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Business Fleet Africa
EDITION 24
APRIL 2023
18
31
Volvo Trucks power ahead
with EV adoption
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Editorial
Business
4 Protecting your investment
8 The SA logistics sector continued to
improve during February
Road Safety
6 The importance of the pre-hire screening
of drivers
News
10 Local News
28 Industry News
Interview
14 Volvo trucks powers ahead with EV
adoption
16 Pargo improves access to e-commerce
In the headlights: HCV Fleet Vehicles
18 MAN TGS 26.440 stands the test of time
19 Proven: Electric trucks are more efficient
20 An affordable 1.5-ton option
21 Why axle tracking is important
22 Hino Isando wins dealer of the year
Supply Chain and Logistics
24 Procurement’s new recession-proofing
strategy
25 Finding the right supply chain partner
Fleet Management
26 Managing your fleets carbon footprint
30 A strong case for retreading
Branding
31 All about fleet vehicle branding
32 The benefits of vehicle branding
33 How to find branding ideas
34 Vehicle branding needs TLC
In the headlights: LCV Fleet Vehicles
36 Hyundai adds Venue Cargo to line up
37 Toyota Fortuner receives styling
enhancements
38 Renault launches all-new Captur
39 Suzuki Ciaz continues to represent excellent
value for money
40 VW Polo Vivo GT gets a new look
42 Johannesburg to Cape Town on one tank
Industry Sales
43 SA commercial vehicle market holds up
44 Buyers Guide
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Editor
Reuben van Niekerk
reubenvn@vodamail.co.za
082 837 8801
Editor-at-large
Suzanne Walker
suzanne.walker3@gmail.com
083 3789 664
Contributors
Roger Houghton
houghtonr@mwebbiz.co.za
082 371 9097
Publisher
Jacques Wilken
jwilken@mweb.co.za
083 299 7312
Supplement Editor
Tristan Wiggill
Tristan@businessfleetafrica.co.za
Advertising and Marketing
Charlene Kruger
charlene@businessfleetafrica.co.za
076 807 4613
© 1997 WCM Media CC
Disclaimer
While all reasonable precautions
have been taken to ensure the
accuracy of information supplied,
neither the editor, the proprietors,
nor the publishers can accept
responsibility for any inaccuracies,
damages, or injury which may arise
there from.
Adapt or die
The transport sector defied expectations of under-performance
in the fourth quarter of 2022 to be the best sectoral performer,
admittedly amongst multiple laggards. The negative impact of
the prolonged Transnet strike had depressed the transport sector’s contribution, with the
sector growing by only 0.7% on a quarterly seasonally adjusted basis compared to growth
of 3.6% in the third quarter. However, given that the overall economic performance was
worse, with real GDP contracting by 1.3% on a quarterly seasonally adjusted basis, the
transport, storage and communication sub-sectors were the star performers. This talks to
the resilience and diversity of the sector, despite multiple headwinds.
At the end of March the South African Reserve Bank announced a further 50 basis
points hike in the repo rate, the second increase for the year and one which sees the repo
rate increase to 7.75% while the current prime lending rate shifts to 11.25%, the highest it
has been since 2009.
The ongoing challenges of harsh load shedding, high cost of living, high production
costs due to high fuel prices, rising wage demands and elevated interest rates, all contrib-
uted to the country’s dismal economic performance in the fourth quarter of 2022. With
little indication of a notably different economic environment in 2023, but rather even
lower economic growth forecasted for 2023 compared to 2022, the economic environ-
ment is expected to remain dismal and challenging.
This performance by businesses that form part of the automotive industry is re-
markable and shows just how resilient the industry has been. But for how long can this
continue? Surely at some stage something has to give?
