20 Bonanza or Bust

26 Samba, Slivovitch & Sasol

60 What’s In a Name
68 Small is Big
69 Need for Speed
74 Coshed in Klerksdorp
 The Phoenix

Zoom Zoom Growth and

Development
ABR covers are not specifically chosen to match events, as we have a first come first
serve policy with regard to allocations, but intriguingly our covers are starting
to follow a trend, matching ABR’s inexorable march to relevance, pertinence,
significance and importance. The four words I have just used are all similar in
meaning, but with subtle differences, and this accurately describes the nuances that
can be ascribed to our previous four covers.

T
he July 2009 issue had the David vs. Goliath theme, a cover story on the relevance of parts distributors in these
changing times, and the relevant importance of size vs. agility. Similarly, ABR was starting to punch above its fighting weight, and
becoming increasingly relevant in its publishing niche. The August 2009 issue highlighted the pertinence of new battery manufac-
turing technologies and the need to stay ahead of the game, and once again parallels could be drawn as to ABR’s pertinence in the automo-
tive aftermarket publishing genre, and its phoenix like ability to rise above the challenges. September 2009 was a significant month, with the
cover celebrating the first anniversary of the rebirth and re entry of an iconic brand to the South African car market. Ditto ABR, 12 months
after its breech birth and its significant rise in the aftermarket conscience, and its appointment as the official mouthpiece of AAMA
(Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturers Association). This month, we have the Mazda3 on the cover, a brand that had lost its way after its
meteoric rise in the seventies, but is back with a bang, and becoming an increasingly important brand in the Ford stable. You can read about
the dynamic new Mazda3 on page 12. Similarly, ABR is ratcheting up its importance with the assistance of AAMA’s Editorial Advisory Board,
a recently constituted body, which will advise ABR’s editorial team on the direction it would like the magazine to take with regard to edito-
rial policy and content, and to actively participate in identifying themes of mutual interest. ABR is indeed in the midst of zoom-zoom growth
and development. It is with this introduction that ABR is thrilled to introduce to its readers the AAMA Editorial Advisory Board, which will
have an increasingly important role to play in the coming years. A blend of youth, enthusiasm, knowledge, and experience, and all with one
uniting feature; a passion for the automotive aftermarket and an understanding of the relevant, pertinent, significant and important role that
each and every one of them plays in defining this market, and the responsibility to convert this denotation into action, via education,
information and proseletysing. ABR shall add one important ingredient to the mix...WORDS IN ACTION.

The AAMA / ABR Editorial Advisory Board

Chris Hillier, Sales & Megan Naicker, - Aftermarket Corné Strydom, Divisional
Marketing Director, Federal- Country Manager Southern Manager Automotive,
Mogul Aftermarket Southern Africa, Tenneco Inc Powertech Batteries
Africa (Pty) Ltd

Colin Murphy, CEO, Brake Derick Knight, Senior Product

Hose & Component Supplies Manager for Bosch Diagnostic,
(Pty) Ltd Robert Bosch South Africa

w w w. a b r b u z z . c o . z a
2 October 2009
 Contents

8 13 40

2 The Phoenix Zoom Zoom Growth and Development

6 What’s the Buzz

12 Cover Story All New Mazda3

16 Personal Profile Interview with Dr. Casper Kruger

18 AutoTopical DTI Obsession with Vehicle Prices

20 Frankly Speaking Brands – Bonanza or Bust

22 The Chery Story High-Speed BEV S18 Passes Collision Test

24 AIDC AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2009

26 Tony’s Take Samba, Slivovitch and Sasol

28 Weighty Issues Another Chinese Truck Heads for South Africa

30 Managing the Risks Keeping It Clean #2

32 Health Care An Update on Moto Health Care

34 Tyre Safety Tyres’ Contribution to Safety in Motoring

36 Intelli-Driving RCAP

38 Customer C.A.R.E. Customer Relationship Management

Trilogy Customer C.A.R.E. Programme

The publisher and contributors have done their best to ensure the accuracy of the articles and cannot accept responsibility for any
loss or inconvenience sustained by any reader as a result of information or advice in Automotive Business Review. The information
provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith and do not necessaraly represent the opinion of the
publisher. No article may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission from the publisher, except for the quota-
tion of brief passages in reviews.

Publishing Editor Intelli-Driving Editor Gamble, Austin Published by:

Graham Erasmus Eugene Herbert Hogg, Gilbert Trilogy Publishing
083 709 8184 082 941 3785 Keeg, Howard
Macaskill, Richard Advertising Sales:
Commercial Vehicle Editor Correspondents McCleery, Roger Stanton Porter Marketing
Alwyn Viljoen Beeton, Frank Twine, Tony Tel: 012 654 2745
082 458 9332 Borlz, Baron Claude Wilde, Fingal e-mail: abr@stanport.co.za
Burford, Adrian

4
 Contents

58 70 81

44 Robert Bosch Brake Assist Systems

The Golden Triangle

48 Capricorn Insights Playing the Game

51 e-CAR Bonding with the Community

52 Top Class Topics Free Permatex Samples

54 Launch Technologies China’s Launch Pad

56 Innoventions Super Vooma no Rumour

New Generation Cylinder Head Gaskets

60 Diamond Dialogues What’s in a Name?

62 AIDC Quiz
64 Life Goes On Electrifying AGM
Leading Change in a Turbulent Period

66 Burford on Brands Heady Days for Hyundai

68 Vehicle Launch Small is Big

69 Vehicle Evaluation The Real Deal

70 Fast Software Need for Speed

72 Tipping Point Eco-Friendly Cities

74 Partinform Coshed in Klerksdorp

78 Corporate Conscience Building a Brand on Positive Energy

80 Hogg’s Wash We Are the Champions

82 Fast Wheels Formula 1 Heading for Cracking Finish

83 The Last Writes

Editorial Office: Subscriptions and Data Design and Reproduction: Printing:

81 Alma Road Management: j. Kraft Information Design cc Business Print Centre, Pretoria
Wendywood Trilogy Trading & Promotion Tel: 012 997 6946
Tel 27 11 656 2198 P O Box 69 Fax: 012 997 6987 Official Mouthpiece of
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Website: www.abrbuzz.co.za Fax 27 11 802 3979
e-mail: bigheart2@iafrica.com
October 2009 5
5
 What’s the Buzz?

Monroe / NAPA Sani Pass Challenge

The NAPA / PIA Monroe 4x4 excursions are becoming a thing of legend, and these challenges are built around Monroe’s dedicated and extensive range
of off-road shock absorbers from the price competitive Gas-Magnums, through to the imported high pressure gas mono-tubes to the premium elite
triple-tube, nine-way adjustable gas Ronchos. Customers are set Monroe sales targets over a five month period, and those achieving the best results are
invited to participate in a fully paid five day 4x4 adventure to different parts of South Africa led by the experienced Alex Smit of Eco 4x4 Africa. Last
year the intrepid Monroe Manne braved the Kalahari, and this year it was the Sani Pass Challenge, tackled from the 10th to the 15th September. It is
reported that all got back in one piece, and before the snow could be brushed off the vehicles, the question already being asked is where to next year?
ABR can neither confirm nor deny that it could be the toughest challenge of all – taking on the giant potholes of Sandton!

The fearless band of Monroe Warriors got their briefing at Midas head office, before heading off to Ficksburg, and then on to the
Sani Pass and the Katse Dam.

Goaaaal! Power GM Trio Briefs Media

Ladumaaaaaa!
A Brazil Trade Mission to Africa 2009 took place in
Sandton, Johannesburg from 1 to 3 September 2009.
Some 50 Brazilian companies participated, meeting
with trade groups from Africa and South Africa over
two days to increase trade and knowledge exchange
between the countries for mutual economic benefit.
Apex-Brasil president, Alessandro Texeira, commented
at a media briefing that, “Brazil has developed excel-
lent technology in many sectors, in social and eco-
nomic climates not unlike those in Africa. We are in a
position to share these insights with South Africa and
the rest of the continent and similarly, South African
and African businesses have much to offer us. In order
to capitalise on these opportunities, especially during
these trying economic times, we need to first share
information as to the prospects available and then look
at how best to take advantage of them. Apex-Brasil is
committed to strengthening trade relations between
Brazil, South Africa and Africa.” Brazil’s economic
growth is the definitive success story among develop-
ing countries and the country is now the fourth largest
destination for Foreign Direct Investment among
emerging markets, boasting a GDP of US$1.8-trillion
in 2007. A look at the statistics and Brazil’s global
rankings as both exporter and consumer provides suf-
ficient testimony to its many economic and social tri-
umphs over the past decade in particular. However,
probably the most convincing evidence of its success
lies in the tangible growth of its middle class, from
42% to 53% of its 190 million-strong population,
between 2002 and the present day. Now, as the world
reels from the biggest global downturn in recent mem-
ory, a study by the Paris-based Organisation for
Economic Cooperation & Development has identified
Brazil as one of the 34 major economies most likely to
avoid recession in 2009.
General Motors International Operations President
and parent company General Motors Vice-President
Nick Reilly paid his first visit to Africa since the
launch of the New General Motors Company in July.
The visit incorporated tours of the company’s pro-
duction operations in Port Elizabeth, the company’s
new state-of-the-art vehicle conversion and distribu-
tion centre (at Aloes), and the Coega industrial
development zone (IDZ), where construction has
begun on the company’s R250-million Pan-African
parts distribution centre. At a media function at the
company’s Woodmead offices on 19th September,
Edgar Lourencon, the successor to GM President of
African Operations & GMSA Managing Director
Steven Koch, was also introduced to the media, with
a beaming Steve Koch in attendance. Lourencon
takes up the reins officially in October 2009, and in
a wide ranging discussion with the media, the power
trio of Reilly, Koch and Lourencon gave an informa-
tive overview of General Motors, both domestically
and globally, and ABR shall cover this in detail in the
November 2009 issue.
Steve Koch, Nick Reilly and Edgar Lourencon at
the media briefing at GMSA Woodmead. Reilly
paid tribute to Koch’s herculean efforts the past
two years during the industry crisis, and said
that GMSA was well placed to take advantage
of the upswing, whenever it comes.

6 October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

Mille Miglia Announce

SA Participation
The tribute to the world's greatest road race officially took place in
South Africa in 2010.
The Mille Miglia is to Italy what the Tour de France is to France. It is literally “the world's most
beautiful road race” – as Enzo Ferrari called it - . Mille Miglia is a vintage car race which takes place
every year in May on a route of 1000 miles (mille miglia) from Brescia to Rome and back. The Red
Arrow (Freccia Rossa) is the most popular road race in the world. Mille Miglia has an 80 year his-
tory of impassioned, emotional and traditional vintage automobiles and drivers. The Italian
Minister of Economic Development, Claudio Scajola, announced the Presentation of the Mille
Miglia at the launch event that took place at the Sandton Sun Hotel on Sunday 30 August in
Johannesburg. The Italian Delegation enjoyed a premier trip to South Africa, complete with a Cape
Town experience earlier in the week. The delegation arrived in Johannesburg for the unveiling of
the Mille Miglia on the Sunday and the event took the form of a formal presentation to announce
a Mille Miglia tribute in South Africa in 2010. This was followed by a gala dinner which was
enjoyed by Italian and South African guests. A stellar Opera Performance of the artists of the
“Verona Arena” was the highlight, followed by a sumptuous Italian-inspired dinner. The Master of
Ceremonies was South Africa’s gem: Gerry Rantseli. A host of South African Celebrities
attended the event, including Naas Botha, Maki Mandela and her
daughter, as well as Claudia Henkel. Also at the event were
Alessandro Casali, President of Organising Committee
of Mille Miglia, Amb. Umberto Vattani, the
President of ICE (the Italian Institute for Foreign
Trade), Amb. Elio Menzione, Italian
Ambassador to South Africa.

8 October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

WHAT DO USED CAR BUYERS WANT?

In the 2000 movie of the same name, Mel Gibson had a fairly good understanding of “What Women Want”. Well now
Darryl Jacobson, managing director of Burchmore’s, has revealed what used car buyers want. Burchmore’s sells thou-
sands upon thousands of vehicles off its floor and on auction each year, and so it has a thorough understanding of the
needs of used car buyers. According to Jacobson, the first requirement is a reasonable price tag. “Cars between R90 000
and R120 000 are in extremely high demand; we are seeing the most trading within this sector of the market,” he
reveals. In this price sector specifically, brand is not necessarily a buying factor. “We are selling any brand within this
price range, as it is the most popular price sector. When we receive stock in this price range, it generally sells within
days. Buyers in this sector are concerned purely with price; the floor could be full of any brand and, if was priced in
this range, it would sell,” says Jacobson. Buyers also have no specific preference in terms of type of vehicle. “The
demand is widespread – buyers want sedans, hatches, 4x4s and mom’s taxis,” he comments. Within the R90 000 to
R120 000 price range, some buyers are snapping up well spec’d cars at good prices. “For that price, you can buy an
extremely good second-hand BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz, with every imaginable feature. The vehicle will be in great
condition and represent good value for money.” Moving slightly upwards in terms of pricing, Jacobson says buyers with
around R160 000 to spend are looking for the smaller Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo and BMW models. “But, what dif-
ferentiates these buyers is that they generally want a vehicle with some sort of motorplan,” he comments. When it
comes to buyers with over R200 000 to spend, the German luxury brands are still firm favourites. “However, we are
also seeing massive demand for Jaguar products, Range Rovers and Volvo XC90s,” he notes.

Confidence in the brand

wins the day
When major appliance distributor Whirlpool SA
sought a new partner to manage warehousing and
distribution of its two national brands, Whirlpool
and KIC, earlier this year, the process was put out
to tender. All the major national carriers took part
in the gruelling and competitive bidding process,
with the worthy winner being family-run Bakers
Transport of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal.
Bakers Transport won the tender and its excellent
submission and professional approach to quality
management played a major role. As Rolf Calitz,
Logistics Director of Whirlpool SA puts it: “Bakers’
total footprint may not have been a 100% match,
but their professionalism and dedication to quality,
plus the excellent service they have rendered over
the past 10 years to one of our major competitors,
persuaded us that they were the firm to partner
with. A site visit to Bakers Transport headquarters
in Pietermaritzburg confirmed this belief.” While
the decision as to whom to award the contract may
have been complex, the choice of trucks and their HYUNDAI TAKES NUMBER ONE IN UK
source was a foregone conclusion. Bakers Transport, Official car sales figures released in September 2009 sent shockwaves through UK vehicle indus-
a 220-vehicle Mercedes-Benz fleet owner, turned to try. Hyundai sold more cars to retail customers in August than any other brand, overtaking Ford
Garden City Commercials, its partner in trucking and Vauxhall. The figures, which would have seemed inconceivable a few months ago, showed
for over 20 years, to supply the additional 56 vehi- that Hyundai’s overall sales for the month rose 323% compared to August last year to 3,737. It
cles required. Shabeer Tayob, National Logistics gives Hyundai a record overall market share of 5.6%. The i10 city car has been the company’s
and Marketing Director of Bakers Transport biggest success, with 2,431 finding homes in August. This makes it Britain’s third best selling
explains: “Mercedes Benz reliability and ready avail- car, relegating the Vauxhall Corsa to fourth place. Remove fleet sales from the equation and the
ability of parts country-wide means that downtime i10’s achievement is even more impressive. The city car is not only the most popular model
is kept to a minimum. Add to that, the fact that our bought by retail customers, but it outsold the second placed car by a factor of more than two to
own in-house workshops are Mercedes-Benz one! Hyundai’s managing director, Tony Whitehorn, said: “These are truly historic figures for
approved, with all warranty and maintenance work Hyundai. There are now thousands of happy new Hyundai drivers, and these owners’ recom-
carried out on our own premises, makes for a win- mendations will become our best advertising. It will ensure that Hyundai’s success continues
ning combination.” years to come.”

