Go ahead, tip yourself
IDEAL for the driver who wants to work for that baddest (and nicest) of bosses - himself. Hino has expanded the 300-Series truck range, all models coming with a sixspeed auto and some with a crewcab. Vice President of Hino SA Ernie Trautmann said extensive market research with both dealers and customers preceded the decision and show a need for more crew cab bodies and the option of automatic transmission, “Trucks fitted with the smooth-shifting, six-speed automatic transmission designed, developed and manufactured by Hino are finding increasing favour with operators as they are easy-to-drive thereby reducing driver fatigues and cut maintenance costs. This is the ideal solution for owner drivers of which there are a fair number in this market segment,” he added. The Driver subscribes to the SA Press Code that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced. If we don’t live up to the code please contact the Press Ombudsman on 011-484 3512/8 or on ombudsman@presscouncil.org.za.
News by drivers for drivers who steer all size vehicles in southern Africa
Nr 34, July 201 5
Five dead in Willowton drivers' strike DRIVERS on strike at Willowton Logistics feel under fire like the miners who were shot at Marikana. While sleeping in their veicles near the Willowton depot in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZuluNatal, four of the striking drivers were shot by unknown gunmen early in the morning. May Mofokeng (45) and Alfred Malinga (32), were shot dead and two others, Themba Mvelase (50) and Christian Masisi (45), were critically wounded. They were in a group of eight men sleeping in their vehicles on a field near the Mountain Rise police station. The drivers told The Witness newspaper they were part of a group of about 20 truck drivers who have been protesting outside Willowton Logistics offices on Ohrtmann Road for the past month. They live far from the picketing point and slept in bakkies in the field, as they did not have enough fuel money to drive to and through. Four of the men who saw the shooting told The Witness they were awoken just before 1 am by
Shoaib Moosa yesterday afterwards the Labour Court had declared the strike unprotected and illegal, but everyone was saddened at what has happened.
“We feel for our drivers, regardless of the situation.”
Shot while striking for another union.
the “cracking” of gunshots. The gunmen opened the canopy of a bakkie where three men were sleeping in the back shot the men while they were asleep, killing one instantly. A second man from the same vehicle died shortly afterwards. Another gunmen shot through the driver’s window at a man who was asleep on the passenger seat of a double cab bakkie, wounding the man in to the arm. The driver who was sleeping
Photo: Ian Carbutt/The Witness
on the back seat behind the wounded passenger said he jumped into the front seat and sped off to the police station to report about 20 metres away. He said officers responded only 15 minutes after the gunmen had fled. Paramedics tried to resuscitate one of the men when he stopped breathing, but he was declared dead. The other drivers were taken to Grey’s Hospital and Northdale Hospital. Willowton Group director
Five dead The two men take five the total drivers killed in the bitter dispute. Late last month, a labour dispute by 24 of the 200 drivers drivers at Willowton Logistics saw three drivers killed June 23 , while a fourth was critically injured when two trucks collided on the N3 near the Lions River turn-off after someone dropped a large concrete block onto the Willowton truck as it drove under the Lions River Bridge. The driver lost control and crash into a Honeydew truck. The 24 drivers want their own union, which Willowton do not recognise as the company belongs to the Transport Bargaining Council. -- Driver Reporter.
Kunciphe izingozi emgaqweni Gettin rid of taxi the industry's murderers NGIYE ngajabula ukuba ngibe kwenye yezinkampani ezenza into enhle zitshengisa ukunakekela abashayeli babo, nokubakhuthaza ekushayeleni kahle ukuze kunciphe izingozi emgaqweni. Bengikwa City Couriers lapho bekukhethwe abashayeli abayishumi abenze kangcono kunabanye emsebenzini wabo. Labo besebeqhudelana ngokubonisa amakhono abanawo. Okokuqala inkampani inamaloli amasha nabashayeli abaqeqeshiwe ekusebenzeni ngokuphepha. Ukunakekela abasebenzi kusiza ekutheni nabo bazinikele ekwenzeni kahle. Ukuhlolwa kwabo bekungenzima, ngingazi kulokho obekubhalwa phansi engingakubonanga. Udlame lusenzeka emgaqweni ngenxa yokuziphatha okungamukelekile, okwenziwa abanye bakhohlwe ukuthi sonke sinamalungelo okusebenzisaumgwaqo, ngokuzihlonipha nokuhlonipha abanye sibekezelelane sonke. Engathi nezinye izinkampani zingakwenza lokhu ukuqeqesha abashayeli babo ukwenza kahle, bangazibandakanyi nodlame ukuze bahlale bephephile. Nokho ngihambe umncintiswano ungakapheli ngenxa kazakwethu obephuthuma komunye umsebenzi. Yena ungu Alwyn Viljoen osebenza kwelinye lamaphepha ndaba. Ngibonga nenkampani
Page 2, July 2015
uMedizone Health Care engikuyo nayongokwelula isandla ngezipho ukuze nabashayeli bagqugquzeleke ekwenzeni kahle. Bakwethu sonke simelwe ukulandela imithetho nokugcina izimpawu zomgwaqo ukuze sonke siphephe. Labo abangaqeqe-shiwe noma benazo izincwadi ezibagunyaza ukusebenzisa umgwaqo siyababona abanye bejaha baphule imithetho esibekelwe yona, abanye basebenzisa omakhalekhukhwini beshayela, lokhu okwandisa izingozi. Asibambeni iqhaza kuValingozi. Siziphathe kahle siphinde sibonane siphila ngokuzayo. Ngiyabonga . SMS us on 0730624674
Samuel Makhathini
AFTER taxi drivers in Mamelodi, north-east of Pretoria, shot at drivers of new bus service in the area, Gauteng Premier David Makhura manned up and promised stability to the long-suffering Mamelodians. “Those who want to try and come out and attack the buses, they have something waiting for them in the morning,” he told residents at a public meeting yesterday.
