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.