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News to inspire professional drivers of all size vehicles in southern Africa
July 201 8
'No more slave wages for migrant drivers' MORE than 60 people were arrested after over a 100 truckers blocked South Africa's busiest highway at the bottom of Van Reenen’s pass near the Tugela toll plaza on June 20. Media24 reported SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) spokesperson Zanele Sabela, denied that any of the union's members were involved, but said the protest related to complaints about the employment of foreign truck drivers at lower salaries than local ones. Satawu told the bargaining council for road freight truck drivers this was exploitation and the union called for all truck drivers to earn the same minimum salary of R15,000 a month. At the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry, it was agreed that a task team would look into the employment of foreign nationals in the industry and these and other issues would be revisited at the this month's industry meeting. The task team was set up in
A massive tailback stretched back for tens of kilometres when truckers closed the N3 on June 3, with drivers promising more of the same if the labour department continue to turn a blind eye at fleet operators who employ untrained migrant drivers at slave rates in South Africa. Photos: News24
response to the Mooi River blockades on the same in April. Police arrested 62 people, most of them drivers on charges of public violence and obstructing traffic. The protest on the highway, which carries on average over 8,000 trucks a day, with some sections carrying 10,000 trucvks a day, caused a backup that stretched for many kilometres on both sides of the blockade.
Con Roux, boss at the N3 Toll Concession Company (N3TC) said it took all ofWednesday night to Thursday morning to clear the massive tailback. Roux said some drivers had tampered with their air brake systems, making it unsafe to move their vehicles and pecial rigs had to be brought in to take the heavy trucks off the road. Government's view is not supportive of the drivers, who's
livelihoods are being undercut by migrant drivers who are willing to work for as little as R5000 a month. transport minister Blade Nzimande said the blockade was “sabotage” and police minister Bheki Cele send extra officers to clear the road. A labour department is meanwhile "look into the issue". Several drivers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Driver the will continue with such protests if the labour department continue to turn a blind eye to operators who employ migrant drivers at slave rates.
"These drivers come here with fake papers and no experience and take our jobs. Then we get crashes like that Fields Hill one, where that guy, Sanele, did not know how the engine brake works in the Volvo his was driving, and he ended up crashing and killing all those people. That is what we are protesting against," said a driver speaking in isiZulu.
Taxify shows care, Uber not
Taxify ups rates as fuel rises, Uber says 'we constantly send drivers tips how to save fuel' Hundreds of Uber and Taxify drivers assembled in Johannesburg in June to travel together to deliver a Uber and memorandum of demands to Uber’s Taxify drivers offices. gather in Uber said in June that despite the Johannesburg steep petrol price increase the "fares before moving will not be adjusted at this time". in convoy to Uber driver Nkosinathi Nguni told hand over a media the driver are tired of working memo-randum harder for less. to Uber's "Right now the petrol price went up offices. and Uber doesn’t increase trip prices. They don’t even care about the safety of drivers‚ safety is not taken seriously‚" he said. Uber takes from all transactions Stephen Bhebhe said pricing and Official responses leaves them with nothing to live on safety were the Uber drivers' main after fuel, insurance and maintenance concerns, and that drivers cannot Taxify has announced it stated is "a significantly maintain both their families and their are paid. will be changing some of higher percentage than cars when the price of fuel goes up its tariffs to help its drivers drivers that use other Editors Comment: We warned but the fares go down. earn better wages in the platforms to connect with back in 2014 that while ride hailing Sifiso Tshabalala‚ also raised the wake of this month’s fuel riders." issue of Uber taking only the clients' apps is the future that all passenger price hike. transporters will have to adopt, side. "Trips will now be Uber's Samantha Uber's practice of lowering fares "Our complaints don’t matter. calculated at R0.75 per Allenberg told media they allows no room for profit. Sometimes customers are the ones minute, and the cost a keep fares low because Since then, Uber drivers around the kilometre is now R7.50. who victimise us. that means more trips per world report earning a quarter of Katiso Motumi said Uber has not The base fare of R5 hour, "increasing earning raised the fare per kilometre since it what they started with and the remains unchanged, as potential and creating launched in 2013, but has increased company face stiff competition from does the minimum fare of better economics for R20," Taxify said in a drivers". rider hailing apps that realise their its take from 20% to 25%. statement, adding its She said Uber drivers can He queried how Uber could charge drivers are as important as the drivers get 85% of the fare access rewards, discounts passengers to keep their businesses clients before they drive started. paid by riders – which it and health care. The Uber drivers say the quarter that operating profitably.
