · ZAR
21,883
Pharmaceutical products
South African market
620m
Private market volume
Medicine units
488m
Public sector volume
Medicine units
753
Manufacturers
South African market
Source: IQVIA · Reporting period: 2025/2026 · South African market · ZAR – South African Rands. Source attribution identifies the origin of these statistics; it does not imply membership, a partnership or endorsement.
Understanding healthcare logistics
The roles behind reliable medicine supply.
Explore the different services that connect manufacturers, healthcare providers and patients.
Pharmaceutical wholesalersStockholding & supply
Purchase and own medicines, supplying pharmacies, hospitals and other authorised customers through stockholding, trade credit provision, order fulfilment and delivery.
- Stockholding, inventory management and trade credit provision
- Order fulfilment and delivery
- Returns handling and customer service
Pharmaceutical distributorsManufacturer partnerships
Typically act as manufacturers’ agents, providing clearing and forwarding, managing storage, cold-chain requirements and specialised products, and handling orders and bulk distribution without taking ownership of the medicines.
- Clearing and forwarding, warehousing and stock control
- Cold-chain and specialised product handling, order processing and bulk distribution
- Manufacturer reporting and delivery coordination
3PL · Third-party logisticsOutsourced operations
Third-party logistics providers deliver outsourced operational services. In healthcare, the contracted service may cover warehousing, fulfilment, transport, temperature-controlled handling or a combination of these activities.
- Warehousing and order fulfilment
- Transport and distribution
- Cold-chain services and reverse logistics
4PL · Fourth-party logisticsSupply-chain coordination
Fourth-party logistics providers coordinate the wider supply chain as a central management partner. They integrate providers, information and processes to help organisations plan operations, monitor performance and improve coordination.
- Provider and network coordination
- Supply-chain planning and performance management
- Systems integration and end-to-end visibility
5PL · Fifth-party logisticsConnected digital networks
Fifth-party logistics is an evolving model for orchestrating connected logistics networks. It uses digital platforms, analytics and automation to coordinate demand, capacity and services across multiple supply chains.
- Digital network orchestration
- Data-led demand and capacity coordination
- Automation and network optimisation
These roles can overlap. Services vary by provider, contractual arrangements and applicable licensing requirements. 5PL describes an evolving operating model, not a pharmaceutical licence category.
Leadership & advisory
Experience guiding the association.
Pharmaceutical and supply-chain experience supports PLASA’s industry representation.
President & CEO
Irshad Joosub
BPharm (Wits), MBA (WBS)
A senior pharmaceutical industry executive with more than 30 years of experience in commercial leadership, strategic development, technology and industry representation.
Vice President · DSV
Anthony Diack
BComm (UKZN), MBA (NBS)
An experienced logistics and supply-chain executive with a background in strategic leadership, operations and building diverse teams.
Advisory
Trevor Phillips
Trevor who joined NAPW in 1993 with extensive pharmaceutical industry experience and stakeholder insight, has retired from his active PLASA role, and now contributes in an advisory capacity.
Our history
An established voice. An evolving ecosystem.
Mid 1980
NAPW established
The National Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers was formed to represent the sector.
2011
The PLASA identity
The association evolved to represent pharmaceutical distributors and wholesalers under the PLASA name.
2025 onwards
Broader participation
Strategic restructuring and expansion of the membership base across healthcare logistics and the supply-chain ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Understanding PLASA.
What does PLASA do?
PLASA provides industry representation, policy engagement, information-sharing and opportunities for sector collaboration. It promotes the essential role of logistics in safe and reliable healthcare delivery.
Who can participate?
The association’s profile includes pharmaceutical distributors and wholesalers, service providers, suppliers, manufacturers and professionals across the healthcare ecosystem. Membership admission and benefits depend on the relevant category.
How does PLASA support members?
Through advocacy, relevant updates, networking, working-group opportunities and knowledge-sharing. PLASA can also facilitate introductions to independent specialists; those professional engagements are arranged separately.
Does membership replace regulatory requirements?
No. Members remain responsible for their licences, applicable requirements and operational compliance.
Join PLASA
Help shape the future of pharmaceutical logistics.
Join organisations working together to strengthen medicine supply, industry capability and patient access.
The Healthcare Logistics Association for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa