????????? ????????? R100.00 ISSUE | 2 2017 ON TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS FOCUSONTRANSPORT.CO.ZA SINOTRUK SA aims to replicate African success CLEAN FUEL II: USED-VEHICLE BUYERS: will it ever happen? more and more demanding Update: bridging the water Suing the AT KAZUNGULA ROAD AcciDENT FUND ????????? COMPREHENSIVE RANGE AND QUALITY SERVICE GEA offers efficient and quality service on a comprehensive range of world class products – Thermo King for transport temperature control, Furgocar for fail-safe, secure locking gear and Dhollandia lifting equipment for operator and passenger safety. All our products are backed up by certified technicians to ensure the best possible service to our customers.'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPODPOUBDU'SBODPJTWE8FTUIVJ[FOBU(&""GSJDBJO.JESBOE POPSGSBODPJTWBOEFSXFTUIVJ[FO!HFBDPN www.gea.com B FOCUS ON TRANSPORT ????????? ISSUE 2 2017 CONTENTS PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE 14 16 20 24 CLEAN FUELS 2: SA’s WOE IS TRAILER USED VEHICLES GOING LIGHT PROBLEM CHILD MAINTENANCE GAINING FAVOUR We drive Suzuki’s first We ask for an update on It is often forgotten that the The used-vehicle market is entrant into the local light developments for the long- trailer is just as important set to continue the positive commercial vehicle market. awaited Clean Fuels 2 (CF2) a part of the makeup of a sales performance it programme. vehicle as the horse. Are presented in 2016. local operators maintaining their trailers? PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE 26 28 30 41 GLOBAL HIGH FIVE JUST A LITTLE LONGER 11 YEARS OF SUING THE ROAD As Nissan embarks on a Progress has been made in FASCINATING ACCIDENT FUND drive to become a global constructing the 923-m rail INDUSTRY Is a passenger in a bus, player in the commercial and road bridge at the very DEVELOPMENT injured in a motor accident, vehicle arena, the brand busy and crucial Kazungula In his final review of global entitled to sue the person gets a hearty high five. border between Botswana news for local truckers, who is alleged to have and Zambia. FRANK BEETON revisits caused his injury? some of the key issues from the past 11 years. COVER STORY Sinotruk is now Published monthly by Mariska Morris CIRCULATION MANAGER Charmont Media Global Cell: 084 788 8399 Bev Rogers ready to tackle Unit 17, Northcliff Office Park, 203 [email protected] Cell: 078 230 5063 the South African Beyers Naude Drive, Northcliff, 2195. 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No articles or photographs REGULARS [email protected] may be reproduced, in whole or in part, ASSISTANT EDITOR without specific written permission 2 Steering Column Gavin Myers PUBLISHER from the editor. 6 Wheel Nut Cell: 072 877 1605 Tina Monteiro [email protected] Cell: 082 568 3181 8 Letters [email protected] 22 Vic’s View SUB-EDITOR Jeanette Lamont ADVERTISING SALES 30 Global Focus Cell: 083 447 3616 Margaret Phillipson [email protected] Cell: 083 263 0451 38 Short Hauls CHARMONT 2016 [email protected] MEDIA GLOBAL 39 Naamsa figures JOURNALISTS Anlerie de Wet Atish Ramachul FOLLOW US 40 Subscription form Cell: 079 897 4338 Cell: 061 320 2210 facebook.com/focus_mag 43 Hopping off [email protected] [email protected] twitter @FOCUSmagSA FOCUS ON TRANSPORT 1 STEERING COLUMNS TOUGH TIMES ahead This year is going to be challenging for everyone, but especially for “the little guys”. That’s according to Craig Uren, Isuzu Truck South Africa’s director and chief operating officer... CHARLEEN CLARKE ren was addressing the media at his annual “State of the Nation” address. It’s something I always look forward to, because he generally has his finger HE SAID IT on the pulse (Uren’s predictions are The press conference was full of quotable Unormally spot on). He also “tells it like it is” – hence quotes by Craig Uren. Here are some of my the sidebar on this page, listing some of his “quotable favourites: quotes”. Like many other people, he’s predicting a tough On 2016: “The biggest factor in our industry 2017 for us all – but especially for “the little guys”. in 2016 was a reluctance to commit to He warned: “The medium commercial vehicle (MCV) purchases. However, that changed after the market was hardest hit in 2016, because these municipal elections, when we saw optimism operators could not get finance. The big hit has been return to the market; 2016 was a year of at the bottom end of the market. Until such time change − a year of the