page 2, July 2018
An army ofsheep led by a lion can defeat an army oflions led by a sheep. ~ Ghanaian proverb
Bakkie hailing app needs drivers
LOAD hailing app, Droppa will need owner-drivers in Durban, Maritzburg Richards Bay and Cape Town from next year. Droppa creater, Khatutshela Mufamadi, told The Driver applicants must have from half-tonner bakkies to 8-tonner trucks. The vehicles must have a valid RWC and be in good condition, as clients rate Droppa drivers just like they do on Uber or Taxify. Droppa drivers keep 85% of the fare, the minimum is R200 within five kilometres, after which the client pays R6/km. For 4ton loads the minimum charge is R2 000 within five kilometres, plus R25/km thereafter. Mufamadi was one of only two companies from South Africa who pitched his business against 6,000 other start-ups at the Viva Technology Conference in Paris in May and rerturned with several ideas to grow his business. More on www.droppa.co.za. Khatutshelu Mafumadi has seen rapid growth in Gauteng for his load hailing app, Droppa.
CIT drivers want firearms
CREWS on South Africa's armoured cash-in-transit vans staged a national protest last month to demand the right to bear arms and kill assailants. They blocked streets in downtown Johannesburg and other cities while workers affiliated with the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and the Motor Transport Workers Union (MTWU) marched in solidarity. MTWU spokesman Hlasinyane Motaung told Talk Radio 702 government should pass a law that will allow cash-intransit com-panies to buy fire arms and get licences arms guards with assault rifles. CIT guards may only to carry pistols. "These criminals have started a war and why should we be victims," Motaung said as guards carried placards with messages such as "give us permission to kill thugs" and "without us South Africa is cashless". SBV Services, which has a fleet of over 800 of armoured vehicles across Africa, said it was working closely with its local clients to minimise disruptions to businesses during the strike. -- DR.
Cash deliveries in the cross fire
Bankers report a sharp spike in Cash in Transit robberies, consultants say robbers come armed with attorneys SOME say ice truckers need a lot of danger pay. Others say being a bus driver One police on Bolivia's passes needs a officer was steady supply of clean shot dead while two underpants. Fidelity guards But the most dangerous and two driving job must be transporting bystanders cash in South Africa. were injured This after the country's during this CIT robery in Banking Risk Information Hillbrow, Centre (SABRIC) has made Johannesburg, available the most recent in May 201 8. statistics on cash-in-transit robberies. The data shows an increase of 110% in the past four years – from 179 incidents in 2014 to 376 in 2017. which they relied on help from Dr Hennie Lochner, a senior At the time of writing in 2018, corrupt cops are mostly to police members and employees lecturer in the Department of the figure already stood at 162 blame. Supporting this view are the in the industry.Interviewees Police Practice at UNISA. In incidents. 2016, Lochner interviewed 21 Johan Burger, senior research findings of research into cash- claimed that police members in-transit gangs that found a often became actively involved jailed cash-in-transit robbers on consultant at the Institute of high level of complicity by in the robbery itself or accepted their modus operandi. Security Studies, said the bribes to help in various ways. Those interviewed claimed increase have two causes, more criminal justice officials. Dr Mahlogonolo Thobane, a This could take the form of they were able to bribe cash being delivered, and senior lecturer at the University providing access to information prosecutors to decline to corruption in security and of South Africa’s Department of contained in police case dockets prosecute, and to bribe justice circles. – including the names of magistrates to ensure a positive According to the South African Criminology and Security, interviewed 40 jailed armed witnesses who could be outcome of a case if they were Reserve Bank, cash has increased by 75% from R80bn robbers in various correctional intimidated or eliminated – the pursued by incorruptible facilities in Gauteng in 2014. disappearance of vital physical prosecutors. They also hired to R140bn over the past four Her study, on the criminal evidence, providing safe attorneys who were years. careers of armed robbers and houses, and transporting stolen immediately ready to represent The boss at retail cash particularly cash-in-transit cash. Thobane’s findings were them if they were arrested and management company Cash Connect Richard Phillips said robbers, uncovered the extent to corroborated in a later study by brought to court. -- DR. Ifyou want to go quickly, go alone. Ifyou want to go far, go together. ~ African proverb