IMPERIAL GROUP’S AUTO PEDIGREE AND AA AUTOBAY JOIN FORCES

In a recent transaction Auto Pedigree, the country’s largest independent dealer in second-hand vehicles and part of the Imperial
Group, acquired the license to AA Autobay – the progressive web-based facilitator of private-to-private sales. AA Autobay was
acquired from the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA). “Whilst the two brands will operate independently, signifi-
cant benefits are to be had in leveraging the two party’s infrastructures to the benefit of one another,” said Kobus Davidtz, CEO
of Auto Pedigree. Over a period of time, all of the more than 65 Auto Pedigree branches countrywide will feature an AA
Autobay private-to-private sales facility, making the service available to customers countrywide. “This process is already well
under way all across the country,” said Davidtz. AA Autobay facilitates the entire sales process between a private seller and buyer
in a secure and safe environment, including free listing of the vehicle, finance and insurance, with payment guaranteed. “The
particular services that AA Autobay brings to the party are in line with Auto Pedigree’s strategic objectives of capturing a sig-
nificant share of the fast growing private-to-private and web trading portions of the second-hand vehicle market,” Davidtz con-
cluded. Auto Pedigree was formed back in 1981 and has since grown into the largest second hand car dealer network in the
country, offering more than 3 000 vehicles.

10 October 2009
 Cover
ALL-NEW MAZDA3 PUSHES ZOOM-
ZOOM DRIVING EXPERIENCE TO THE LIMIT
I
n approaching the development of
the all-new Mazda3, the design
team was determined to push the
Zoom-Zoom driving experience to
its limit and build on the success of
the original Mazda3. The redefined,
reengineered, and restyled sport compact
climbs atop its predecessor's tall shoulders
to deliver enhanced appearance and per-
formance, fresh features, and an
unmatched level of refinement. Like all
Mazda's, the new Mazda3 has the soul of
a sports car, ensuring that driving enjoy-
ment is a top priority. Offering two body
styles, five trim levels, and four separate
power train options, the new Mazda3 is
expected to spread the Zoom-Zoom spirit
far and wide. First introduced in 2004 the
Mazda3 has grown in popularity over the
years with owners and automotive experts
recognising the driving pleasure and qual-
ity of the vehicle as well as its distinctive
design. In South Africa Mazda has steadi-
ly increased its presence in the market
place despite the current global economic
pressures that are affecting the automotive
industry. Mazda has increased its market
share from 2.5% in 2007 to 3.5% in
2009. “Mazda has bucked the trend in the
market and has grown market share in a
declining market,” says Brendan Lyne,
General Manager, Mazda. “This trend has
been mirrored with the Mazda3, which
has increased its presence in the C-seg-
ment from 6.1% in 2007 to 6.9% in
2008.” As Mazda continues to grow its
footprint in the market place more and
more customers are looking to the
Mazda3 as a worthy contender in the ultra
competitive C-segment. Studies have
12
Story
shown that the Mazda3 has the highest
penetration in the black market. “The
Mazda3 is a popular choice among the
emerging market,” explains Lyne. “We
have also noted that the Mazda3 attracts
the youngest buying power in the market
and has an extremely high penetration
among female buyers.” With the previous
generation model having enjoyed increas-
ing popularity among South African con-
sumers the stage is set for the new genera-
tion Mazda3 to impress with its compre-
hensive abilities. “The all-new Mazda3
has been fully reengineered and
redesigned to deliver an expressive design
and exhilarating dynamic performance
that will make you proud every time you
look at it, touch it, or drive it,” continues
Lyne. The renewal process began by iden-
tifying exactly what made the existing
Mazda3 such a global overwhelming suc-
cess. Since its release in 2004 the Mazda3
has won a total of 94 automobile awards
globally. The Zoom-Zoom driving experi-
ence rose to the forefront as the cars stand-
out attribute. With that in mind the
design team set to work creating a new
generation capable of delivering even
more driving enjoyment. Instead of alter-
ing the size and general makeup, the focus
was on implementing improvements
throughout the body structure, power
train, and chassis that would be immedi-
ately apparent to the driver and appreciat-
ed by every Mazda3 occupant.
DESIGN
The design of the new Mazda3 aims to
deliver a strong impact that further
enhances the distinctive appeal and
unique value of the Mazda brand, even
among the increasingly crowded assort-
ment of C-segment rivals. “While still
maintaining the dynamic and sporty sig-
nature of the original Mazda3, the key-
word for designing the new model was
‘expressive’,” explains Lyne. “The idea was
to create an even richer assertion and bold,
striking look that represents an evolution
of the Mazda3.” The new Mazda3
includes both the 4-door sedan and the 5-
door hatchback. The 4-door sedan is char-
acterised by the flowing lines of its coupe
silhouette and its air of greater sophistica-
tion, the 4-door sedan features a side view
with a relatively short appearance and
high rear deck that give the cabin a well-
toned appearance, and a rear view with
distinctive lines that converge to place
focus on the car’s centre axis. The new 5-
door hatchback is characterized by its
compact appearance and racy flair. The
design’s most notable trait is its broad
shoulders inherited from the first-genera-
tion Mazda3. All lines of the rear design
help to emphasize a focus on the centre
axis and create a rich, bold expression.
PERFORMANCE
In preparing to develop the all-new
Mazda3, the design team first examined
what aspects of driving dynamics would
deliver the exhilarating and pleasing feel-
ing that is the essence of Mazda’s Zoom-
Zoom driving experience. “Engineers have
strengthened the sense of oneness between
the driver and car by providing an even
higher level of agility and stability for an
enhanced sense of control,” adds Lyne.
October 2009

To deliver just the right balance between
light, responsive steering wheel operation,
a feeling of system stiffness, and fuel econ-
omy, all configurations of the new
Mazda3 are equipped with the Electro-
Hydraulic Power Assist Steering system
(EHPAS) that earned high acclaim on the
original Mazda3. The suspension system
carries over the same basic layout as the
first-generation Mazda3, with Mac-
Pherson struts in the front and multi-link
suspension in the rear. But, in developing
the new Mazda3, Mazda aimed to ensure
even nimbler response to steering wheel
operation, and also to improve roll control
and provide a flatter ride by strengthening
suspension damping.
SAFETY
Improving on the basic performance
aspects of driving, cornering and braking,
the new Mazda3 frees the driver to enjoy
confidently controlling the car at will.
It then adds a variety of active safety fea-
tures to support a safe driving experience,
including an Antilock Braking System
(ABS), EBD (Electronic Brakeforce
Distribution) and BA (Brake Assist).
Passive safety equipment also excels,
including the Mazda Advanced Impact
Distribution and Absorption System body
and its rigid Triple H structure, as well
as a complement of up to six airbags.
A new front seat design incorporates
active headrests. When triggered in the
event of a rear impact, the active headrest
prevents excess rearward angling of the
neck, which greatly reduces the load to
October 2009
Cover
which it is subjected. The advanced driver
seatbelt adopts a new double pretensioner,
while both the driver and passenger seat-
belts adopt a digressive load limiter retrac-
tor (LLR). To top it off, even pedestrian
protection performance is improved.
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Under the motto of “sustainable Zoom-
Zoom”, Mazda is making every effort to
raise the level of environmental and safety
performance as engineers work to build
cars that will let customers continue to
enjoy a pleasant driving experience well
into the future. “Concerns about global
warming and other environmental issues
grow increasingly stronger and automakers
are under a great deal of pressure to
respond quickly. In 2007 Mazda
announced its long term vision aimed at
achieving ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom’. The
announcement reinforced Mazda’s belief
that the only path to achieving higher lev-
els of Zoom-Zoom driving pleasure is to
strive not only to improve on designs and
driving performance, but also to work even
harder at improving environmental per-
formance as we work towards the develop-
ment of a sustainable society,” says Lyne.
Story
A ZOOM-ZOOM
EXPERIENCE
The sporty, expressive countenance of the
new Mazda3 takes your breath away at a
single glance. Opening the door and sit-
ting behind the wheel gets the heart
pounding in anticipation of the driving
pleasure that is about to ensue. Satisfying
driving performance that fully adopts the
environmentally responsible nature need-
ed to welcome in a sustainable future is
sure to bring pleasure to any customer.
“I am fully confident that the new
Mazda3 will once again exceed customer
expectations, and that it is sure to earn
even higher acclaim than the outgoing
model enjoyed,” concludes Lyne. The
Mazda3 offers 15 000km service intervals,
an impressive four-year/120 000 km fully
comprehensive manufacturer warranty, as
well as the MazdaMotion five-year/90 000
km service plan. A three-year roadside
assistance plan comes standard with the
purchase of any Mazda vehicle.
MAZDA3 RANGE
The all-new Mazda3 line-up consists of
nine models compared to the previous
generation line-up that consisted of
14 models. The smaller model range has
allowed Mazda to package the content in
such a way as to offer better value for
money. The Mazda3 4-door is available
with the choice of two engine options:
a 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre petrol model. The
5-door hatch is available with either a
1.6-litre or 2.5-litre petrol power-plant.
13
 Cover story

MAZDA3 MPS
- AN EXHILARATING PROSPECT

S
outh Africa got its first taste of the Mazda3 MPS in
July 2007. As one of the most powerful front-wheel
drive hot hatches in the market the Mazda3 MPS has
developed a loyal following. The Mazda3 MPS, now
available in its second manifestation, continues the
Zoom-Zoom philosophy that Mazda has become known for. The
Mazda3 MPS blends the five-door functionality of the all-new
Mazda3 Sport (5-door) with bolder, more aggressive styling and
exhilarating performance to meet the needs of driving enthusiasts
with active lifestyles. Carrying forward the award-winning MZR
2.3-litre DISI Turbo engine, the new Mazda3 MPS builds on the
legendary performance of the original while adding a fresh new
look and even better handling. “The Mazda3 MPS is the flagship
of the Mazda3 range and pushes design and driving dynamics
to an entirely new level of excitement and pleasure
with its emotional design and exhilarating
performance,” says Brendan Lyne,
General Manager, Mazda.

14 October 2009
 Personal
Q&A INTERVIEW WITH DR. CASPER KRUGER
Another South African motor man going places swiftly in the local motor
industry is Dr. Casper Kruger. At 42 years of age he is a man that has not
only lectured on Marketing Management, but practices what he preaches
as the head honcho of one of South Africa’s most successful and dedicat-
ed truck manufacturers, Hino.
Q: You just love the motor industry?
A: I find it very much “Marketing in
Action”. You can see the results of what
you try to achieve quickly. It is very inno-
vative so you have to rise quickly to meet
the many daily challenges it presents.
Q: After joining Hino in May 2009,
successes have come your way?
A: I came from a car and bakkie back-
ground but just love this new challenge
with Hino and the truck people. In July we
were Number One across the board thanks
to a fantastic team of dealers, our own
Hino people and customers who just keep
coming back for more Hino’s and Dyna’s
that are well supported and make money
for them.
Q: Hino is now a separate company
from Toyota but still part of the
family?
A: Yes. We have the full range of vehicles
from the Dyna 1½ ton up to the extra
heavies with engines that produce 480 HP.
Being separate from Toyota as a truck com-
pany allows us to concentrate solely on all
our commercials apart from the Toyota
Hilux. Truck people also talk a different
language to car folk.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I was born in Virginia in the Free State
Goldfields and went to school there. First
of all at the Merriespruit Junior School
where my grandfather was Principal and
then the Hentie Cilliers High School. In
fact my parents still live there.
Q: What subjects did you major in at
High School?
A: My main interest always was Eco-
nomics and Business Economics.
Q: Did you carry on with this after
school?
A: Yes, I went to the University of the Free
State in 1985 for five years and got my
Bachelors, Honours and Masters Degrees
in Marketing Management. My disserta-
16
profile
tion involved research around the motor
industry. I also met my wife Hanneretha at
varsity.
Q: After that?
A: A year in the army at Heidelberg and
Voortrekkerhoogte where I learned the
value of discipline, teamwork and com-
radeship.
Q: Where was your first job?
A: I got a bursary and worked in the Post
Office in Pretoria for a year and went on to
lecturing at Unisa. My wife was appointed
a year before me and now heads up and is
a Professor in the Department of Private
Law.
Q: It was time to put what you have
learned into practice.
A: Yes. In 1996 I joined Toyota in the
Marketing Planning Department. Then I
looked after Lexus, became National Sales
Manager for Toyota passenger cars and
LCV’s and moved into Marketing and
product planning in 2005.
Q: Is that where you have stayed?
A: No. In 2007 I was offered a position at
Ford as GM of the Ford brand. I found
them a tremendous team to work with.
by Roger McCleery
Q: And joining Hino came when?
A: In May this year I was offered the job
of heading up Hino as Piet van Wyk de
Vries was retiring. And that’s where I am
now.
Q: Did you have a mentor who influ-
enced your life?
A: José Taylor, my Physical Education
Coach in junior school, and obviously my
parents who taught me to believe in people
and yourself and be disciplined, dedicated
and carry things through to the end.
Q: Sports at school?
A: I played cricket and rugby until I
injured my knee and was advised to play
golf for exercise, which I now do regularly.
Q: What is your handicap?
A: 5.
Q: Future plans?
A: I am very happy where I am here at
Hino. I wouldn’t mind sometime in the
future maybe getting involved in the car
and bakkie business again.
Q: Do you travel a lot?
A: I was fortunate to go to Japan for two
Toyota Management Courses and have
been over there fairly often and to a num-
ber of other places on business. In time I
want to take the family to see Europe and
the States in more detail and also Ireland
and Scotland.
Q: Plans for the family?
A: We are a pretty close family unit. My
eldest son, Janco, wants to go into
Engineering. My daughter, Elisbe, has a
liking for Biokinetics and loves animals,
while my youngster, Herko at 8 years old,
hasn’t given even a thought about his
future.
Q: What would you do if you retired
now?
A: Travel and play golf.
October 2009
 Auto Topical

DTI OBSESSION OVER

by Tony Twine
VEHICLE PRICES REVIVED
Between the preceding copy deadline and the availability of this magazine
in both hard copy and online formats, in the first days of September, Trade
and Industry Minister Rob Davies delivered the set of industrial policy
interventions designed to give some cyclical relief to the domestic motor
sector. These included:
• Bridging and Investment finance from Vehicle pricing has long been a bone of ply and demand sides to interact.
the IDC to assist cash-flows. contention between the Government, par- The supply and demand sides of the mar-
• Case by case extensions of Import ticularly as represented by DTI, and the ket structure each have structures of their
Rebate Credit Certificate validity Industry. As nobody outside of the indus- own. The bargaining power of suppliers,
periods try has a chance of understanding how vehicle buyers is different from one side of
prices are derived, there is a lasting obses- town to the other, let alone across National
• Liaison with National Treasury for
sion in trying to compare the prices of boundaries. A vehicle transaction is made
acceleration of investment support
domestically available units against ostensi- up of a multitude of prices, of which the
measures
bly equivalent units in the rest of the world. price of the vehicle sold is only part of the
• Deferment negotiations in respect of This is a major National sport, stretching deal. There are other important variations
replacing ad-valorem duties with CO2 from officialdom to occasional readers of that come into play, including the primary
taxes. foreign car magazines. It has never amount- discount, the value of any trade-in, the
• Moratorium on retrenchments by ed to anything, usually because there are interest rate attached to the deal, any con-
recipients of assistance differences that escape the cursory inspec- tractual residual value at the end of the
• No excessive executive bonuses or div- tion of even the most talented amateur in finance period, the prices (if any) of extras
idends to be paid during assistance vehicle specifications in different markets. used to sweeten the deal, service and
period Not even the investigative powers of the extended warranty prices, and so on. But
Competition Commission, lifted word for DTI remains obsessed with the vehicle
• A further commitment has been made
word from the act which brought into price list, and the competition commission
to an independent quarterly bench-
being the former Directorate of Special with the flexibility of discounts.
marking of prices of major passenger
Operations, the Scorpions, within the
and light commercial vehicles (both
National Prosecuting Authority, could Perhaps the DTI might like to keep control
locally produced and imported) dis-
bring anything resembling proof of exces- of cost drivers to supply side inputs and
tributed in South Africa, relative to
sive pricing by the South African Suppliers. demand side financing costs, like the
comparable developing countries, to
exchange rate of the Rand and the interest
provide transparency regarding vehicle
Part of the problem lies in the fact that rate. But Tito Mboweni and Gill Markus
affordability in the domestic market.
prices are made in markets. Markets con- may try to guard the Reserve Banks man-
The first six of the seven items listed above sist of structures which allow both the sup- date against even the DTI.
were widely anticipated, and have been
topics that have bounced around industry
level discussions since interventions were
first formally mooted, ahead of the
Presidents first briefing on intervention
strategy on 19th February. They were kept
alive at his second briefing on 5th August,
although without any detail. With the
exception of the items covering executive
bonuses and dividends and retrenchments,
they all rest squarely on the activities of
Government departments, rather than the
industry itself. The last item may leave the
local vehicle suppliers, both manufacturers
and importers, in a bit of an awkward posi-
tion, because their pricing does not come
without baggage accumulated over years
and decades.

18 October 2009
 Frankly Speaking

Brands -Bonanza
by Frank Beeton
or Bust
The recent global economic crisis, triggered by the tribulations of the US financial
sector that became apparent around the middle of 2008, has had a particularly
severe impact on the world’s vehicle markets, and the manufacturers that depend on
them for their very existence. Clear evidence of this is readily available in the con-
tent of the two most recent columns in this series, which dealt with the bankruptcy,
and financial rescue, of two of the largest vehicle manufacturers, and some discus-
sion on their prospects for returning to unsupported viability.

O
ne of the most interesting manifestations during
this period has been the deliberate dismantling of
automotive groupings. Just before the failure of
Lehman Brothers convinced the world that the
US sub prime crisis was really going to hurt, I
wrote accounts of the centenaries celebrated by both the Ford
Model T and General Motors Corporation. The content revealed
that GM, by grouping together several brands, had eventually
broken Ford’s total domination of the global market in 1926. For
some time after this, it seemed that gathering vehicle manufactur-
ers together into families was to become the most appropriate
strategy for ensuring market success.
The General Motors “family” of products just grew and grew,
mostly by acquisition, sometimes by minority shareholding, and
sometimes by just creating a new brand. At its peak, it encom-
passed Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Oakland, Cadillac,
Saturn, GMC, Hummer, Vauxhall, Bedford, Opel, Holden,
Euclid, Terex, Frigidaire (!), AC Delco, EMD (diesel rail locomo-
tives) Detroit Diesel, GM-Daewoo, Isuzu, Suzuki, Fuji/Subaru,
Shanghai GM, Fiat (for a short while), Saab, and Ranger (don’t
forget – South Africa’s own car!). The first signs of distress came
in 1986, when the GM Heavy Truck Corporation was sold to
Volvo, marking the start of a move away from the heavy truck
business. This was followed by the scaling down of the previously
hugely successful Bedford truck and bus operation in the UK into
a van manufacturer, and the sale of the Detroit Diesel engine busi-
ness to Roger Penske. Momentum picked up in 2005 when GM
sold off its Fuji Heavy Industry shareholding, while in 2006 came
the shock news that GM had ended its 35-year equity participa-
tion in Isuzu Motors. Two years later, GM sold the last vestiges of
its Suzuki shareholding back to the Japanese manufacturer. Of the
domestic American brands, Oakland was an early casualty, and
Oldsmobile finally left the building in 2004, by which time
Frigidaire, Terex and Euclid had all been sold off.
The path followed by Ford after losing its global market lead to
GM was entirely different. For many years it remained all True
Blue Oval, with only a few Mazda sourced products on the side.
Ford was much envied by its competitors for an uncomplicated
identity, with the freedom to market its generic corporate image
world-wide, irrespective of how many continents happened to be
hosting Ford manufacturing operations. Then, in 1987, Ford
bought in to sports car specialist Aston Martin, starting a process
that would lead to the establishment of the Premier Automobile
Group comprising Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln and Aston
Martin, making the US company head of an international family
of its own, at the start of the 21st Century. By 2007, however, the
acquisition process started to unwind, and Ford sold off its major-
ity shareholding in Aston Martin, followed by the disposal of
Jaguar and Land Rover to emerging Indian manufacturer Tata the
following year. Even the long-standing one-third controlling
shareholding in Mazda was scaled down to just 13%. While Ford
has avoided soliciting US government financial assistance, it has
embarked on a comprehensive restructuring strategy to ensure
future viability, of which the above disinvestments and, very pos-
sibly, the disposal of Volvo Cars, form significant components.
The evidence suggests that the formation of large global automo-
tive groups is not a guaranteed recipe for business success. The
two preceding accounts are not unique, with other substantial
groupings such as British Leyland, and the American Motors
Corporation, having been lost in the sands of time. This raises an
important question: why, in the midst of all this global confusion,
does Volkswagen AG seem hell bent on creating its own version
of the automotive űber-empire? What will make the combination
of Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercials, Porsche, Seat, Skoda,
Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti, and possibly also the
commercial vehicle interests of Scania, MAN, NeoMAN, MAN
Force Trucks and MAN/Sinotruk, more successful than other
macro-agglomerations? Intriguingly, there has been speculation
that this grouping will become the new Auto Union, reviving the
name of a 1930’s German consortium that was made up of
Horch, Audi, Wanderer and DKW, and whose four-ringed badge
is still used to embellish modern Audi products. Volkswagen has
made clear its intention to be the world’s Number One vehicle
manufacturer by 2018, an ambition that may even be realized ear-
lier, given current rumours that Suzuki’s 2½ million unit annual
volume may also be drawn in to this emerging powerhouse.
Whatever the outcome of the speculation, the grouping together
of the brands listed above is clearly an important component of
Volkswagen’s world domination strategy.

20 October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?
Synovate global study reveals car buyer mindset, fears, attitudes, wants
and needs in current economic situation
Anger, frustration, greed, lack of trust are a few of the many sentiments expressed by consumers and future car buyers globally, according to a new “Tipping
Point” study by Synovate Motoresearch, the automotive division of leading global market research company Synovate. In an attempt to uncover and antic-
ipate future car buyer wants and needs in the current recession, Synovate Motoresearch conducted a global qualitative study between March and April
2009 involving 120 dedicated focus groups across 16 countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Thailand, South
Korea, the UAE, Turkey, Australia and South Africa. Respondents were asked about their views and opinions towards global corporations, brands and auto
companies, and the study showed that consumers across different countries shared the same views, values, ideals and beliefs overall. However, consumers
across the 16 countries fell into three distinct groups. The study revealed that future car buyers in the US, Germany, UK, Spain, Russia, France and South
Africa will eventually develop a desire for change, adopting a balance in life while practicing greater self-control and responsibility when it comes to spend-
ing. Future car buyers across China, India and Thailand were quick to point out that they were less susceptible to the “greed and consumerism” they feel
is practiced in the west but admitted that they too felt the influence of recession within their borders. Japanese, Australian, Brazilian, South Korean and
car buyers from the UAE were also vocal and highly critical in the focus groups, directing their anger and frustrations towards the US, believing it is the
main cause of the economic slump felt around the world. However, respondents in these countries expressed a greater degree of optimism for the future.

KenKen 4 x 4
How to Play:
Like Sudoku, even though difficulty may vary from puzzle to puzzle, the rules for
playing KenKen are fairly simple:
For a 4 x 4 puzzle, fill in with the numbers 1-4.
• Do not repeat a number in any row or column.
• The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares, called cages, must combine (in any
order) to produce the target number in the top corner of the cage using the mathe-
matical operation indicated.
• Cages with just one box should be filled in with the target number in the top corner.
• A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or
column. Answer on page 81

October 2009 21
 A series of articles on the rise of the Chery automobile

Chery’s First High-Speed BEV S18

Passes National Collision Test
Recently, Chery’s first independently developed high-speed BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)
S18 has successfully passed the national collision test of China, fully confirming the
structural safety of Chery S18. After the test, no obvious eversion was found in fender
flares. It kept appearance integrity, with column A being as solid as original and all
airbags being activated. Besides, there is no damage to batteries and interiors as well.
With high scores, S18 proved to customers the reliable safety performance of new-ener-
gy vehicles. As a matter of fact, except for the advantage of safety, the more profound
meaning for launch of S18 is that, Chery has gained sustainable advantage in the three
core technologies of electric vehicles, including battery, electrical control system and
power management, all of which indicates that Chery is at the same level with world
renowned auto companies in the field of new-energy cars.

G
oing off-line in February this
year in Wuhu, China, this
model of S18 is a high-speed
EBV developed based on S
platform of Chery. Chery S18, with a
336V, 40kw electric driving system and
40Ah lithium iron phosphate battery,
achieves zero emission and zero pollution.
It only takes four to six hours to charge the
battery completely by a 220V civil power
supply or thirty minutes to charge 80% of
the battery under a quick charging mode.
Top speed set at 120 Km/h, S18 travels as
far as 120 Km-150 Km once fully charged.
S18 is expected to be put into mass pro-
duction next year, followed by Tiggo3 EV,
M1-EV; hybrid Chery A5 BSG, A3-ISG;
and Fengyun2 BSG. Different from the
2009 Shanghai Auto Show. A series of new 30 technology breakthroughs in the field of
previous new-energy cars which are consid-
models brought forth by Chery indicates hybrid, fuel cell, flex fuel, and energy-sav-
ered to be concept, Chery intends to make
its bright future in the field of new energy. ing and environment-friendly technologies
all these new-energy models into mass pro-
for traditional petrol engines, forming a
duction as soon as possible, so as to realise
Presently, Chery possesses the largest and full technology research and development
the goal of environmental protection, safe-
most advanced research and development system of new energy. Currently Chery has
ty, and practicality of new-energy cars.
capability in the filed of new energy in been awarded more than one hundred
China and it carries 17 scientific research intellectual property rights and 1600
As early as the company was established,
projects, among which 15 are national authorized patents, making it the auto
Chery has long stuck to the principle of
projects. Within 2-3 years, the current company with the most patents in China
“Safety, Energy Saving, Environment
R&D center for research and development and the only one who has got the first prize
Friendliness” and devoted itself to the
of new-energy vehicles will turn into a of National Advancement of Science and
research and development of environment-
department, which is forecasted to form an Technology, the most authoritative prize in
friendly products. Since 2001, based in
independent sales company of its own the field of advancement of science and
Wuhu, China, Chery started its research
within 5 years to exploit new distribution technology. As we all see, Chinese inde-
and development work worldwidely in the
channels and establish new distribution pendent auto makers, represented by
field of new energy. In 2009, the first
network for new-energy vehicles. Chery, have explored sufficient experiences
hybrid A5 BSG was launched in Wuhu,
Meanwhile, Chinese government offers and gained successful outcomes along the
which makes a start for civil use of new-
subsidy to promote application of new way of industrialisation of fundamental
energy technology in China. After that,
energy technologies and encourage research, technology breakthrough, tech-
Chery’s first independently developed BEV
Chinese independent car makers, repre- nology development and advanced
S18 ran offline in February. In April,
sented by Chery, to increase their efforts in achievements. All the original car makers
another four models of new-energy vehi-
research and development of new energy. are transforming into manufacturers of
cles, including Tiggo3 EV, M1 EV, A3
Since 2006, Chery has achieved more than auto products and auto technologies.
ISG, and Fengyun2 BSG, were debuted at

22 October 2009
 AIDC Automotive Industry Conference 2009

SA Automotive Week & AIDC Automotive

Industry Conference 2009 Has Arrived
The October 2009 issue of ABR will hit our readers desks just a matter of
days, if not hours, before the commencement of SAAW on 7th October 2009.
To whet the appetite of those fortunate enough to be able to attend both SAAW
and the AIDC Automotive Industry Conference 2009, we dangle some teaesrs...

THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE FUTURE

We may never arrive at the automotive supply chain of the future if we follow conventional wisdom of simply cutting overheads and
stretching existing processes, resources and systems to their maximum. In fact, these may be as dangerous as doing nothing at all. We
can run the risk of “saving” our selves to death, according to Matthew Quinn, Product Manager at CHEP SA. Quinn will discuss the
automotive supply chain of the future at the AIDC’s Automotive Industry Conference 2009. Supply Chain Management is under the
spotlight as much of the cost reduction effort in the industry has involved automakers passing more responsibility down the chain to
lower-tier suppliers, who often have neither the experience nor the capability to perform the tasks they are being assigned. As a con-
sequence, instances of supply chain failure are rising. Whilst the first day of the conference takes the form of a plenary session, the
second day sees delegates focus on specific areas of interest: Supply Chain Development, Supplier Development and Skills
Development & Training.