Vehicle industry experts warn that vehicle pricing might be in for a tough time. While
stock levels have normalised factors such as the exchange rate has resulted in substantial
new vehicle price increases. In addition, the effects of low stock volumes during the
COVID-19 period could soon be felt in the pre-owned market. With low sales numbers in
2020 there is now no one to two-year-old stock available in the pre-owned market and
buyers who traditionally shopped in that market now need to look elsewhere, either at
more affordable new vehicles or older pre-owned vehicles as the stretch to a new model in
their traditional segment is simply too much for already pressured budgets.
The industry is going to have to seriously consider innovative financing options such as
plans that allows fleets to acquire the vehicles they require without the burden of tradi-
tional finance to own repayment agreements. I suspect the current market might force an
accelerated move to the popularisation of leasing models.
This all sounds like a serious disruption for the automotive industry but as always, I
suspect that the industry will display resilience and reward those that are innovative in
their offering.
As always we bring you a wide variety of interesting news from the world of working
wheels in this months edition of Business Fleet Africa, including interviews with representa-
tives from Pargo and Volvo Trucks, both of which are currently innovating in different ways
to ensure that their businesses remain relevant in a changing environment.
Reuben van Niekerk
Editor
Editorial
EDITORIAL
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Win big with Business Fleet Africa
R10 000 up for grabs in the Business Fleet Africa readers competition.
To kick start 2023, we at Business Fleet Africa will be rewarding one lucky reader with a R10 000 prize.
Each month (From the February 2023 issue) there will be a set of questions, the answers to which
can be found on the pages of that issue of Business Fleet Africa. Each month, up until the July issue,
you can enter as many times as you like. The winner will be drawn randomly on the 31st of July 2023.
To view the third round of questions, enter and for the Terms & Conditions of this competition
please click on the link above.
Enter here
In the last week of March, the South
African Reserve Bank announced a fur-
ther 50 basis points hike in the repo rate,
the second increase for the year and
one which sees the repo rate increase
to 7.75% while the current prime lending
rate shifts to 11.25%, the highest it has
been since 2009.
These increases directly affect
persons and businesses paying off loans
such as vehicle finance, which is coupled
to the interest rate, as the monthly
repayment amount will increase. This lat-
est announcement tightens the screws
even further in an economy where
consumers and businesses are already
under pressure.
The effect that this increase will have
on vehicle repayment amounts depends
on whether your agreement includes a
fixed interest rate or a linked interest rate,
and those customers who initially opted
for a fixed interest rate will be unaffected
by fluctuations in the repo rate.
Unfortunately, those that opted for a
linked interest rate, something popular
a few years ago when the interest rate
was low, now find themselves with
substantially higher repayment amounts.
When applied to a large fleet of vehicles,
this can result in hundreds of thousands
of rands of additional debt repayment
costs that were not budgeted for.
The result of rising interest rates and
inflation, due to the deteriorating rand
as well as a variety of other geopolitical
factors, is longer ownership cycles with
fleet buyers postponing new vehicle
purchases, buying down or even looking
to the pre-owned market.
The increasing trend of fleet owners
keeping their vehicle’s for longer and
clocking up additional mileage across the
lifespan of a vehicles working life means
that it is more important than ever for
fleet owners to buy quality products and
products that are accompanied by quality
backup throughout the ownership cycle.
BUSINESS
‘Aside from structuring
a finance deal that is
right for your business,
the positive ownership
experience that comes
with buying quality
products is a more
important factor
than ever before.’
Protecting your investment
BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | April 2023
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
“Aside from structuring a finance
deal that is right for your business, the
positive ownership experience that
comes with buying quality products
is a more important factor than
ever before,” says Derick de Vries,
Executive Head of Standard Bank Fleet
Management.
These days the purchasing decision
is about so much more than just the
purchase price. In addition to the
obvious factors such as fit for purpose,
fuel consumption and safety, buyers are
now placing increasing value on a high
level of actual product quality, a national
dealer network which can support
products across South Africa and the
availability of quality replacement parts
at reasonable prices.