“They will be arrested and they will go to jail. I am not prepared to negotiate with people who are willing to kill others to get their way.”
News24 reports Makhura was speaking to residents following days of violence as minibus taxi owners opposed the operation ofAutopax buses in the area after bus was shot at, leaving five people hospitalised. At least seven buses have been damaged in the protests. Makhura said government wanted to send a strong message that it would not stand by and watch as the community was terrorised by gun-wielding thugs. “The community itself says they need us to move in and quell the situation. We are ready, we have the courage, we
Gauteng talks tough against taxi thugs. Photo: News24
have the will to do that. “We will find one another with the taxi operators on the issues that have to do with the transformation of the industry. It will be sooner than most expect.” Makhura said the taxi industry must be brought in, in terms of the modernisation of transport. News24 quoted the premier as saying the taxi operators had a role to play in ensuring that operations of public transport run smoothly. “We are saying there is a role for the taxi industry to be brought in. That role can’t be by taking up guns and shooting and blocking roads. “The lessons from Rea Vaya, they know themselves, that will not work. Where they have started, it does not work. We will
“Nobody will read your CV at your funeral. Make time to also have fun today. ” – Alwyn Vilkoen,
protect commuter. That is our job.We will ensure that reasonable taxi industry leaders are there to work with us to find a solution, but we have to rid this industry of hooliganism. We have to get rid of guns, illegal firearms in this industry,” he said. “I have made this a priority for the Gauteng government, we are working with KwaZuluNatal and we know the gun trafficking routes that are used. We must help the taxi industry to clean up the industry,” Makhura said. He added, if need be, the army would be deployed to Mamelodi. Officials from several government agencies has already started to restore order and stability in the township, he said. -- DR.
Just steer, the next Merc will do the rest
lowers fuel consumption. Active Braking Assist Smart braking Daimler is developing Active Braking Assist, which in its current, third generation (ABA3) is able to brake a truck or coach to a standstill if necessary when faced with stationary obstacles. According to experts, more than half of all rear-end collisions involving heavy commercial vehicles can be avoided in this way. In the next stage of development, the emergency braking assistance system will also be able to Merc's next braking system will detect obstacles and stop the van, truck detect pedestrians and cyclists. or bus faster than the driver can react. So better click in that seatbelt! Another innovation is Blind Photo: Supplied Spot Monitoring system, which from the political sphere,” said to the new ATC anti-jackknife Daimler Trucks will be putting into series production in the Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, protection system for Member of the Daimler Board articulated buses and the new foreseeable future, as the first of Management for Trucks and Blind Spot Monitoring system manufacturer in the world to do so. This system can prevent half He was speaking at the assist feature for trucks. “The vision of accident- Buses. of all truck accidents with “Shaping Future Transportation free driving is our pedestrians and cyclists. — Campus Safety”, which Mirror Cam event was staged by the One new feature that Daimler is Self-driving trucks driving force. We are Daimler Trucks has driven commercial vehicle currently working on is the therefore continuously Daimler of test kilometres divisions in Berlin to show the Mirror Cam. Monitors in the developing new safety capabilities of state-of-the-art cab on the right- and left-hand thousands with autonomously driving systems and launching assistance systems made by trucks Dr Bernhard: sides, in conjunction with Daimler, using a van, exterior cameras, significantly “Politicians must make it them on the market. “How fast we can apply them semitrailer tractor, articulated improve visibility for the driver possible for us to put and reduce the risk of accidents. autonomous trucks on the road depends significantly on how bus and a super high-decker soon. The advantages in terms touring coach. The lower wind resistance quickly the required legal of more safety are obvious.” They safety systems ranged compared with conventional framework can be created. This -- DR from Crosswind Assist for vans exterior mirrors additionally means that we need support BERLIN — The commercial vehicle divisions of Daimler AG are forging ahead with the development of safety and assistance systems for deployment in trucks, buses and vans. The ambitious goal is to avoid dangerous situations and thus to realise the vision of accidentfree driving. To this end, all commercial vehicle business units will launch new safety technologies such as the blind spot monitoring system or the mirror cam in the coming years. In particular with longdistance trucks, the combination of various assistance systems will ease the way to autonomous driving in the coming years. Development for series application is making good progress at Daimler.