GETTING COSY WITH JOULE,

OV AT I ON
SA’S FIRST ELECTRIC CAR INN TH AFRICAN
The growing focus on climate change, pollution and renewable energy – A SOU
TIVE
sources indicates that the world can no longer rely solely on fossil fuels. PERSPEC
With more than half the population on earth living in cities, urban rers and
o tiv e manufactu on
transport remains a major factor in the ongoing global warming debate uld au to m e innovati
in that urban transport arguably plays a major role in energy wastage What sho si n g o n to becom S o u th
be focu about
and climate changing pollution. Cleaner, renewable alternatives need suppliers a n y th in g unique d u st ry ?
there tive in
to be found. Enter South Africa's first electric motor vehicle, the Joule, leaders? Is o n in th e automo w ill b e
novati ation
developed in South Africa by Cape Town-based Optimal Energy. The African in ap p ro ac h to innov d K o o t
frican ez an
Joule is a five-seater lithium-ion battery EV with a top speed of a 135 A South A fess o rs N iek du Pre d u st ry
by Pro In
discussed utomotive
km/h, and a range of 300 km. It will be on display at the AIDC’s a t th e AIDC’s A e v e lo p ment is
Pieterse u p plier D s-
Automotive Industry Conference 2009 on 7 and 8 October 2009. ce 20 0 9 . S otive indu
Entrepreneur Kobus Meiring is CEO of Optimal Energy, which spe- Conferen c c ess o f the autom so n th at
the su this re a
crucial to and it is fo r
fer-
cialises in optimal solutions for urban transport. He has always had an th Africa, of the con
interest in sustainable energy - particularly electricity, which he feels is try in Sou o f th e se cond day ta k e s the
it is the fo
cus e c o n fe rence
of th nt and
the most versatile form of energy available. With the tremendous e first day governme
ence. Th ssio n , w ith
Vision
advances in battery technology made over that past decade, coupled plenary se g whether
form of a ts d e b a ti n
er the
with the steady rise in the oil price, he believes that electric cars have eavyweigh ll as wheth he
industry h ali ty , a s w e
now become a viable option for urban transport. Meiring will be pre- ntasy or re bailout. T
2020 is fa in d u st ry deserves a ic areas
senting on the subject of breakthrough automotive greening technolo-
SA autom
otiv e
s fo c u s on specif
g a te ent,
gy on the first day of the conference, which takes the form of a plena- y sees dele Developm t
second da ly C h a in
pmen
ry session with plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate. The st: Supp ills Develo
of intere n t a n d S k
second day sees delegates focus on specific areas of interest: Supply evelopme
Supplier D
Chain Development, Supplier Development and Skills Development g.
& Trainin
& Training.

24 October 2009
FIRST YEAR OF ECONOMIC CRISIS: WHAT’S NEXT?
As job losses in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry for the first half of 2009 reach a staggering
12,9% of the workforce, it is important to reflect on the first year of the economic crisis if the sector is TRADE A
ND INDU
to plan prudently for the future. NAAMSA President Dave Powels is presenting this topic as the keynote MINISTE STRY
H E R TO
address at the AIDC’s Automotive Industry Conference 2009. He will so do against the backdrop of L P SHAPE
TIVE SEC AUTOMO
NAAMSA’s recently released quarterly review of business conditions for the vehicle manufacturing indus- TOR GOIN -
try. The review showed that industry capacity utilisation levels reflect cut-backs in production and are cur- FORWAR G
D
rently at historically low levels. Unsurprisingly, all performance indicators confirmed that the South
African automotive industry is in the middle of a severe recession. Powels will also participate in a panel Trade and Industry
Rob Davie Minister
discussion along with other industry heavyweights titled Vision 2020 – is it a fantasy or reality? s has been
whilst Go clear that
vernment
interventio su pports
ns in indu
Rub shoulders with industry and government leaders tors where
severe job
strial sec-
being exp losses are
erienced,
should not business
have the im
that things pression
can simply
as before. continue
"There wil
expectation l be an
to see chan
behaviour ges in
leading to
tainable dev more sus-
elopment o
and firms th f sectors
at may rece
port," Dav ive sup-
ies said rece
also indicat ntly. He
ed that it w
tant to pre as impor-
serve the ca
related bu pacity of
siness, incl
engineering uding the
and steel in
which sup dustry,
plied the au
industry. tomotive

INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT HEAVYWEIGHTS SET TO ANSWER DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

eTV news anchor and seasoned journalist Jeremy Maggs will facilitate debates with both industry and government heavyweights in
the automotive industry. With his reputation for persistence and overreaching arrogance, Maggs is sure to ignite explosive discussions
at the AIDC’s Automotive Industry Conference 2009. The AIDC has secured the participation of Trade and Industry Minister Rob
Davies, as Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Firoz Cachalia and Eastern Cape MEC for Economic Affairs and Tourism
Mcebisi Jonas. Key stakeholders in the South African economic and political landscape invited to participate include Secretary General
of the ANC Gwede Mantashe and NUMSA national secretary Irvin Jim. Along with the MECs, they will debate whether the South
African automotive industry deserves a bailout. In keeping with the AIDC’s philosophy of a conference that is for industry, by indus-
try, the conference programme is spiced with industry heavyweights as well. The keynote address will be delivered by Dave Powels,
NAAMSA president and VWSA MD, and participation has been confirmed from Brand Pretorius (Mc Carthy Holdings CEO),
Dr Johan van Zyl (President & CEO of Toyota Motors SA) and Stewart Jennings (NAACAM President and PG Group CEO).

ASK AWAY! TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER TO ANSWER

YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS ON HOW THE APDP WILL
IMPACT ON SKILLS
After his keynote address at the AIDC’s Automotive Industry Conference 2009 at a plenary session, Trade and Industry Minister Rob
Davies will address a focused discussion on the APDP and how it will impact on skills in the automotive industry. It will be followed
by an interactive Q&A session. If you operate in the automotive industry and are concerned about skills, you cannot afford to miss
this opportunity to interact directly with the Minister. The AIDC’s Automotive Industry Conference 2009, which is being held in
Port Elizabeth on 7 and 8 October as part of the South African Automotive Week. The conference programme is packed with gov-
ernment and industry heavyweights, who will focus on the theme of Navigating the Storm: a roadmap to vision 2020.

October 2009 25
 Tony’s Take

SAMBA, SLIVOVITCH
AND SASOL
Brazil possesses several large off-shore oil fields, at least one of
which holding reserves that would challenge those of Saudi Arabia
by Tony Twine, prior to day one of production in that middle-east Kingdom. But the
Senior Economist, Brazilian authorities are even prouder of the progress that they have
Director – made with renewable energy sources. It is a large country, lying just
Econometrix (Pty)
Ltd south of the equator, around the water catchment area of the Worlds
mightiest river, the Amazon. Another hugely significant catchment basin,
that of the Orinoco system in the North of the country, would do almost any
resource map very proud, but almost fades into insignificance when compared to the
Amazon. These river systems have obvious positive implications for the production of
hydro-electric power. This natural resource is obviously a good start, but the last
35 years of so have seen the Brazilians persist with a strategy that has probably left
the rest of the world standing in terms of renewable fuels – rich equatorial and trop-
ical climates give a huge impetus to sugar production, and sugar is an obvious feed-
stock for ethyl alcohol production which we call ethanol fuel.

B
etween these two renewable pri-
mary energy resources, Brazil is able
to boast 50% of its primary energy
requirements as being renewable, as long
as the sun shines and the rain falls in the
right proportions. The country began the
commercial exploitation of ethanol fuels
back in the early days of the first phases of
the realisation that global oil supplies were
finite, exhaustible and manipulable during
the first half of the 1970’s. A year ago, the
North Americans professed a brighter
shade of greenness with the increased pop-
ularity of E75, a 75% blend of ethanol and
normal gasoline. The Brazilians had been
there decades ago, and are at much higher
proportions of ethanol, ranging up to
100%.
Ethanol as an automotive fuel has an inter-
esting South African connection, relating
right back to the Brazilians love affair with
the fuel. Pre-dating even the 1970’s, were
special pumps, particularly at coastal
petrol stations, dispensing ethyl alcohol
called Union Spirit. It was used to boost
octane levels in gasoline produced in
South Africa. When Sasol 2 and 3 were
constructed at Secunda on each side of
1980, significant volumes of ethyl alcohol
became available as a by-product of more
profitable fuel production, and the domes-
tic market was unable to absorb anything
remotely resembling these proportions of
alcohol. As an export destination Brazil
obviously loomed large, as it already had
the distribution network and consumer
acceptance levels for the fuel. Sasol con-
tinued to export its surplus ethanol pro-
duction to Brazil until 1998, by when the
demand in Brazil had been over taken by
their domestically sourced sugar based
level of production. Brazil cancelled its
arrangement with Sasol.
Confronted with this changed scenario,
Sasol applied to the South African
Government to have the maximum per-
missible alcohol additive in gasoline raised
to 12% of the underlying gasoline volume.
This made significant inroads into the pre-
viously excessive supply. We must remem-
ber that South African petrol demand had
grown by 107% between 1979 and 2000,
implying that the increased ethanol pro-
portion was applied to a much bigger vol-
ume base than when the Secunda plants
began production. This fact begs the ques-
tion as to why the proportion of ethanol in
South African fuels is controlled at all?
Why not go down the Brazilian route and
simply enrich the ethanol blend within our
gasoline mix? The problem is that ethyl
alcohol has an unnerving affinity for
attracting water vapour, which it holds in
suspension in whatever fuel the ethanol is
part. This can have nasty side effects for
the fuel systems of cars, starting with rust
in the petrol tank and ending with damage
to carburetors, fuel injectors and other
parts of the fuel inlet system. The
Brazilians have clearly found ways to
counter this, but the method would add
complexity to the still dominant crude oil
refining process that provides 60% of
South Africa’s petrol and diesel.
The Brazilians have certainly stolen a
march on the rest of the World in terms of
bio-fuels, having gone the easily incremen-
tal route of ethanol substitution for nor-
mal gasoline power engines. For the rest of
the world to follow them poses a pair of
significant problems, however. The first is
related to the output energy mix – ethanol
displacing petrol would result in reduc-
tions of crude oil runs through refineries,
with a resulting loss of diesel production,
and the automotive fuel balance would be
thrown out of kilter. Then there is the
macro-political question of using food
resources for thermal energy production
and this is a long way from being settled.

26 October 2009
 weighty issues

ANOTHER CHINESE TRUCK

by Frank Beeton
HEADS FOR SOUTH AFRICA
The announcement, on August 18th, that Amalgamated Automobile Distributors are
holding discussions with Foton Motor Group of China, over the possible introduction
of Foton heavy duty trucks into the South African market, would have raised eyebrows
in the local road transport fraternity for two good reasons. Firstly, the initials “AAD”
may have been confused with Cape Town-based Associated Automotive Distributors, the
successors to the Leyland interests in South Africa, who now operate retail motor
dealerships in that city. Secondly, the “new” AAD is a joint venture between McCarthy’s
and Imperial Motor Holdings formed to distribute Chery and Foton products in the
local market. Imperial’s intended return to the heavy truck distribution arena so soon
after terminating its earlier arrangements with Navistar International, DAF and Renault
Trucks, was a surprise. While it still remains active in the retail truck environment,
Imperial faces a considerably more challenging task, this time around, in setting up a
“green field” marketing, distribution and product support operation for a brand that is
a completely unknown quantity in the local truck market.

T
hat selfsame market is lit-
tered with the good inten-
tions of many aspirant
participants who have
found the going too
tough, or not worth the
effort required to sustain a presence. Even
established players such as the Japanese
brands Toyota/Hino, Nissan Diesel and
Isuzu endured long periods of momentum
gathering, starting back in the Nineteen-
Sixties, before they could celebrate posi-
tions of market leadership, and of these,
only Nissan Diesel can currently claim truly
competitive participation in the premium
Extra Heavy segment. The more recent
experience of Tata is another case worth
examining. Following an extremely circum-
spect market entry in 1998 with a limited
product range making effective support a
relatively easy task, the Indian manufactur-
er subsequently made huge strides up the
market ranking with a plethora of low-
priced new product, to the extent that it
contested the runners-up position with
Toyota in 2006. Unfortunately, the support
infrastructure was found wanting under the
strain of this success, and the rapid decline
of Tata to place eighth in the most recently
completed quarter should be cause enough
to focus the attention of any aspirant par-
ticipant in this market.
The problems with the South African truck
market are that it is a) numerically small (in
global terms), b) highly competitive and c)
very conservative. Being so small, bad news
gets around awfully fast, and if the owner-
ship experience of a certain brand or model
is less than exemplary, the results will soon
be reflected in falling sales and market
share. There is also considerable pressure on
the availability of good people to sell and
service trucks. Having been obliged to train
key dealer personnel, the established fran-
chises use every means at their disposal to
retain their services, making it extremely
difficult for new market entrants to become
established. Market-leading brands have
also gathered much experience of local
operating conditions during their years in
the market, and this inevitably reflects in
the performance and reliability of the prod-
ucts they bring in to the country.
The success level of Chinese trucks in the
South African market has, so far, been
extremely difficult to judge. In the absence
of NAAMSA sales reporting by the likes of
Asia Wing, FAW and Warrior (Dong
Feng), the only reliable indicator is provid-
ed by the PowerStar BeiBen and Shaanxi
products sold by Super Group Industrial
Products. After a promising start, financial
and management issues within that compa-
ny have probably influenced the NAAMSA
returns to a greater extent than the true
sales potential of the trucks. Observations
made out on the roads suggest that, in a
generic sense, Chinese trucks are definitely
here, but their sales volumes are not yet
causing any sleep loss to the established
market players. This does not imply, how-
ever, that the status quo will remain indefi-
nitely. Perhaps the most significant point in
the Foton announcement is the relationship
between the Chinese manufacturer and
global market leader Daimler Trucks. Early
in January, 2009, it was revealed that the
two companies were to set up a 50/50 truck
joint venture named Beijing Foton Daimler
Automotive. This operation is due to start
diesel engine production in 2011, and will
commence truck manufacture, at an annu-
al rate of 100 000 units, the following year.
Beiqi Foton currently produces its own
range of heavy-duty trucks, named Auman,
and is expected to continue to offer this
product alongside new JV-developed mod-
els incorporating Mercedes-Benz designs
and technology. The Auman-branded prod-
ucts would still be aimed at the mainstream
Chinese truck market, while the JV models
are targeted at the high-end and export
markets.
With their total domestic commercial vehi-
cle market still running at more than one
million units per annum, Chinese manu-
facturers have been mainly concentrating
on satisfying home demand. However, the
current sales rate is about 6% off where it
was a year ago, hence the elevated level of
interest in setting up export channels. The
trick will be in finding the right combina-
tion of source plant commitment and effec-
tive local representation to establish the
required levels of market credibility.

28 October 2009
 managing the Risks

It’s been said a million times before that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. This cliché takes on a new reso-
nance when describing the truck industry. Times may be tough, but trucks are tougher, and truckers are the toughest.
This industry is literally the wheels of the economy, so thank goodness that when the going gets tough, the toughest get
going. A critical element in this dynamic is the ability to keep costs down, and to ensure that operating costs are kept
under tight control. The first port of call in this endeavour is to protect against theft and misuse. The first port of call in
this endeavour is to protect against theft and misuse. A close second is thinking smart and keeping costs down. ABR has
commissioned Séan Jackson of TRUCKTEK to give our readers a series of tips on Managing the Risks.

Keeping it Clean #2
In the September 2009 issue of ABR, we discussed the UDF diesel
fuel filter, and the dramatic effect it has on the power, emissions,
fuel consumption, and engine life – all to the positive. We promised
Séan Jackson to look at the technical aspects in this issue.