If all these factors are in place in
the beginning and remain functional
throughout the ownership period, fleet
owners have the best chance of getting
good service and value for money out of
the entire ownership experience as well
as a good return on their investment
when the time does come to trade their
vehicle in for something newer.
These ownership and support factors
are critical in an era of learning to man-
age transportation in an environment
of price escalation and more extended
ownership periods,” adds de Vries.
When running vehicles for longer
periods of time, it is critical to have a
meticulous service and maintenance
programme in place that is well
managed. Preventative maintenance
becomes so much more important when
you know that you will still be operating
the vehicle three or four years down the
road, and it is critical for protecting your
investment and ensuring the best resale
value when the time comes.
Measurement and management
become vitally important in the quest
to determine the cost versus efficiency
equation that needs to be calculated
when deciding when to trade vehicles
for new ones and when to keep them
for longer. This can mean the difference
between success or failure.
A sophisticated yet easy-to-use fleet
management is the only way of knowing
exactly how your vehicles are used,
the costs involved with that usage, and
identifying opportunities to use vehicles
for longer and more efficiently. These
systems also assist you in staying on top
of the administration of maintenance
schedules and yearly licensing, allowing
for proper planning and minimising
downtime while these necessary tasks
are seen to.
“While all these factors will go a
long way in protecting your investment,
Standard Bank understands that meeting
repayment obligations can be challeng-
ing in tough economic times. Standard
Bank Fleet Management has various
products available to assist fleet owners
and businesses in restructuring and
ultimately running fleets more pro-
ductive and cost-effective,” concludes
De Vries. BFA
April 2023 | BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
ROAD SAFETY
BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | April 2023
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
It is frightening and disheartening to
see how many fleet managers get away
with short cuts when recruiting drivers
to operate their expensive assets. Many
companies merely rely on the years of
driving experience reflected on a CV and
a short drive around the block accompa-
nied by a senior driver before the new
recruit is given the thumbs-up.
The high accident rate involving com-
mercial vehicles places a huge burden
on company profitability. In these tough
economic times, every effort should be
made to hire right, so that poor deci-
sions do not come back to haunt you.
There are various factors that HR
practitioners consider when hiring staff
including qualifications, skills, experience
and personality traits. When recruiting
drivers, these requirements should be
expanded to include driving competence,
legal compliance, the ability to drive
economically and customer relations.
Given the country’s poor accident
record it is obvious that there are
numerous systemic failures in the road
safety system, so an important element
that is supposed to regulate the smooth
and safe passage of transport is broken
and thus, unreliable. It is therefore left to
companies to close the gap by ensuring
that stringent recruitment and selection
takes place through effective pre-hire
screening.
Many companies do not conduct
effective pre-hire screening because it is
costly and time consuming and, in some
instances, could fall foul of privacy laws
if done incorrectly. If reputable screen-
ing companies are engaged, much of the
stress and frustration can be eliminated
from this all-important step.
Over and above the usual pre-em-
ployment screenings such as reference
checks, police clearance, identity
verification, health examinations, driving
licenses and PDPs (professional driving
permits), practical screening for new
hire drivers should include the following
minimum aspects:
Driving competency
The job description of a driver is to
transport goods or passengers from one
point to another. As such, they should be
competent in driving and operating that
particular class of vehicle. This includes
conducting pre-trip inspections, as well
as being able to drive the vehicle safely
in various road environments, weather
conditions, traffic volumes and with
varying loads.
Legal compliance
The driver is fully responsible for driver
fitness, meaning being healthy, safe,
sober, alert, well-rested, knowledgeable
and fully compliant with road rules,
regulations and road signs. They also
need to be fully conversant with the
legal prescripts of vehicle documenta-
tion and loads management, especially
with regard to abnormal loads and the
transportation of dangerous goods.
Driving safely at all times is an absolute
must. Reference checks must raise
questions about a driver’s crash history.