bull in the China shop.” as the economy gains traction, the little guys will continue to struggle.” On Fees Must Fall: “Fees Must Fall won’t Uren is expecting a total South African commercial go away because there is no plan to deal vehicle market of 27 500 units in 2017, meaning with the issue.” growth of around 1,8 percent. He’s not expecting an easy ride for Isuzu Truck South Africa (ITSA). “Since the inception of our company in 2006, we On economists: “A lot of economists have had a clear objective: being the number one may think they are in the wrong game, Japanese original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in because they have lost the plot in the South Africa. This first became a reality in 2013,” Uren last year. The world is full of embarrassed recalled. This (2013) was also the first year in the economists, because their predictions of company’s history that over 4 000 Isuzu trucks were late have been so wrong.” sold in South Africa – 4 019 units to be precise – > 2 FOCUS ON TRANSPORT STEERING COLUMNS ????????? THE MOST EXPENSIVE TRUCKS ALSO COST LESS. Fuel accounts for nearly half the Total Cost of Ownership of a truck. Which is why we concentrate on making ours as economical as possible. With Scania, you’re paying for incredible reliability and the highest levels of uptime. So can you have a truck that’s every bit as good as you expect, but ends up costing less than you thought? YES YOU CAN. FOCUS ON TRANSPORT 3 121780 Scania SA YYC Long Haul 297x210 v2.indd 2 21/10/2016 15:22 STEERING COLUMN which moved the then market leader into second position. “We remained focused once we achieved the number one position, but we were aware that staying at the top was On the role of a truck: “A truck not going to be an easy task,” Uren said. is an economic enabler. It employs Will ITSA be the top Japanese OEM for a fifth year in a row people wherever it goes. On the in 2017? “This is not going to be an easy year. With product, continent of Africa, you cannot parts and aftersales service back-up, there shouldn’t be a move people and goods without a reason not to, but time will tell,” he noted soberly. truck or a bus.” On South Africa: “We have an unbelievable country, full of resources and talent. We just don’t harness them well.” On the Automotive and Production Development Programme: “The intention of the APDP is not wrong. We are trying to create jobs in this country. Going forward, talking and communication will be critical.” On car drivers: “I drove trucks Uren is reasonably optimistic about the outlook for truck operators. over the festive season and I was appalled at the bad behaviour At least the company is working off a solid base. “Despite of car drivers. They don’t respect certain challenges, ITSA held onto its number one position trucks!” for a fourth consecutive year and ended 2016 with a 14,6 percent market share. With 1 971 units sold across the On cyber attacks: “You cannot 19 N-Series model derivatives (totalling 50 percent of total see or feel anything in business ITSA volume for 2016), we claimed 23,3 percent of the total any more. You just know when you MCV market. That sector closed on 8 451 units, including are in trouble.” Associated Motor Holdings,” Uren revealed. In the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) sector, Isuzu sold 1 545 out of 5 460 units, achieving 28,3 percent On ITSA: “In ten years we have of this market. The extra-heavy commercial vehicle not retrenched one single person! (EHCV) sector remains the biggest segment within the That’s because this business is commercial vehicle market, with 11 860 EHCVs out of sustainable.” 27 047 total unit sales. ITSA achieved a 3,5 percent share of this sector, and a 1,8 percent share of the bus market. On pricing: “Truck prices have Uren obviously wants to see more of the same this year. risen dramatically, by up to 15 “As usual, we will focus on the bigger picture. We’re a long- percent in the past year.” term business, not a short-term business. Our responsibility doesn’t stop at the factory gate,” he stressed. “The first 100 He said that the fortunes of his company and of other On Donald Trump: OEMs would, however, depend on the economy as a days of Trump will see things being whole. He was reasonably positive about the outlook for undone.” truck operators. “It’s unlikely that rail will be a big threat going forward. On South Africa’s economy: I hope that rail gets its act together, because it would be “We are running out of time.