Firstly, let us look at what happens in a modern diesel 3. At the spray holes (7) fluid erosion wears open the holes result-
engine with standard filtration: ing in over fuelling and eventually incomplete combustion
• Injector flows increase Fluid erosion caused by millions of very small particles blasting
• Fuel is lost out of exhaust with incomplete combustion through the injector spray holes causes these holes to wear open.
• Wide throttle openings A small increase in diameter gives a large increase in x-sectional
• More gear changes area. Thus the volume of fuel injected per unit of time is greatly
• Frequent injector repairs increased and over fuelling occurs. A 10% increase in flow requires
• Oil sludging less than a 5% increase in hole diameter and tip replacement.
• High emissions
• High wear and tear With Ultrafine depth filtration, you get:
• High equipment replacement costs • Stable injector flows
• High operating costs • Complete combustion of fuel inside the chamber
• Less gear changes
• Injectors last much longer
• Oil stays cleaner
• Reduced emissions
• Reduced wear and tear
• Equipment lasts longer and is replaced less often
• Reduced operating costs and therefore more profit
It’s the dirt that is the problem – with UDF your fuel is at least 20
times cleaner.

1. Between the needle (3) and the body (2), dirt jams the smooth
operation and causes suction
2. Between the needle (2) and the seat (at the bottom of the
body), dirt is trapped between the two parts and stops com-
plete closure of the injector causing weeping and/or dribbling
Overview
1. Fuel that is 20 times cleaner
2. Eliminates 90% of carbon build up
3. Reduces fuel dilution
4. Reduces exhaust gas temperature
5. Reduces CO2 emissions – 6% on older engines, and up to
60% on new engines
6. Reduces sulphur emissions – approximately 50% on older
engines and 70% on new engines
7. Eliminates exhaust gas temperature related turbo failures
8. Greater than threefold increase in injector life
9. Fuel savings: approximately 3% with old injectors and up to
10% with new injectors
10. Extended oil drain intervals are possible
11. Greater transmission life through less gear shifts
12. Quieter and smoother engine operation

30 October 2009
 health care

An update on Moto Health Care

The latest buzz words in the medical schemes industry are “National Health
Insurance (NHI)”. When the African National Congress came to power in 1994, it had
as part of its agenda its National Health Plan, the tenets of which would guide the
implementation of a health care system that would ensure access by all citizens of
our country to quality health care. So the announcement some 15 years later that
the ruling party was determined to roll out the National Health Insurance solicited
somewhat of a reaction from the entire health care industry.

I
t is not surprising, therefore, that the
hot topic at the recently held Board
of Health Care Funders’ conference
at Sun City was the announced
National Health Insurance. Murida Khan
and Terry Greeff represented Moto Health
Care at the conference and this is what
Murida had to say upon her return from
the conference, “Nothing in the history of
our industry has evoked such a level of dis-
cussion, and robust debates were heard all
over the majestic kingdom. For once the
eagerly anticipated Medikredit party was
not the main point of discussion, not that
those who needed some serious de-stress-
ing after the first round of NHI discus-
sions turned down the invitation to the
gala function. By the close of the confer-
ence I can confirm with confidence that
many delegates were more baffled than
before, but everyone agreed that:
• All legal citizens of South Africa need
access to quality health care services.
• Not all our citizens have access to pri-
vate healthcare because for most it is
unaffordable.
• There will always be a demand for pri-
vate healthcare.
• The current health care system, both
public and private, is unsustainable
unless meaningful solutions are found
to the challenges facing it.
Upon my return to office after the confer-
ence and facing a further workshop on
Moto Health Care’s benefit design for
2010 I realised that there were a number of
unanswered questions relating to the NHI
that could have an impact. I, therefore,
looked forward to a Medical Scheme
forum to be hosted by Momentum
Barry Canning, Chairman Board of
Trustees - MOTO Health Care
Medical Scheme Administrators on
17 September, 2009, at which the NHI
would be the main agenda item. Further
discussion and analysis of the NHI
was bound to deliver up answers I was
seeking.”
Considering that press reports have
revealed that not all senior members of the
ANC have the same view of the NHI and
its implementation it is no wonder that
one could be left baffled by it all.
Statements by some are at odds with state-
ments by others, thus sowing confusion as
to the manner of its implementation, its
funding model, and the future role of
medical schemes.
The opening address at the MMSA
Medical Schemes forum mentioned above
by Murida was delivered by Dr S Dhlomo,
the Kwazulu Natal MEC for Health.
Thankfully for the delegates attending the
forum, Dr Dhlomo, in 45 minutes, was
able to explain more about the NHI than
all the speakers at the BHF conference.
This is understandable given the fact that
Dr Dhlomo is to play a pivotal role in the
introduction of NHI, albeit at a provincial
level. Contrary to the impression given by
some within the ANC that NHI would be
introduced with a bang, he explained that
President Zuma, when announcing the
introduction of the NHI, chose his words
carefully in stating that the NHI “would
be introduced to the nation and imple-
mented in a phased and incremental man-
ner”. Dr Dhlomo went on to outline what
could be described as a blueprint for the
rolling out of the NHI.
Two significant points that could be drawn
from Dr Dhlomo’s talk were that medical
schemes would, for the foreseeable future,
continue to play their traditional roles in
health care, and that they, in the new dis-
pensation, would be significant partici-
pants in an integrated solution for health
care in South Africa.
So for Moto Health Care it is business as
usual.

32 October 2009
 and Their

by Marcus Haw
Tyres Contribution to
Safety in Motoring
Next month we start another look at the tyres on fleet cars, the new technologies,
Now “next month” is this month
and new problems and fixes in these hard times...
so let’s get going with the above promise which we made last issue.

T
imes change and technology moves on. During the past
few decades technology has moved at an unprecedented
pace in many areas, not least of all in the motor industry.
As mentioned before, tyre technology has to progress at the same
rate as the rest of the motor industry or even be slightly ahead in
some cases. For the average fleet owner/manager, some of the new
technology tyres sometimes pose a bit of a headache.
capabilities. Because of this the tyres fitted to today’s cars as O.E.
(original equipment) are low profile high performance type tyres.
By design, these are not tyres with long life and high mileage as
priorities. The technology and modern materials in these tyres
make them expensive when representatively compared against
those of the past. And the mileage returns are going to be low
when similar comparisons are made.

Obviously the cost, and So where does this leave

returns on outlay play a big the fleet buyer, and what
part in the choice of tyre for a should he be basing his
fleet. When buying tyres for choices on? Well it leaves
one’s own car, this is less him in a bit of a spot since
important. Although price his choices are very limit-
will always be a factor, per- ed. He should base his
sonal preferences such as choices on safety, manu-
appearance, brand and old facturer’s back-up and ease
instilled beliefs win in many of replacement. This
instances. The fleet buyer has means settling on well
to concentrate on perform- known imports and local-
ance versus returns on invest- ly manufactured products
ment over all else. In days and keeping away from
gone by, this was far simpler unknown cheap and nasty
than with today’s high tech imports. It is also good
tyres. And the reasons can be practice to standardise as
more complex than one far as practically possible.
thinks. Let’s look at some of This ensures good back-
these. up from the tyre supplier
and manufacturer, and
In all matters a tyre is a com- opens the possibility to
promise of design features to swop around between
accommodate market needs. vehicles when desperate. It
For example, a high mileage tyre commonly has less grip, while a can pay off over time to have a company policy which is conser-
tyre with plenty of grip will give far less mileage. Equally a tyre vative in both the types of vehicles purchased as well as the tyres.
with good ride comfort usually will be less direct in it’s handling Resisting all attempts by the vehicle users to fit aftermarket rims
responses, while a tyre with super responsive handling will have a and cosmetically appealing tyres, should also be company policy.
less forgiving ride. Giving in to user desires has cost many companies hundreds of
thousands of rands in the long term. It has also caused safety
These factors are true in all aspects of tyre design and manufac- issues in many cases.
ture. You just can’t make a tyre which is all things at all times.
These are also the factors which are making the lives of fleet deci- Because purchasing choices are limited, finding other of ways of
sion makers more difficult as the technology of motor vehicles saving and managing costs becomes an ever more important con-
moves forward. The reasons; the cars designed for today’s require- sideration. Let’s look at some possibilities in this area.
ments need super responsive tyres to cope with their phenomenal

34 October 2009
Starting with tyre rotation, a relatively controversial subject, a
strictly adhered to tyre rotation program can be very effective. Not
only can it save tyre running costs, and improve overall mileage,
but safety can be improved as well. By regular and correct rota-
tion, even wear of all four tyres can be achieved. This results in
even grip at all four corners of the car, maintaining the highest
possible safety levels until the end of the tyre’s lives. Good tyre
management all round then.
Correct pressure maintenance is an obvious, but very difficult to
achieve cost saving method. While this shouldn’t be difficult, it is
extremely so because of a number of reasons. The most common
of these are also the simplest to understand. One is the pure apa-
thy of company car users to care about the tyres they drive on.
They don’t understand anything about tyres, they don’t pay for
them and they have no motivation to either care or find out why
they should. As with the general motoring public, they consider
tyres to be a necessary, but not very important consumable. They
place no safety importance on tyres at all.
Two is that the very few who do check their tyre pressures do so
at the local service station. The gauges at these are probably the
most abused and neglected pieces of equipment on the planet.
And the most inaccurate! But who is going to convince the aver-
age company car user to invest in, use regularly, and maintain,
his/her own personal pressure gauge?
Three is that tyre pressures should only ever be checked and cor-
rected when the tyres are cold. With today’s time constraints,
I have yet to see anyone check their tyres in the morning on the
way to work. The few that do, do so at a time which interferes
least with their daily schedules. Usually this practice results in
underinflated tyres. This happens because when hot tyres are
checked the pressures are inflated by the heated air having
expanded. They are generally then deflated to the “recommend-
October 2009
ed” pressure. What people don’t realise is that recommend pres-
sures are given for cold tyres, with the knowledge that the correct
running pressure will be reached at the correct running tempera-
ture.
These are a very few of the factors facing the fleet operator who
would like to get more out of the tyres in his fleet. But by watch-
ing these few factors, running costs can be significantly reduced,
and both safety and efficiency can be improved.
So as petty as it may seem, introducing measures which control
the type of tyres purchased, putting in place a rotational program
for all vehicles and controls for monitoring the pressures are
extremely important.
Simple measures which are easily controllable and able to be
policed can save a fortune. To do this one needs to get back to a
subject we mentioned in earlier issues; the building and keeping
of accurate tyre records. A history of previous tyre use and
achieved performance/life will guide one in the needs of current
tyres in use.
By controlling these factors, the reduced buying choice can be
largely off-set in the long term, and various other factors such as
fuel consumption can be improved as well.
It just boils down to managing resources well and looking after
one’s business. The real problem is that tyres seldom get thought
as a resource to be managed, and this is an industry problem that
needs to be taken more
www.bridgestone.co.za
35
 intelli-Driving

by Eugene Herbert
RCAP
N
o, this is not about the Taxi Recap program but it
does by extension encompass some of the chal-
lenges we are facing in sharing the road with
Taxi’s and other road users. We of course can wax
lyrically about the woes visited on us by other
irresponsible road users but the fact of the matter is that a signif-
icant level of responsibility rests with us – you and I. So what is
there that we should focus on - RCAP
Due to the volume of traffic on our roads, concentration is the
key to defensive driving. You should avoid driving if you are feel-
ing unwell, upset or annoyed or suffering from any kind of stress.
You should never let your passengers distract you from the task at
hand, make phone calls (even hands free phones can be quite dis-
tracting), eat or drink, read road maps or even tune your radio
whilst on the move. Avoiding just the few of the things mentioned
above will help to improve your concentration immensely.

Responsibility, concentration, anticipation, patience and confi-
dence are the qualities that contribute towards driver attitude and
it is the driver's attitude which influence's his behaviour on the
road and what the outcome is. In defensive driving, a responsible
driver is always concerned with the safety of his vehicle and the
safety of all other road users around him. A defensive driver is
always tolerant of the mistakes of other road users and is aware
that everyone is entitled to use the road as much as him – yes I
know we can condemn the taxi that cuts in front of or who tail-
gates us but no amount of “bad attitude” will change them. Try
what I do – let them in or allow them to pass, that way I feel less
relieved and ironically enough less aggrieved. Better still come the
time – through some or other inadvertent error on my behalf – I
have to ask permission to enter the traffic I do so with a Taxi. He,
better than anyone else, understands my dilemma and inevitably
accedes to my request.
Anticipation in defensive driving is the art of planning well ahead.
Recognising hazards well before they develop and taking the most
appropriate action to deal the developing hazards. In defensive
driving, if you plan ahead and anticipate the actions of other road
users, you can avoid being taken by surprise, take evasive action
and be in control of the developing situation. Be patience of other
road users, especially the more vulnerable like young children, the
elderly and people with young children or animals. With defen-
sive driving you will show patience’s by avoiding hostile or aggres-
sive behaviour, making obscene gestures or abusive language. If
you are the recipient of such behaviour, you should try and ignore
it, never retaliate, keep calm and concentrate on your driving.
Even though it can be very hard but you are more likely to make
a mistake if you lose your cool or get upset and this can have very
dangerous consequences.

Facts and Figures

It is estimated that between 25% and 33% of road traffic collisions involve somebody who was using the road for work purposes.
This means that in Great Britain between 800 and 1,056 people were killed, and between 7,238 and 9,554 were seriously injured,
in work-related road collisions in 2005.

The Business Case – for Driver Training

T
aking action to prevent ‘at work’ vehicle accidents means committing some additional resources but the potential financial
savings can be very significant indeed. The true costs of road accidents to organisations are nearly always significantly high-
er than the resulting insurance claims. HSE research into workplace accidents generally (The Costs of Accidents - HSG96)
suggests that, for every £1 recovered through insurance, between £8 and £36 may be lost via uninsured costs. While organ-
isations may be able to recover vehicle damage costs through insurance, many other costs may not be recoverable. These
include: lost time in wages and salaries; lost orders and output; administrative costs, legal fees; and costs due to other kinds of business
interruption. These costs come straight off the organisation's bottom line, reducing its profits or surplus.