This will go a long way towards weeding
The importance of the
pre-hire screening of drivers
The job description of a driver is to transport goods or
passengers from one point to another. As such, they
should be competent in driving and operating that
particular class of vehicle. This includes conducting
pre-trip inspections, as well as being able to drive the
vehicle safely in various road environments, weather
conditions, traffic volumes and with varying loads.
April 2023 | BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
out rogue drivers that can be a constant
liability to the company.
Driving economically
Also referred to as driving with mechani-
cal sympathy. A professional, competent
and experienced driver will be able to
demonstrate driving a vehicle smoothly
and gently. No harsh acceleration, harsh
braking and over speeding. A good driver
will change gears efficiently to constantly
drive in the green band, will look far
ahead and plan manoeuvres to save fuel
without compromising safety. A profes-
sional driver will also conduct thorough
pre-trip inspections to ensure minimum
disruptions and breakdowns on the road.
Hazard management skills
An experienced, well trained and com-
petent driver is able to read the road for
moving and stationary hazards which in-
clude visual, physical and mental hazards.
They need to predict and anticipate the
dangerous behaviour of other road users
and be in a position to react promptly
and correctly to avoid or prevent a crash.
Drivers who have undergone advanced,
defensive driver training are easily able
to apply these skills in various trying road
conditions. The marque of a good driver
is one who is able to use both mental
and physical skills to avoid incidences by
looking far ahead and being constantly
aware of their surroundings.
Avoiding road rage
The public road is a public space where
people from various races, cultures,
classes, ages and gender come together
with a common purpose of getting from
point A to point B. Sadly, many people
in the country are troubled by many
personal issues as well as issues outside
of their control. This manifests into high
levels of built-up anger when driving
which leads to a lethal combination of
road rage which often ends tragically.
Much can be observed about a driver’s
attitude to other road users including
factors such as how often they lose their
temper, how they respond to driving in
an angry state and these attitudes can
easily be assessed because old habits
die hard and can be detrimental to road
safety and personal security.
Customer relations
Company drivers who are transporting
passengers or freight or driving for
work are exposed to greater risks than
their office-bound counterparts. They
tend to become more flustered given
the many daily traffic challenges they
need to contend with. Needless to say,
some of this negativity may be directed
at their clients, which could be bad for
business as they are the face of the
company. Indeed, they are the true
ambassadors of their respective brands
and how they deal with various custom-
er relations will go a long way towards
displaying the culture of their company.
It is therefore critical to hire drivers
who will be an asset to your brand.
Pre-hire assessments may be a
bit costly and time consuming, but
it is definitely worth the time and
effort in ensuring that you have a
team of professional drivers who
will save you endless headaches, by
reducing incidents, saving lives, and
enhancing the image of your company
by being professional, proactive
and productive. BFA
Ashref Ismail is a multiple
award-winning road safety
practitioner with more than 35
years’ experience at provincial,
national and international levels.
He holds qualifications in Traffic
and Municipal Policing, Teaching,
Public Relations and Professional
Driving. He currently runs his own
fleet risk management consul-
tancy, specialising in advanced,
hazard management training and
driver wellness.
BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | April 2023
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
TRANSPORT AND FREIGHT INDEX
Following a challenging 2022, the South
African logistics sector bounced back
somewhat during January 2023, and
that momentum was sustained during
February. The Ctrack Transport and
Freight Index (Ctrack TFI) increased by
1.7% in February compared to the previ-
ous month, following a revised monthly
increase of 1.4% in January (and declines
in the preceding four months). On an
annual basis, the Ctrack Transport and
Freight Index increased by 2.5%, which
is a welcome improvement even though
the increases are far below the annual
growth rate of 13.7%, which was record-
ed as recently as August 2022. However,
all indications are that the industry is on
a sustained positive trajectory.
All the sub-sectors of the logistics
sector continue to reflect vastly different
performances, which proved to be a
major factor in the overall industry’s
resilience. The detrimental impact of the
strike on Sea and Rail Freight has, for ex-
ample, turned out to be a boosting factor
for Air Freight and Road Freight, thus
offsetting the overall negative impact.
