KZN region

KWA-ZULU NATAL REGION

National Concours – September 2022

By Matt du Sart

The Germans can be very competitive. But South Africans even more so. Add in the spicy KwaZulu Natal gees and the race for victory is on, all wrapped up in the romantic French translation of competition; concours. Mes étoiles!

As the first National Concours held within the auspices of the Mercedes-Benz Club of South Africa since 2019, the anticipation of such a prestigious event was palpable. With four entries from the KwaZulu Natal region, two competitive and two for display, one cannot determine what was more exciting: the preparation or the eagerness for a roadtrip!

Well in advance of their debut on the parkway, the contestants were primped and preened, polished and dressed in finery. Final details were seen to in the parking garage at Sandown Motors just more than twelve hours before the lights went on and the judges armed themselves with clipboards, pens and keen eyes.

Walking into the service bay which played host to our members and their star-studded beauties on the day of Concours was like arriving backstage at a Victoria’s Secret photoshoot. Except there were no secrets to be held here! After many hours (and twenty thousand registered steps), the judges’ sheets were turned in and the scores tallied. Our region sashayed away with three awards: Warren Geyser’s golden 1982 R107 450SL placing second in the 107-Class Prix d’État and Peter Graham’s uniquely hued 2007 C203 C230 Coupe took top honours in the category Open Class Young-timers as well as the highest overall score for the same category.

Resounding congratulations to all winners and participants! We cannot wait for the next starstudded event…

Surfin’ KZN!

By Matt du Sart

Winter is… leaving! Is there any better way to mark such merriment than with a sojourn to the beach? We on the balmy East Coast of South Africa think not… With temperatures beginning to climb into the upper-twenties, members surfed their way through beachgoers along Durban’s refreshed and gleaming Golden Mile. Our destination, Surf Rider’s Café, a popular sun-kissed hangout a few metres from the water’s edge. As the seagull flies.

The KZN family caught up on news over cocktails, mocktails, coffees and venue-appropriate meals. And what visit to Durban’s beachfront is complete without an obligatory Ricksha Ride? Wherever there is a car enthusiast, an interesting set of wheels will not be far away…

Cresting the summer waves, we cannot wait to Hang Ten! Fingers in this case, not toes. Mercs up!

SOUTHERN CAPE REGION

Club lunch at the Fairy Knowe

By Koot du Toit

Die Peleton pragtige MercedesBenz voertuie het om 11.30 onder die leiding van Waldo en René Scribante vanaf die die Sasol vulstasie by die sirkel in George vertrek, en het om en by 12.50 by Fairy Knowe gearriveer. Nadat elkeen plek ingeneem het aan die keurige gedekte tafels en drankies bestel het, is almal welkom geheet. A special word of thanks for their presence was directed at Dennis and Marilyn Houseman on attending their first club function, as as well as Pieter and Wilna Lourens’s children, Charl and Elsie Bester and their children on visit from the U.K.

Nadat Wilna Lourens ‘n tafelgebed gedoen het, is die geurige disse voorgesit.

Gedurende die ete het Chris Kuhn almal teenwoordig vergas op ‘n praatjie oor die verskillende W modelle van Mercedes-Benz voertuie en wat dit aandui. Hy het ook statistieke bekendgemaak van die getalle van die verskillende modelle wat vervaardig en verkoop is. Dit is uiters interessante inligting wat die lede baie met dank aangehoor het. Baie dankie Chris en Renscke vir die koopbewyse by hul restaurant in Hartenbos, wat hulle goedgunstiglik beskikbaar gestel en toegeken het aan die wenners wat vrae kon beantwoord oor Mercedes-Benz voertuie.

Almal teenwoordig het blikkieskos saamgebring wat Maandagoggend deur twee

liefdadigheidsinstansies, nl. Emmaus en Badisa met dank ontvang is, asook R300.00 elk in kontant wat ‘n trekking opgelewer het en goedgunstiglik teruggeskenk is deur die lede wat die wenners in die trekking was. Baie dankie aan elkeen wat bygedra het om die nood van honger mense te verlig.

Baie dankie aan die bestuur en personeel van die Fairy Knowe Hotel wat ons ontvang en bedien het met goed voorbereide en keurrig bediende voedsel.

Laastens, ‘n groot dankie aan almal wat teenwoordig was en sodoende meegemaak het om die uitstappie onvergeetlik vir elkeen te maak.

Groete, tot ‘n volgende keer.