Many of the resources required to put a management system in place to manage work related road risks should already be available to
enable the organisation to meet its normal occupational health and safety obligations. While some extra costs may be incurred, (for
example, in training managers and drivers, in setting policies and implementing new standards, higher specification vehicles and their
maintenance, or in adjusting route specifications and work schedules for safety purposes), these are likely to be offset by benefits such
as reduced accident losses, less lost staff time, lower insurance premiums and improvement in business efficiency generally, as well as bet-
ter staff morale and ‘company image’. Source: Occupational Road Safety Alliance – UK

36 October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?
Photographs: Quickpics.co.za

Virtual reality:
Computer worlds FORD’S GLOBAL CEO REVEALS NEW FORD FIGO
inspire design concept TARGETING INDIA MARKET AND EXPORT SALES
created by BMW Group India’s role as an important player in the future of Ford Motor Company’s international strategy was
DesignworksUSA for underscored on 23rd September when the company’s President and CEO, Alan Mulally, unveiled an all-
new car targeting the heart of the Indian car market – the new Ford Figo. The Ford Figo, a new name-
the latest high-end plate and a fresh face on the Indian market, signals Ford’s intention to compete in India’s largest and most
Thermaltake gaming important small car market segment. Ford Figo is the result of a significant Ford investment commit-
ment to expand its plant near Chennai for volume production as a small-car centre of excellence region-
tower showpiece ally. Ford’s $500 million investment has doubled the plant’s production capacity to 200,000 units per
year and introduces major advances in high-quality automation and innovative, eco-friendly production
The gaming industry – a sector that can techniques. “Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” Mulally said. “It reflects
deservedly adorn itself with attributes such our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident
as visionary creativity, innovation and pro- the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.” Ford Figo is designed and
gressiveness. However, who inspires the engineered to compete in India’s small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the new
gaming industry and how does one set vehicle market. It leverages Ford’s small-car platform architecture, sharing underlying technology with
trends in a sector that is in itself the the Ford Fiesta, already familiar to Indian drivers.
embodiment of progressive thinking and
imaginativeness? One answer to that ques-
tion is currently being given by BMW
Group DesignworksUSA, with the presen-
tation of a design concept for a high-end
gaming tower prototype that was inspired
by the gaming world itself. BMW Group
DesignworksUSA, a 100% subsidiary of
the BMW Group, has for many years
shaped the global design landscape work-
ing for a multitude of industries. In addi-
tion to creating yachts, trains, aircraft,
lifestyle and IT products, the three studios
in Munich, California and Singapore are
also engaged with design concepts aimed
at transforming visions into reality. One of
these concepts is named “Level 10” for
Thermaltake, a manufacturer of computer
housings and components for individually
configurable high-end computers.
Castrol Toyota Development Kart Team
Mercedes-Benz buses transports
persons with disabilities
Three Mercedes-Benz buses specifically custom built to provide ease of access and
secure seating for persons with disabilities have been handed over to Durban's
Ethekwini Municipality to enable them ease of travel arrangements. The buses were
presented to Durban Mayor Obed Mlaba who said they were part of a drive by the
municipality to assist the disabled to move around more freely. "We are looking to
improve things for commuters with disabilities on buses, in our trains and on our
taxis. The idea is to make it easier for these folk to get to work and to help ensure
that a lack of suitable transport does not hinder them finding employment," said
Mlaba. The buses have a hoist inside the main entrance to the bus and the disabled
are able to manoeuvre their wheelchairs onto the platform and the hoist lifts them
to the top of stairs. Inside there is special seat-belted provision for wheelchairs and
their occupants.

October 2009 37
 Customer C.A.R.E.
Theo Calitz has been working in
or involved in the motor industry Customer Relationship Management
for the last 16 years.
A Mechanical Engineer by
profession, he is passionate about
customer care and his company,
T-R-M specialises in automotive
– it’s NOT a
CRM for the automotive industry
and has been doing it for
nine years. system!
I did a search on Google the other day about CRM and it is noticeable how many soft-
ware solutions are presented immediately. Most people seem to associate CRM with a
computer programme or system. This is however not the case.

Y
es, CRM does benefit and need things like a database
with database management. It is also important to keep
track of interactions and/or events and this is all done
very well by a computer. CRM however is a combina-
tion of people, processes and technology and if it all interacts
seamlessly, it works best. A holistic approach where all these ele-
ments are applied and where planning is done about what the
desired outcomes are, seems to be the most effective. With most
things in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
This is also true for CRM. A well set up programme with loyalty
elements, a Customer Contact Programme and so on will result in
amazing results. This is simply because the effort is benefitting the
right customers about the right products at the right time.
Most of my customers (which are from the automotive industry)
realises increasingly the importance of CRM but I find it interest-
ing how they have responded to the current financial crises. Some
companies has responded by focusing more on CRM elements
because it is cheaper than traditional marketing elements like
advertising and others have shut down departments that focuses
on CRM. Many times CRM staff form part of the Sales &
Marketing team and they are different in the sense that they tend
to have a multi year strategy and they can also measure the impact
of their activities which is not the case with traditional marketing
activities. Unfortunately, most companies requires departments to
submit budgets every year that has to be approved and this can
be quite disruptive of a CRM strategy that needs years to fully
develop. How do you go about implementing CRM in your
organisation? Well it is good to start by identifying what is that you
want from it but I have learned that you can never go wrong by
creating a good database of your customers. Knowing more about
your customer is great and interesting but, more importantly, you
need to believe your data. To have an up to date database in order
for you to trust the process is sometimes a bigger challenge than
you would think and I have been amazed how bad or absent some
of my client’s customer databases are! They might have some data
but it is scattered across systems and no one is sure which is the
correct version, what to do with conflicting data or what to do if
new data is received. A good, accurate database is the core of your
CRM programme. All the planned CRM activities should point to
the database. E.g., if you have a call centre, every interaction with
the customer should allow you to add information about your cus-
tomer or update their details (although this process can be tedious
and irritating to your customer – be careful!). Doing outbound
activities using this data is a logical step to take and, true to form,
you will find a higher conversion rate (more sales) using this data
than other forms of marketing and selling. It is just important not
to over ‘mine’ this data but to keep growing the database and care-
fully monitor the customer response to your activities. Best not to
reach the point where you irritate them.
CRM strategies have really evolved over the years and tend to
incorporate elements of quality measurements like CSI
(Customer Satisfaction Indexing), Customer Care (via Call
Centres as well as websites like hellopeter.com) and market
research. A new trend happening now is the interaction with
social network sites like Facebook and the use of blogs and twit-
ter. This seems like the obvious next step since it allows all the ele-
ments of CRM to be addressed but it is quite involved and not
100% understood and also quite time consuming.
I think it is safe to say that CRM is here to stay and is going to
affect our lives in more ways than one – hopefully mostly for good
reasons!

www.t-r-m.co.za
T 0861 TRM TRM
F 086 686 8382

38 October 2009
 Customer C.A.R.E. Programme
MODULE FIVE - DELIVERING ON YOUR PROMISES
I ended module four with what may appear to be quite a rude and dismissive statement.
I said that we would be addressing the visionaries who really understand intellectu-
ally and emotionally that C.A.R.E. stands for CUSTOMERS ARE REALLY EVERYTHING,
and that I would not be addressing those who did not understand.
H
ow could I say such a rude thing?
What has got into me? I’ll tell
you what has got into me ......
I become an angry young (sic) man when
I see corporations, and particularly the top
management of these corporations, pay lip
service to the concept of customer care.
If you are going to make statements on
behalf of your company, about the won-
derful things that you do for your
customers, and how you care for your
customers, make damn sure that you are
going to do these wonderful things. If you
are not pretty sure that you are able to
deliver, then it is far wiser NOT to make
these statements. The South African
consumer terrain is a wasteland of unful-
filled promises, pledges, platitudes and
whatever. The scorched earth policy of the
British forces in the 2nd Anglo-Boer War
pales into insignificance when compared
to the behaviour of South African compa-
nies when dealing with their customers,
and their commitment to their promises of
exceptional service. I would need a book
far bigger than the Bible, if I were to relate
in detail all of the crimes in this regard, vis-
ited upon the long suffering consumers of
South Africa. Therefore, because we need
to seriously and urgently start addressing
the remedies to this malady, I shall be
brief, and only discuss one such example.
The example is that of a leading daily
newspaper in Johannesburg. It publishes
an eminently satisfactory sheet, which
compares favourably to most international
newspapers. From a journalistic point of
view, there is little to carp about. But its
marketing! Or more specifically, its cus-
October 2009
– sponsored by Federal-Mogul
tomer care!!! With its renewal notice that I
received a few years ago, these 5 statements
were prominently displayed, under a bold
banner, stating why one should subscribe:
1. IT’S YOUR WINDOW TO THE
WORLD
2. WE STRIVE FOR SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
3. CONVENIENT PAYMENT
4. SUSPEND DELIVERY WHILE
YOU’RE AWAY
5. GUARANTEED DELIVERY
I cannot argue with point no. 1, and I am
not surprised with point no. 3 - companies
are always on the ball when it comes to
relieving you of your money. I did not test
point no. 4, but as a result of my experi-
ences which I am about to relate, I doubt
it very much. Let’s look at point no. 5.
I had the misfortune to subscribe to this
newspaper, and I can assure you that this
promise was so far from the truth, that it
was eligible for submission to the human
rights commission. I can personally vouch
that no matter what methods of cajoling
that I used (and I came up with some
innovative techniques), for a matter of
months their delivery performance never
exceeded 60%. In addition, the phone no.
given for complaints, euphemistically
called a “hot-line”, was an invitation to
hell. After incredibly long periods of listen-
ing to a canned voice telling you to hang
on, and that they really care about you,
you eventually reach a live voice who
promptly transfers you into ......... noth-
ing. And when you eventually get through
to someone, they promise to come back to
you ........ a promise that is never kept. Do
I really need to discuss point no. 2, WE
STRIVE FOR SERVICE EXCEL-
LENCE. Someone please pass me the
razor blades. I hear you laughing, and I see
you nodding your head in wry agreement.
But do you want to know something ......
I will bet everything I own that your
company is just as guilty. Not in exactly
the same way, but just as guilty in many
other ways. Become a customer of your
company, and you will see what I mean.
What cardinal crime of customer care did
this leading newspaper commit, and what
cardinal crime is your company commit-
ting? They are, and you are, committing
the cardinal crime of OVER PROMIS-
ING, and UNDER DELIVERING. And
management is committing an even bigger
crime, that of LIP SERVICE. When these
promises were first discussed, then formu-
lated, then printed, then unleashed on the
poor consumer, there must have been
many opportunities for wise counsel to
prevail, and many opportunities to call a
halt to such blatant misrepresentation.
Management must have been aware that
these promises were not going to be ful-
filled. My personal experience with this
company made it quite clear to me that
no-one had been briefed on these promis-
es, and that no steps had been taken to
ensure that these promises were to be kept.
When questioned, the staff were not aware
of these promises, and it was also quite
clear that the resources needed to keep
these promises, were patently not there -
I should say pathetically not there.
39
 Customer C.A.R.E. Programme

And yet these promises were made. Why

are marketing departments allowed to
make such patently false claims? Does
the chief executive not know of these
blatant lies? If he/she does know, then
early retirement is the only answer. If
he/she does not know, then the answer
remains the same. The buck must stop
there! They are definitely being paid
enough for it. I do have an answer to all
this, but you’ll have to read on, to
explore the first steps of creating a cus-
tomer care culture in your company, and
how to avoid the dreaded trap of LIP
SERVICE.
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Discuss the ethical considerations of promising something, and not delivering.
2. Complete the saying, “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the
people all of the time, but .................“, and under the heading of customer service, put
this into context.
3. To guarantee something and to deliver, takes courage and commitment. To guarantee
something and not to deliver, takes courage and arrogance. Critically analyse these state-
ments.
4. To make it next to impossible for a customer to lodge a complaint, has its merits. But
what do you think are the long term prospects of such a company in a competitive envi-
ronment?
5. Express your opinion on the disturbing fact that companies which provide atrocious
service, still manage to survive for so long.

What’s the Buzz?

Volvo drives
straight into
mobile phones
Volvo Cars' international mobile site was
launched on March 6 this year. It has now
spread to 20 markets, the most recent addi-
tions being Germany and Britain. Volvo
Car South Africa launched its own mobile
site at m.volvocars.co.za on 8 June 2009.
"Our goal is to be leading in the auto
industry in terms of mobile information
and communication", says Sofia Heddson
Fransén, acting Interactive Marketing
Manager at Volvo Cars. Information to and
communication with customers via the
Internet are natural ingredients for all com-
panies today. Volvo Cars currently has 90
websites in 36 different languages on 70
markets. With the rapid technological
development of mobile phones and the
Avis leads the Carbon Neutral drive in Car Rental increase in mobile surfing, it is becoming
increasingly important to adapt traditional
Avis Rent a Car – SA has announced that it has achieved CarbonNeutral® accreditation for the offset of site content to be mobile friendly. Surfing
its internal fuel and energy usage CO2 emissions. Avis is well-known for its already strong heritage of CSI via the mobile phone requires that graph-
initiatives, transformation and investment. This prestigious accolade is another step towards its contin- ics, texts, videos and other content be tai-
ued commitment and responsibility to its people, environment and community. Wayne Duvenage, Avis lored for mobile users – to a different for-
Chief Executive, explains, “For Avis South Africa, becoming Carbon Neutral is an important step not mat when compared to traditional web-
only for our business, but for the industry as a whole. By committing to reduce its measured internal sites. "A mobile site is a compressed web-
business CO2 emissions of 11,000t to net zero, Avis has set the benchmark within the industry, and this site. It has less information and must be
we hope will encourage more businesses and also our customers to start taking action for their own car- even easier to navigate," says Sofia
bon footprint.“ From 1st October 2007, Avis South Africa began its programme which firstly involved Heddson Fransén.
measuring its own internal CO2 emissions from the areas with the greatest environmental impact; busi-
ness fuel use in non-customer vehicles and electricity consumption from all sites. Avis South Africa Link to the international mobile
worked with The CarbonNeutral® Company, one of the world's leading carbon offset and carbon man-
agement businesses, to cut emissions to net zero through carbon offsetting. This means that every tonne site: http://volvocars.mobi/ or
of CO2 that Avis South Africa produces is counter balanced with a tonne, saved by a validated emission http://m.volvocars.com or
reduction project, which has met international standards. locally at m.volvocars.co.za

40 October 2009
 Robert Bosch

Brake assist systems significantly

shorten braking distance
In the September 2009 issue of ABR, we promised to look at the technical aspects of ESP®.
However, we have come across a bulletin from Bosch, dated March 2008, that sheds even
more light on brake assist systems, and it highlights the safety aspect from the pedestri-
an point of view. We therefore give our readers additional information before we get into
the technical aspects of ESP®, which we shall cover in the November issue of ABR.