In February, four of the six sub-sectors
declined on an annual basis, whereas four
of the six increased on a monthly basis,
indicating positive near-term momentum.
Zooming into the sub-sectors
revealed a welcome improvement in the
performance of Rail Freight, although off
an extremely low base. While still deep
in negative territory on an annual basis,
the Rail Freight component of the Ctrack
Transport and Freight Index increased
by 6.4% on a monthly basis. On an
annual basis, the Rail Freight component
returned a decline of 20.9% in February
2023, the 11th consecutive decline
recorded and confirmation that rail
remains the Achille’s heel of the South
African logistics sector. Having under-
performed for years, the government
has finally invited the private sector
to get involved in a potential solution.
Enabling third-party access to the rail
network is critical for addressing the
declining performance of Rail Freight,
and therefore, the plan to separate the
infrastructure and operational aspects
of the rail business and to establish a
separate infrastructure manager within
Transnet Freight Rail are seen as crucial
steps towards creating a level playing
field for public and private operators on
the country’s rail network. These steps
to address the sector’s challenges are in-
deed welcomed and could potentially be
a major game changer for the logistics
sector if they do reach fruition.
While the obvious beneficiary of the
dismal state of Rail Freight has been the
Road Freight sub-sector, the growing
number of heavy trucks on South
African roads is having a negative impact
on the quality of the road network
and accelerates the need for ongoing
maintenance while also contributing to
increased greenhouse emissions. The
growing focus on environmental con-
cerns has recently placed the unhealthy
split between road and rail transport
under the spotlight. A report themed
‘Decarbonising South Africa’s Transport
Sector’ states that to enable South Africa
to cut greenhouse gases in the transport
sector to zero, between 15% to 20% of
road traffic must move to rail.
The South African logistics sector
continued to improve during February
Graph 1 Ctrack Transport and Freight Index % change on a monthly basis
Jul-18
Jul-19
Jul-20
Jul-21
Jul-22
Jan-18
Jan-19
Jan-20
Jan-21
Jan-22
Oct-18
Oct-19
Oct-20
Oct-21
Oct-22
Jan-23
Apr-18
Apr-19
Apr-20
Apr-21
Apr-22
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
-2%
-4%
-6%
-8%
Recovery Post Lockdown
KZN Looting
Covid 19 Hard-Lockdown
KZN Floods
Transnet Strike
-3.4%
1.4%
1.7%
CTRACK
2023 NATIONAL BUDGET
Rail
6.4
Pipeline
4.3
Road
2.4
Air
0.9
Sea
-0.2
Storage
-5.7
-6
-4
-2
Graph 2 Monthly growth in sub-components of the Ctrack Transport and Freight
Index (%)
April 2023 | BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA
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Table 1 Change in Ctrack Transport and freight Index in February 2023
Percentage change between
Rail
Road
Pipeline
Sea
Air
Storage and
handling
Ctrack Freight
Transport Index
February 2023 vs February 2022 (y/y)
–20.9%
16.9%
–2.3%
–10.7%
2.0%
–20.5%
2.5%
February 2023 vs January 2022 (m/m)
6.4%
2.4%
4.3%
–0.2%
0.9%
–5.7%
1.7%
Quarter to February 2023 vs. Quarter to November 2022 (q/q)
–8.9%
3.9%
12.3%
5.0%
–0.7%
–15.9%
–0.3%
Note: The row highlighted in blue is the main Ctrack Transport and Freight Index values used.
Source: Ctrack and economistscoza, TNPA, StatsSA, SARS, N3 and N4 toll concessions, ACSA, ACOC, IATA.