“The more arguments you win, the less friends youu will have. ” ~ American proverb
Tough Tiggo
EVER wondered why the Chinese-made Chery Tigo sells for a steep R229 900? Because its worth it, said Pedro Pereira, who proved thise by sending The Driver in one of eight Tiggo 2x4s over 1 2 dirt and one tarred pass in Mpumalang in one day, without any problems. The tough Tiggo had already conquered Sani Pass in KwaZulu-Natal. The 1 2 dirt passes were: 1 Mount Carmel (1 3,5 km), 2 Wonderkloof (7,7 km), 3 Makobulaan (1 9 km), 4 Bakenkop (5,5km) 5 Klipkraal (20 km); The tarmac passes 6 Sudwala (9 km), 7 Montrose (3,8km), 8 Masjien Nek (11 km), 9 Long Tom (22.5km), 1 0 Koffiehoogte (6km), 1 2 Kiepersol (5.5km) and 1 3 Bergvlei (9,5km).
Page 3, June 2015
Trucker steals ambulance to flee crash scene A TRUCK driver bizarrely emerged unscathed from two weekend accidents in Durban, KZN. It’s alleged he first crashed his truck into an accident scene, killing a tow truck driver, and then allegedly sped off in an ambulance, which he also crashed. Paramedics attended to the initial scene, where there were no injuries, on the M7 west-bound before the Wakesleigh Road intersection around 9 pm on Saturday. The Witness reports as the ambulance left the scene they saw a truck plough into the accident scene and come to a halt down the embank-ment. Paramedics ran to the scene and found the critically injured breakdown operator at the bottom of the embankment. Efforts to save him failed and he died on the scene.
While paramedics tended to the tow truck driver, the driver of the truck responsible allegedly got into the Rescue Care Hyundai H1 emergency vehicle and fled the scene. Bystanders gave chase and the ambulance crashed at the corner of Umbilo Road and Deodar Avenue. The driver was arrested shortly afterwards by police. Rescue Care’s operations director Garrith Jamieson said that he had to make a decision on whether to chase after the vehicle or tend to the patient. “Someone’s life is definitely more important — vehicles can be replaced,” he said. “Paramedics always have to have eyes at the back of their head”, adding that there was always the risk of being injured while tending to the scene of the accident.
“F At an accident scene we try to alert road users and warn them about the scene ahead. People are sometimes not very fond of tow truck drivers, but they help us a lot at accident scenes,” he said. Miami Towing staff were traumatised after the incident, in which they lost a friend and colleague. They told media they would comment about the incident soon “Rescue Care would like to send condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the man who lost his life whilst trying to assist others. As regards the theft of the ambulance we will be leaving all investigations up to the SAPS and will assist them with whatever they need to ensure the law takes its course,” Jamieson said. -- News24.
Longest jump yet
Electric 2-ton trucks a liter per kilometer cheaper MITSUBISHI and Daimler trucks has concluded yearlong tests of the all electric Fuso Canter trucks at an event held in Lisbon. Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation stated the Canter E-Cell project saved the operator at least a €1 (R1 3,73) per km, compared to
Page 4, July 2015
a diesel Canter. In a lesson to South Africa, the Portuguese government co-funded the research project through IAPMEI, the Public Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation. During the year-long trials, customers of the Daimler subsidiary delivered goods
with eight Fuso Canter E-Cell trucks. Driver said the electric trucks are good to deliver up to two-ton payloads in cities. In daily traffic, the trucks achieved a range of more than 1 00 km, which far exceeds the average distance most light delivery trucks travel in Portuguese cities.
American stunt driver Gregg Godfrey posted on his Instagram account he outdid himself by jumping 48.8 metres at the Evel Knievel Days in Butte, Montana. His 9-ton rig landed so hard it burst a front tyre and stunned Godfrey, who nevertheless made an equally impressive handbrake turn at the end of the run.‘I hit so hard, I think I’m concussed. I don’t think I’m all there.’ he said.
“We all have ability. The difference is how we use it. ” ~ Stevie Wonder