I
f a driver wants to come to a stop as quickly as possible in a
critical situation, he usually steps on the brake quickly, but
often not firmly enough – and therefore wastes valuable brak-
ing distance. A brake assist system provides support here. During
emergency braking, it builds up the maximum braking force with-
in fractions of a second, so that the vehicle stops sooner. According
to the EU Commission, if all vehicles were equipped with these
kinds of systems, up to 1,100 fatal accidents involving pedestrians
could be avoided in the EU every year. It has therefore recom-
mended mandating the installation of brake assist systems in all
passenger cars registered in the EU from 2009 on. Bosch offers
automakers various technical solutions that allow this function to
be integrated cost-effectively. Evaluations of the accidents stored
in the GIDAS (German in Depth Accident Study) database show
that drivers failed to brake with sufficient force in just under half
of all accidents. According to studies, a brake assist allows an aver-
age driver travelling at a speed of 100 kph (about 60 mph) to
reduce braking distance by an average of 7.6 meters (24.9 feet). If
he is travelling at 50 kph (30 mph), braking distance can be
reduced by a further 0.7 meters (2.3 feet). In other words, where
a vehicle equipped with a brake assist function has already
stopped, a car without this safety system is still travelling at a speed
of 45 kph and 10 kph (28 mph and 6 mph) respectively. If a driv-
er brakes more timidly than the average, the gain in safety can
even be considerably greater. What this ultimately means is shown
by an evaluation of official accident statistics: on the basis of a rep-
resentative random analysis of the German Federal Statistics
44
Office’s accident figures, Mercedes-Benz calculated the share of
serious collisions with pedestrians for every 10,000 newly regis-
tered vehicles. The analysis showed that if the brake assistant were
standard equipment, the number of serious pedestrian accidents
could be reduced by 13 percent. If a vehicle is equipped with the
Electronic Stability Program, the brake assist does not require any
additional components. Emergency braking is detected through
the very fast actuation of the brake. The hydraulic pump of the
ESP® unit then builds up the maximum brake pressure as quickly
as possible. With a corresponding software adjustment, this so-
called hydraulic braking assistant (HBA) can also be individually
adapted to the actual driving situation, i.e. it becomes intelligent.
For example, the triggering threshold of the brake assist can be
lowered if radar data tell the ACC system to classify the situation
ahead the vehicle as potentially critical. "Vehicles with ESP® there-
fore offer twice the safety,” says Werner Struth, president of Bosch
Chassis Systems Control. "On the one hand, ESP® supports the
driver in all critical situations and, on the other hand, the integrat-
ed brake assist considerably reduces the danger to pedestrians.” For
vehicles without ESP®, Bosch offers a mechanical solution inte-
grated in the brake booster. If the speed at which the brake pedal
is pressed exceeds a certain value, an inertia-controlled valve of the
so called Emergency Valve Assist (EVA) opens immediately, allow-
ing ambient air to enter the working chamber of the brake boost-
er. This instantly boosts the braking force until the ABS kicks in.
If the driver lifts his foot from the brake pedal, the additional
boost is immediately cancelled again.
October 2009
 A series of articles on the versatile FSA 720/740/754 series

The Golden Triangle – KTS, ESI[tronic], and FSA

Last month we discussed the charming way Carlo du Plessis of Cencar described how
becoming a Bosch Service franchise put him on a successful business path, and his
contention that it was “the best thing that I could have done. I will stick with Bosch
for life!” Stirring words, but what is the substance behind this declaration? To exam-
ine this, we need to evaluate the golden triangle of the KTS Compact Control Unit
Diagnostic tester, the ESI[tronic] service information system, and the FSA engine man-
agement system, the three products that Carlo relies on to solve any problem that
is thrown at him.

B
efore we get into the details, we need to take cognisance
of the stress that Carlo puts on the fourth element, the
importance of which cannot be over emphasised. This
fourth element encompasses the Bosch training regime,
which makes the Bosch Systems Technician the equivalent of a
modern day Sherlock Holmes, approaching each job with the sys-
tematic approach equal to and many times superior to Arthur
Conan Doyle’s creation. Using the KTS, the ESI[tronic] and the
FSA intelligently and systematically, the Bosch Systems
Technician combines this technological assistance with his knowl-
edge, experience and training, to become the king of automotive
repairers and to rule the diagnostic roost. Thus, when Ewald
Faulstich, Director of the Automotive Aftermarket Division at
Robert Bosch South Africa, says that “Bosch and Bosch Service is
a name that is known by most consumers and is recognised as a
credible partner’, this is no idle boast, and no one is going to argue
with Ewald’s contention that technical competence, quality, cus-
tomer service and the brand are key to the ongoing success of
franchised aftermarket workshops.
ESI[tronic] software to explain what it all means). With this infor-
mation, it now needs a judgement call whether to do more tests,
and this is where experience makes the difference. However, since
Carlo does a free check on the battery for all his customers (the
battery is often the culprit in three to five year old cars), this pre-
liminary work is done at no cost to the customer. If the battery is
not the problem, and there is a volt drop on the wires, the KTS
will pick this up, but you also have the option of using the FSA
multi-meter to do a resistance test on the positive and negative
supply wires to the ECU. This is the intriguing thing about the
golden triangle – you can check various things with either the
KTS or the FSA, it all depends on what equipment you have and
what you feel more comfortable with. Using the information and
wiring diagrams on the ESI[tronic] software surely will make life
easier.
With this particular case, everything checks out fine, so Carlo has
to go to the next step, which we will review in the next issue of
ABR. Watch this space, folks.

Back to the specifics. Carlo says that the biggest challenge for an
automotive technician is to know how to work with the trouble
codes and how that system of that vehicle is working, and he reit-
erates that this is where training and experience play a key role.
He gives us a recent example of a customer coming into Cencar
with a five year old BMW 535i (e39), complaining of hard start-
ing and no power. Carlo got to work, systematically, knowing that
the system is (and in the knowledge that most of the systems that
he would be checking on this vehicle were developed and) manu-
factured by Bosch, so who better than Bosch to provide the equip-
ment to troubleshoot and repair this system, and he says emphat-
ically, “that’s the reason why I want Bosch equipment”. But first
things first, and that is to test the power supply, (from) the bat-
tery itself, and then the power supply to the ECU box for you
want to make sure there is no volt drop to the main computer box
when testing. If the battery is pushing out less than 10 volts to the
ECU, it would be elementary, my dear Watson, and all that might
be needed would be needed is a new battery or a recharge. Testing
the alternator charging power could resolve your problem too. If
the battery is pushing out enough juice (from source), then you
need to check whether the ECU is receiving enough volts/juice
for the sensors to work. The sensors on the modern vehicle are
sensitive to power variables, so the battery or alternator could be
the culprit, and thus Carlo needs to know where he stands with
the power supply. The KTS does. There are eight tests on a bat- Carlo du Plessis holds the very important ancillary to the golden
tery, to start with the Bosch (and the test procedure) BAT121 tool triangle – the certificate signifying his technical training; a vital
which gives a print-out that you can give to your customer which aspect in the diagnostic challenge.
is a status report on the battery and charging system,(utilising the
October 2009 45
 Workshop & Diagnostic

Parts Incorporated Africa and

Midas Stores now stock the
Quick Brake product range
P
arts Incorporated Africa (PIA) branches and Midas Stores PIA and Midas have taken the decision to add this niche but vital
around Southern Africa now carry a comprehensive range product range to their brake offering to ensure that their cus-
of Quick Brake fitment kits. tomers along the distribution chain are able to supply the fitters
of brakes timeously with components that are often otherwise dif-
Quick Brake are a world leader in the manufacturing of brake ficult to find. Because these brake accessories are difficult to
components for pads, drums, shoes and calipers, all of which are source:
vital to ensuring that the brake system operates correctly.
1. Time is wasted during fitment trying to panel beat and
Brake pad manufactures and their compounds are often unfairly straighten old, damaged clips or springs in order to make
blamed for squealing, graunching and low pad life when the fault them fit.
really lies with the fitment clips and springs. These components
have been designed by the caliper manufacturers to wear but are 2. Brake installations are not done correctly, leading to costly
not always replaced during a pad change - often because the fitter comebacks at the workshop level. This results in measurable
finds they are difficult to source. Brake springs, clips and formed expenses through having to repair / rectify the vehicle and
mounting plates lose 50% of their tension while operating due to secondly, in having an unhappy customer.
the excessive heat created by the friction material on the disc. This
is aggravated by the fact that OEMs currently design the calipers
to be lighter and smaller, which requires complicated spring and
clip pad tensioners. Herein lies the root cause of many of your
brake fitment come-backs!

The universal squeal damping shim supplied by Quick Brake is

easy to apply to the back- plate of the pad and this will dampen
the vibration coming from the caliper, which is what causes much
of the noise. Use of this product means fitters do not have to
resort to the use of Coppaslip on the brake pad to try to reduce
squealing. In fact, Coppaslip should not be anywhere near the
brake system.

Quick Brake manufacture a full range of accessories for calipers,

including guide bolts, bolt rubber boots and bleeder screws.

Looking at brake drum accessories, Quick Brake do a comprehen-

sive range of springs and clips that fit around the shoes. Function
and hold-down springs are included with washers and clips
required for a shoe change. Drum brakes are often neglected on
South African vehicles, resulting poor brake performance of the
complete system. This is especially the case when it comes to light Contact your nearest Midas Store, PIA Branch or Brake
commercial bakkies. Hose & Component Supplies for more information.

46 October 2009
 Insights

Playing the Game and Doing the Right Thing

The past 12 to 18 months have been tough for the automotive industry worldwide,
and it is in times like these that the wheat is separated from the chaff, both from
a business and an ethical point of view. A shining example of this was when in
February of this year Trent Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer of Capricorn Society
Limited, published an open letter to Capricorn suppliers, committing Capricorn to
doing the right thing and guaranteeing its members debt, a true vindication of
Capricorn’s reputation of “an organisation that you can rely on”.

A
BR reported in its June 2009 issue that whilst 30 day collection rates are only 65% for South Africa, the average for
counties such as the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand is 98%. This damning fact means that institutions that are
committed to doing the right thing are exposing themselves to inordinately high risks in our neck of the woods, unless
everyone starts to play the game to international norms. This was the rationale behind Capricorn introducing its
Capricorn Secure model in South Africa. This model basically follows the template as practiced by commercial banks
– we’ll lend you the money, but we do need security. Rob Mildenhall, Capricorn’s South African Business Development
Manager, recently told ABR that he was pleased by the reaction to the introduction of Capricorn Secure. Most of the members wel-
comed the move, and Rob believes this is because they saw it as a good move in that it was ultimately protecting their interests. ABR
tested this theory by interviewing four members in the Gauteng area.

Hennie Louw, Henlo Service Vic Naidoo, Motolek

Centre, Isando, says that it is
a very good thing. He elabo-
rates, “There are a lot of
chancers out there. The
Capricorn system guarantees
payment to the suppliers, so
this helps the loyal group.
The Capricorn Secure system
is also very fair. It’s like an
overdraft facility. If I look
after my cash flow, I don’t
need it anyway, but it’s good
to have just in case. My
Capricorn membership is very convenient, so I want to belong, and the
points that I am earning every business day are building up, so I’m securing
my pension.”
Lenasia, concurs,
“Initially I regarded it
as a bit of an inconven-
ience, as I had been
trading for a year and
my account was well
managed. But after
thinking about it, I
realised that it was the
bad boys who were
spoiling it for the good
guys, so I’m now right behind it. Capricorn is important to
me, and they have given me a great network of suppliers
and it is good for my business.”

Ingrid Cilliers and Andre

Hattingh, IJ Hattingh
Motors, Centurion, are
equally understanding, “We’re
right behind this. We under-
stand the dilemma. We have
no problem with our debtors,
as our system is working, and
our cash flow is fine, so why
become a problem debtor?
Discipline applies to both
sides. We cannot expect disci-
pline from our customers if Connie and Joe Silva, Speed Auto, Booysens Reserve,
we are not prepared to show Johannesburg, hardly even noticed the issue, “We’ve got no
discipline to our suppliers. problems with this. We understand the scenario. Capricorn
There are unfortunately dishonest people, so companies have to secure their is very important to us, and we treat them as a normal cred-
positions. As we frequently say ‘no pain, no gain’. And in our five years of itor. We are also extremely happy with the returns we are get-
Capricorn membership we have worked up our rebate to over R100 000. ting from the relationship, and intend to continue reaping
This is valuable to us, and we may need it for a rainy day. We’re in it for the benefits. Our accumulated rebates even helped us to pur-
the long haul!” chase a truck recently. What problem?”

To join Capricorn Society Limited call Rob Mildenhall on

083 654 2094 or e-mail him at
rob.mildenhall@capricorn.com.au or visit their website on
www.capricorn.com.au

48 October 2009
 Bonding with the Community
The company that goes under the apt name of Bonding is a family business, and was
established in 1958 by Fred Senekal to service the booming mining industry in the KOSH
area of the then Western Transvaal. KOSH is the acronym for Klerksdorp, Orkney,
Stilfontein and Hartbeesfontein, a complex of towns that form a perfect triangle, with
Klerksdorp sitting prominently in the middle.

B
onding fast developed a reputa-
tion for being able to handle any
fabrication or engineering proj-
ect that the mining and automo-
tive industry could throw at them, special-
ising in friction materials. After Fred
Senekal retired, his son-in-law Kevin
Hengst took over the reigns, and Kevin
soon built up an even more formidable
name as Mr. Fix-it in this pioneering
region. Slowly but surely Bonding became
the place to visit for the surrounding
community, expanding its reach beyond
the KOSH towns, to Potchefstroom in the
east, Ventersdorp in the north, Wolma-
ransstad in the west, and Viljoenskroon
and Bothaville to the south. Kevin’s son
Warren was introduced to the business at
an early age, and he soon developed a
passion for tinkering with all things
mechanical, and worked his way through
every facet of the business, from the wash
bay to the owner’s office. Warren describes
this hands-on experience as the best way to
learn a business, as his staff know that with
any situation, he has been there before.
With Bonding’s all round ability, including
the manufacture of in-house automotive
cabling and OE brake piping, and the
inconsistent service offered by other work-
shops in the area, customers were starting
to bring their vehicles in for complete
brake overhauls, as well as minor and
major services. This got Warren thinking,
and he approached e-CAR late in 2008, as
he wanted to belong to “a national market-
ing company with a nationwide service
network, and a real-time networking sys-
tem”, and his research showed that an
e-CAR was needed in Klerksdorp. The The apple does not fall far from the tree ….
requirements to join e-CAR had to be met, Warren Hengst with father Kevin, who is
so Warren got to work, acquiring the nec- now semi-retired
essary Bosch diagnostic equipment and
ensuring that his staffing levels were up to
scratch, and in August 2009 the North
West Province welcomed its newest e-CAR
outlet. Warren is very excited at being part
of such a well known and highly regarded
workshop network, and he is looking for-
ward to growing apace with the knowledge
that he has the necessary accreditations
and backing of venerable institutions and
brands such as Bosch, Diesel-Electric, the
Automobile Associa-tion and the RMI.
He is also eagerly awaiting his roadside sig-
nage to attract the passing trade looking
for a reputable company to service their Warren Hengst with his reliable front line
vehicles. staff, Jackie Stoltz and Charlotte Jonker

To join the fastest growing workshop network in South Africa and to add a new dimension to your business,
contact Wilfried Langenbach at 0860 003 227 (0860 00 ECAR)

October 2009 51
 Top Class Topics

Free Permatex Samples

Calling all workshops and professional technicians. Are you using any of the
Permatex chemical tools in your workshop? If not, you could be missing a few
tricks, and your customers could be losing out.

To introduce you to the incredible range of Permatex workshop products, Top Class Automotive
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Kit, consisting of four incredibly useful products:

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OEM specified. Noncorrosive gasketing material designed primarily for use on aluminum, iron, and
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during service. Parts disassemble easily even after extended service and old gasket material can be
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covers, transaxle casings, o-ring replacement

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Makes reliable thread repairs without drills, taps, tools or inserts. Restores worn, stripped or damaged
threads and eliminates future corrosion, galling, seizing and rust. Effective up to 128 ft. lbs. of torque
and between -65°F to 300°F (-54°C to 149°C). Repairs most metal-to-metal fasteners up to SAE grade
5 English and 8.8 metric (coarse and fine).