This would represent a major U-turn
on a multi-year trend, and the report
noted: “This will require integrated
policy support, coordinated infrastruc-
ture investments and collaboration
amongst all key stakeholders. Without a
deliberate and coordinated local effort,
South Africa’s transport sector will be
on a trajectory that is inconsistent with
South Africa’s climate commitments
or Nationally Determined Contribution
under the Paris Agreement by 2030 and
inconsistent with net- zero by 2050.” The
report is part of a series of publications
from the Climate Pathways and Just
Transition Project run by the National
Business Initiative (NBI) in partnership
with Business Unity South Africa and
Boston Consulting Group.
“While reducing the number of vehi-
cles on the road is an easy way to reduce
emissions, that might not be possible
in a South African context. However, a
sophisticated and well-managed fleet
management system can significantly
contribute to the more efficient running
of large fleets, and in that way, emissions
can be reduced,” says Hein Jordt, Chief
Executive Officer of Ctrack Africa.
In February 2023, the Road Freight
component of the Ctrack Transport and
Freight Index increased by 16.9% on an
annual basis, the 23rd straight month
of double-digit annual growth rates
recorded. When examining this trend in
detail, some interesting, divergent trends
become evident. The number of heavy
trucks on the N4 toll routes increased by
double digits during February 2023, while
the number of heavy trucks on the N3 toll
route declined by 3.0%. During the same
period, overall road freight payload for
the country showed continuous growth.
The Air Freight sector, which turned
out to be one of 2022’s star performers,
had a mixed performance in February.
The Air Freight component of the Ctrack
Transport and Freight Index increased by
0.9% on a monthly basis in February and
was only 2.0% higher compared to a year
earlier (vs 4.6% year on year in January).
Cargo loaded onto planes increased by
8.7% on a monthly basis after having de-
clined for three straight months. All the
other underlying components of the Air
Freight sector declined. According to the
International Air Transport Association
(IATA), lower demand for air cargo is now
evident across the globe, reflecting the
multiple headwinds facing the global
economy and spilling over to trading
partner countries. Air cargo tonne-kilo-
metres (CTKs) to Africa declined by 9.5%
in February, following on from January’s
10% annual decline. Total consolidated
airport flight movements were down by
4.3%, the fourth consecutive monthly
decline.
The Sea Freight component of the
Ctrack Transport and Freight Index
declined by 10.7% in February compared
to a year ago and declined marginally on a
monthly basis (-0.2%), reflecting a month
of mixed performance at the ports.
Container handling declined by 7.0% on
a monthly basis in February and remains
24.5% below the September 2022
pre-strike level. General cargo handling
increased by 5.5% in February but also
remains 7.0% below pre-strike levels. The
Sea Freight sector only partially recov-
ered from the detrimental impact of the
Transnet strike in October 2022, confirm-
ing fears that it might be impossible for
the industry to recover fully.
The Storage and Handling sub-sector
of the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index
remained under pressure for most of
2022, with a trend of declining inventory
levels evident before the Transnet strike
made matters worse. The sub-sector
declined by 20.5% in February on an
annual basis, 5.7% on a monthly basis
and 15.9% on a quarterly basis.
The transport of liquid fuels via
Transnet Pipelines increased by 4.3% on
a monthly basis in February 2023, with
the pipeline component of the Ctrack
Transport and Freight Index improving
by 12.3% on a quarterly basis, however,
this is still 2.3% lower than a year earlier.
Ctrack TFI and GDP growth
The transport sector defied expectations
of under-performance in the fourth
quarter of 2022 to be the best sectoral
performer, admittedly amongst multiple
laggards. The negative impact of the
prolonged Transnet strike had depressed
the transport sector’s contribution,
with the sector growing by only 0.7%
on a quarterly seasonally adjusted basis
compared to growth of 3.6% in the third
quarter. However, given that the overall
economic performance was worse,
with real GDP contracting by 1.3% on a
quarterly seasonally adjusted basis, the
transport, storage and communication
sub-sectors were the star performers.
This talks to the resilience and diversity of
the sector, despite multiple headwinds.