July 2018 page 3
Made-in-SA hybrid gears up
Fleet operators targeted with Miser transmission system that stores energy from to save brakes, diesel and costs SOUTH African company constraints, Miser can Ducere Holdings is looking for comfortably be fitted to a range investors for its Miser of vehicles from a small car up Hydraulic Hybrid Technology to very large excavators, giving to collect, store and and us a distinct advantage as it redeploy kinetic energy from a allows us to participate in a far truck's drivetrain. wider range of sectors. André Reyneke, Managing Reyneke said the Miser system Director at Ducere Holdings will not add to the overall state on the company website vehicle cost – and could even the system scales from a small reduce cost. Its smaller size and car to the biggest earth-moving lighter weight also mean a more equipment, giving operators efficient drivetrain, despite the fuel savings of up to 40%. inclusion of the pump/motor, He said Miser achieves this accumulator and reservoir. saving using a combination of "Engine optimisation means braking energy recovery, engine that you’re using your engine Miser is advertising its hybird transmission system to potential optimisation and various less. You also hardly have to shareholders, offering investors a chance to buy into the company use your brakes because Miser mechanical modes such as at penny-stock level. torque summing, regenerative has a different way of assisting braking and launch assist. with that function so where in the trucking sector, as units the HTS system (where the A recent market analysis are much easier to install existing gearbox is replaced by your brake pads lasted maybe forecast hybrid vehicle sales to because of a less confined 15,000 to 20,000 kilometres the retrofit unit incorporating constitute in excess of 10% (or component packaging. Added to hydraulic energy recovery), or before, they can now last approximately 8-million 150,000 or 200,000 kilometres," that, because fleet owners’ costs the HKS version (including vehicles) of annual sales by the company stated, adding are mainly made up of fuel regenerative braking, energy 2020. arbon emissions are also up to purchases, the ROI could be as storage and deployment). "We see aftermarket sales little as six to nine months," While the world’s focus is on 40% less. -- DR. being the immediate market stated Reneke. pure electric and electric hybrid Ed's comment: Miser looks potential for Miser, with fleet Ducere Holdings is currently vehicles, there is very limited set for growth, but potential operators the main buyers, as investors should note the working closely with fleet attention on the hydraulic fuel costs comprise the biggest owners and specialist heavy hybrid solution, a field in which South African company faces percentages of direct operating vehicle designers and stiff competition from Miser aims to be the leader. costs in that sector. Chinese companies that manufacturers. Unlike electrical systems, "Therefore, our initial focus The truck fleet owner would which are still prevented from offer similar drivetrain for the retrofit business will be eventually have the choice of scaling because of technology technologies.
July 2018 page 4
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Used truck prices rising
WHILE the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) reported ebbed year on year sales figures in the commercial vehicle segments, a local auctioner noticed an uptick in sales at their auctions in recent months. Head of the assets and recovery division at Park Village Auctions (PVA), LeRoy Augustyn, said prices achieved at last week’s truck auction showed the demand for commercial vehicles has not waned. “Buyers are instead exercising prudence, seeking out quality second-hand assets to offset increased costs,” he said. Prices noted at the auctions saw a 201 5 Hyundai HD72 closedbody rigid truck sell for R1 75,000, while a 201 3 UD CW 26-490 curtain side rigid truck sold for R535,000. A 201 6 MAN TGS 27-440 truck tractor went for R565 000 while a 201 5 Caterpillar 428F backhoe loader sold for R570 000. A 201 6 Mercedes-Benz Axor 1 823 refuse rigid truck sold for R71 0 000 and a 201 6 Scania LA truck for R950,000. -- DR.