The ongoing challenges of harsh load
shedding, high cost of living, high produc-
tion costs due to high fuel prices, rising
wage demands and elevated interest rates
all contributed to the country’s dismal
economic performance in the fourth
quarter of 2022. With little indication of a
notably different economic environment
in 2023, but rather even lower economic
growth forecasted for 2023 compared to
2022, the economic environment is ex-
pected to remain dismal and challenging.
“While a lot of focus remains on short-
term challenges, with many sectors and
companies in survival mode, government
and stakeholders must remain focused on
structural reforms to improve the efficien-
cy and competitiveness of the transport
sector in the long term and return to
thriving mode,” concludes Jordt. BFA
BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | April 2023
10
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The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) is
actively working to address the issue of illicit trade of tyres in
South Africa. This includes, amongst others, misdeclaration of
tyre consignments and rerouting of imports through neigh-
bouring countries in order to avoid tyre duties, environment
levies and permits.
The SATMC is the representative body of the four leading
global tyre manufacturers with manufacturing facilities
established in the country, namely Bridgestone Southern Africa,
Continental Tyre South Africa, Goodyear South Africa and
Sumitomo Rubber South Africa.
Chairperson, Lubin Ozoux, who is CEO of Sumitomo Rubber
South Africa, said illicit tyre trade is a growing concern and has
far-reaching impacts on the industry, as well as the safety of
drivers and passengers on the road.
“The production, import, export, purchase, sale or posses-
sion of tyres that fail to comply with the domestic legislation of
South Africa must be taken seriously and stamped out. We as
the SATMC, representing local tyre manufacturers, are particu-
larly concerned about the entry of substandard and counterfeit
tyres into the South African market. These tyres often do not
meet the required safety standards, are made with inferior
materials and are prone to failure, placing millions of lives on
our roads at risk,” said Ozoux.
Tyres which are illegally brought into the country pose a
serious threat to the safety of South African consumers. While
this issue has been a persistent problem for several years, the
recent increase could be attributed to the rise in illegal trade
activities globally as globalisation and e-commerce continue
to expand.
SATMC Managing Executive, Ndu Chala, said the Tyre
Importers Association of South Africa (TIASA), in collaboration
with the SATMC, has been working closely with the South
African Revenue Service (SARS) to root out illicit trade in the
industry. “There are currently just over 60 open cases of illicit
trading related to the tyre industry that are being investigated
by SARS. There is no outcome yet and we await SARS processes
to finalise these,” said Chala.
Ozoux said all role players in the tyre industry including
manufacturers, importers, dealers and distributors are aligned
and collaborating to tackle the scourge of illicit tyre trade. The
SATMC has also introduced a number of solutions, including
increased collaboration with law enforcement agencies to
enforce regulations, and increased public awareness through
targeted campaigns. BFA
NEWS
Curtailing illicit tyre trade will
help improve SA’s road safety
In an unprecedented achievement since gaining independence
just over a year ago, Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA), has,
not only retained its Top Employer title in South Africa for the
second year running but has also earned a highly sought-after
local recognition as the Top Employer Industry Leader 2023 in
the automotive sector. This honour was made official by the
Top Employers Institute in the Forbes Africa – Top Employers
Supplement and solidifies DTSA’s consistent excellence in peo-
ple management practices. Excitingly, this places the truck and
bus manufacturer among the top 20 Top ranking companies,
attaining 7th position in South Africa.
“To be one of the leading employers in South Africa for
the second successive year is something that we are out-
standingly proud of as DTSA. Moreover, this year we took it
a notch higher as we were also ranked as number one in the
automotive sector for the first time. I am humbled by these
notable accomplishments, they are a testament to our efforts
and commitment to ensuring that we continue to maintain
excellent people practices and foster a favourable working
environment for our people. A huge thank you to our es-
teemed employees for their immense contribution to ensure
continued success, to us as DTSA, our people remain an
indispensable asset,” said Michael Dietz, President & Group
CEO Daimler Truck Southern Africa. BFA
Daimler Truck shines in Top Employer awards