Suggested Applications: Intake manifold bracket fastener threads, timing chain cover bolt threads,
valve cover bolt threads, water pump bolt threads

Permatex®Water Pump & Thermostat RTV Silicone Gasket

A noncorrosive, sensor-safe RTV silicone gasket material formulated specifically for water pumps and
thermostat housings. Highest water-glycol resistance available in an RTV silicone. Temperature range of
-65°F to 500°F (-54°C to 260°C) intermittent.

Suggested Applications: Water pump and thermostat housings

Stock is limited, so don’t delay, and phone or fax today.

52 October 2009
 A series of articles on Launch Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd
China’s Launch Pad
The automotive industry was late in blooming in China, but boy, no time has been wast-
ed in playing catch up. In the past couple of years, China has gone beyond catch up,
as it has zoomed past Germany, Japan and the USA to take number one spot in vehi-
cle production in a phenomenally short space of time.
T
he transformation started with Deng Xiaoping, who
in 1978 after his personal political rehabilitation,
decided that China’s time had come, and with a
mixture of capitalism and state control, pulled the
levers to begin China’s makeover from an agrarian
society to an industrial powerhouse. Deng chose Guangdong
Province for his pilot study. Guangdong Province was an inspired
choice, as this was the home province of Sun Yat-sen, the founder
of modern China, and Guangdong (previously known as Canton
Province) also had strong links to overseas Chinese, as well as
neighbouring Hong Kong, thus serving as a commercial gateway
for entrepreneurs from near and far. Deng’s farsighted vision bore
fruit, with Guangdong Province going from a relatively backwa-
ter state into an industrial powerhouse in a very short space of
time, and this experiment served as a template to be repeated
again and again, throughout China. The most stunning metamor-
phosis, and the biggest beneficiary of Deng’s dream, was
Shenzhen, previously a small fishing village some 30 kilometres
along the coast from Hong Kong. Shenzhen is now a modern city
of some 10 million citizens, the vast majority entrepreneurial
migrants drawn to the flame of growth like peripatetic moths.
These migrants have made this hi-tech city the Silicone Valley of
the East, with thousands of pioneering companies having put
down their innovative roots the past three decades, and employ-
ing hundreds of thousands of engineers, technicians, artisans,
high powered executives, and anyone seeking their fortune, all
creating a vibrant buzz of creativity and inventiveness, and gener-
ating an enormous commercial and trading base which makes
Shenzhen the fastest growing city in the world.
Shenzhen was the launch pad for China’s rocket like growth, and
it was here in 1987 that a small company named Launch began
manufacturing personal computers, developing both the hard-
ware and software for these
machines. Five years later, in
1992, with the Chinese automo-
tive industry starting to stir,
Launch used this computer DNA
to become the first Chinese com-
pany to dabble in the nascent
54
arena of ECUs and automotive diagnostics. Launch Tech Co was
established in 1992 and has since grown into the leading Chinese
company in automotive diagnostics and a global supplier to the
automotive aftermarket, represented by 15 companies supporting
more than 400 distributors in 60 countries. Launch also saw the
bright future for the Chinese automotive industry, and as early as
its inception in 1992 Launch Tech Co had begun its annual auto
electronic colloquium in Shenzhen, inviting the Chinese OEM
industry to discuss the future of engine management systems and
diagnostic support. The vision of Launch has paid off, with
Launch now being the specified diagnostic equipment for over
90% of Chinese OEMs.
Launch also began to look outside China in 1997, as it realised
that to be an international player it had to support all the OEM
brands in both China and overseas. Thus the Carlink 5000 was
introduced to the world in 1997, to be followed by the ADC
2000 in 1999, which was both a code reader and oscilloscope.
With the strong international acceptance of both the Carlink
5000 and the ADC 2000, it was realised that for further growth
the company would have to become a public company, and so in
2002 Launch Tech Co Ltd was listed on the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange, and its future was secured, and further development
was accelerated by the establishment of an industrial park in
Shenzhen and an R&D facility in Beijing, to concentrate on
vehicle management systems.
More on Launch, and particularly Launch Technology South
Africa, in following issues of ABR.
Launch Tech Co Ltd employs over 300 qualified research and devel-
opment engineers at its Headquarters in Shenzhen, in an industrial
park consisting of seven identical nine floor buildings, with a total
floor area of 189 000 m². Here is one of these buildings.
October 2009
 Innoventions

Super Vooma’s benefits are

no rumour By Richard Macaskill
Oftentimes one hears of ‘miracle’ engine additives that have no negative effects.
They clean your engine, improve performance and at the same time improve fuel effi-
ciency. Now there’s a new product on the market promising the same thing. In fact,
it’s not new; it was developed over 30 years ago, and has been continually improved
since, and now it has come to South Africa. This product, which goes by a variety of
names all over the world, will be branded as Super Vooma on our shores.

=
S
uper Vooma is marketed in a different way to most
engine additives though, and with good reason. It is
actually not an additive – it is an engine treatment.
Application at 60 000 km and every 20 000 km there-
after will yield the promised benefits of the product, as
opposed to additives that need to be added on a regular basis in
order to yield results. Super Vooma is designed to soften the car-
bon deposits that build up in an engine during its working life
and remove any impurities that hamper a vehicle’s performance.
Super Vooma promises to clean “from inlet to exhaust”, and is
also said not to be abrasive, corrosive or even flammable.
However, it is important to bear in mind that this is a treatment
and not an additive, and is therefore something that may be able
to keep these promises. The product also claims to clean and
remove impurities from all turbo and superchargers, further
improving a vehicle’s performance.
The removal of carbon deposits allows an engine’s pistons to move
more smoothly, meaning less friction, less wear and tear and a
longer lifespan. This also allows for maximum rotational force to
be transferred to the crank shaft, in turn maximising the engine’s
torque output. Carbon deposits will also be removed from the
valve seating so that valves will close tightly, decreasing the loss of
fuel and air through improperly-closed valves and optimising fuel
efficiency. In fact, the savings achieved through the use of Super
Vooma can be quite substantial. Dyno testing has indicated that
along with a 20% performance improvement, fuel consumption
can be lowered by up to 15%. Take a vehicle that covers 20 000
km in a given period. At R8/l and 12.5 km/l, this would cost the
owner R20 000. Assume a conservative 10% fuel saving from
Super Vooma and this translates to an extra R2 000 in the owner’s
pocket. With only one R150 can of Super Vooma required during
this time, the ultimate saving is R1 850.
This makes financial sense for fleet owners and managers, as obvi-
ously, the more one travels, the greater the savings would be. On
top of this, environmental benefits are offered through this lower
fuel consumption, giving a company that coveted smaller carbon
footprint. Although Super Vooma claims to be a reliable treat-
ment and not a miracle cure – well, maybe it actually is one…
To get hold of this revolutionary product, you may contact:
Lubemax: Steve Swart - Cell: 082 929 8971 or log onto
www.supervooma.com

56 October 2009
 Innoventions

Efficient production and top quality:

Cylinder-head gaskets for the new
HDEP engine generation
I
n 2007, the worldwide production used are corrosion-resistant stainless steel
of heavy commercial vehicles and high-grade fluoropolymers, which
Best manufactur-
increased by 6 percent to almost remain flexible at temperatures at minus ing conditions
three million units. With 840.000 25° C. Arranged topographically around
medium and heavy-duty trucks, the combustion chamber, the multiple With its globally networked Truck Team,
China increased its leading position – pro- beads provide multiple pressure lines with Dana offers developers and manufacturers
duction figures that are higher than those uniform pressure distribution. In combi- of commercial vehicles engines a holistic
of East and West Europe together. And an nation with the elastic behavior of the lin- systems competence that covers the entire
end of the worldwide truck boom is ers, the plastic behavior of these beads development and production process.
nowhere in sight. With its Detroit Diesel ensures an optimal seal of the combustion With global access to comprehensive con-
DD 15, Daimler AG introduced the first chamber. Sealing of the oil and coolant sultation, development, production, and
version of a new range of commercial channels is achieved by means of cured-on logistics services, this network is based in
vehicle engines. The Heavy Duty Engine elastomers, which are injection molded development centers in Germany, Japan,
Platform (HDEP) is one of the most onto metal insert sheets as sealing lips. and the United States – as well as locations
important developments in the growing in every important automotive center in
heavy-truck segments. The six-cylinder
inline engines have been designed for
exceptionally good fuel efficiency and very
high peak pressures. In order to imple-
ment these demands, Daimler Trucks
relies on the Victor Reinz® gaskets from
Dana – the leading manufacturer of gasket
systems and cylinder head gaskets. In the
forefront are technical advances: all
HDEP engines must fulfill present and
future emission regulations.

A new pressure-intensified common-rail

injection system and combustion pres-
sures of up to 230 bar mean that the cylin-
der-head gasket must withstand enormous
pressures. What's more, the high-per-
formance gasket must guarantee the spec-
ified endurance for engine mileages of one
million miles (1.5 million kilometers).
During the pilot phase, development
engineers of the Heavy Duty Engine
Platform subjected the special head gasket
design to grueling tests. 3.5 million miles
(5.6 million kilometers) on the road and
on testing stands bore convincing results:
Victor Reinz head gaskets exceeded the
rigorous standards for the Detroit Diesel
DD 15. Gasket specialist at Dana also
developed selected components for vari-
ous medium-duty engine generations.
Efficient gasket
design
The one-piece head gasket for the Detroit
Diesel DD 15 – Daimler AG's first six-
cylinder in-line engine with a mid- and
bottom-stop liner concept – is a two-layer
metal/elastomer gasket with a stopper
design and multiple beads. The materials
Cylinder-head gaskets
for the new HDEP
engine generation.
Space saving innovative
Sealing Technology.
the world. Truck gasket manufacturing is
By means of a special laser welding
method, these metal sheets are welded
focused particularly on new developments
directly to the gasket's core. In particular,
in the field of medium- and heavy-duty
engines. Multi-layer steel and metal/elas-
the advantages of this insert technology
tomer head gaskets with lengths of up to
become apparent for gaskets with a large
1.5 meters are manufactured on the latest
number of passages. Highly innovative
machines. For high flexibility in gasket
rubber injection methods permit Dana to
design, the presses and laser-welding
manufacture its Victor Reinz gaskets with
machines are equipped to handle single-
practically no elastomer waste.
cylinder solutions, as well as combinable

58 October 2009

concepts with four to six cylinders. As a
result, combustion chamber diameters
of 100 to more than 200 millimeters can
be produced. Presses with more than
1,000 tons of stamping force allow the
production of components with previ-
ously unattainable precision and very
high stiffness. Scalable manufacturing
concepts permit batch sizes of just a few
hundred to several hundred thousand
units. The Victor Reinz head gasket for
the HDEP Detroit Diesel DD 15 is the
largest metal/elastomer gasket that has
ever been produced by Dana’s innovative
truck gasket department.
Trucks and
trends
Globally increasing transportation activ-
ities present new challenges for the
entire logistics industry. The present sit-
uation is characterized by an enormous
demand for powerful but fuel-efficient
medium and heavy-duty trucks. As a
leading supplier of gasket systems, Dana
anticipated this trend and has made the
necessary investments. Variable gasket
designs, constructional elements, and
Innoventions
new materials will determine future
head gasket developments, while global
engine platforms and identical parts
promise long-term cost reductions. By
using Victor Reinz gasket expertise,
commercial-vehicle engine makers will
ensure a decisive leading edge in terms of
technology and costs – today and in the
future.
Dana Sealing
Products Group
Under the brand name Victor Reinz, the
Dana Sealing Products Group – a centu-
ry-old leading manufacturer of sealing
systems – develops and produces high-
performance sealing, shielding, and
valve cover systems for engine and drive
concepts. The group is part of the glob-
ally positioned Dana Holding
Corporation with 35.000 employees in
26 countries, and headquarters in
Toledo, Ohio, USA. Dana acts as a
global partner for all major automakers,
and is a leading supplier to the automo-
tive industry for drivetrain, structural,
thermal, and sealing technologies. State-of-the-art – Manufacturing Facilities for
the Truck Production

What’s the Buzz?

Josef Neumeier and Noludwe Ncokazi of the Eastern Cape
Development Centre, with Phumla Ndaba from the Eastern Cape
Economic Development and Environmental Affairs Dept.
Eastern Cape heavily reliant on the
automotive industry
Over 30% of manufacturing jobs in the Eastern Cape are pro-
vided for by the automotive industry. This stark reality
emphasises the importance of the South African Automotive
Week, which will be held in Port Elizabeth from the 7th to the
10th October 2009. This vulnerability will be explored at the
AIDC conference to be held at the Moffet on Main Lifestyle
Centre on the 7th and 8th, and in attendance shall be the big
hitters from the Eastern Cape Development Centre and the
Eastern Cape Economic Development and Environmental
Affairs, to brief delegates on this question, as well as the excel-
lent progress on the automotive park at Coega.

NAACAM’s Roger Pitot sure to speak out

Robust debate will be the order of the day at the AIDC Conference at the South African Automotive
week to be held in Port Elizabeth early in October 2009. And at the forefront will be Roger Pitot,
Executive Director of NAACAM. At a pre-conference media briefing in late September 2009 Roger
said that South Africa’s economic policy is fundamentally flawed, as there was insufficient focus on
manufacturing, and we do not leverage off our natural resources. Roger bemoaned the fact that 80%
of our platinum is exported, and surmised that chrome ore being sent to China for beneficiation was
not in the country’s interests. Roger also stated that the Rand was overvalued, and that the component
industry needed a Rand/Dollar exchange rate of 8,5 to 9,0 to be competitive. Will he be applauded or
attacked on these comments. Come to the AIDC conference to find out.

October 2009 59
 Diamond Dialogues

Editorial
Partnership
Giel Steyn

In this series of articles ABR discusses with Giel Steyn of Grandmark International the four significant factors that should be taken into
account when purchasing automotive parts - Technology, Quality, Safety and Value for Money. These four characteristics are inter-related, and
each cannot stand on their own, and together they become a motorist's best friend. Similarly, diamonds are also judged on four characteristics,
known as the “four c's” - carat, clarity, colour and cut; and of course, diamonds are a girl's best friend. Grandmark International, as a dis-
tributor of automotive parts, is keenly aware of the need to source only the best in Technology, Quality, Safety and Value for Money, and
therefore it is appropriate that this series of articles is titled Diamond Dialogues.

What’s in a Name?
In our April and May 2009 issues, Giel Steyn discussed the words quality, “original, gen-
uine, and pirate”, in the context of automotive parts. He bemoaned the fact that the word
“pirate” is used and abused with gay abandon by the automotive fraternity, and by so doing
they are damaging the reputation of perfectly decent companies and brands, such as Bosch.

This is the original Elvis, and the
genuine article
This is a counterfeit Elvis, and
not the genuine article
This is a real pirate. Someone who likes his drink strong and his
women even stronger. [editor’s note: I remember in the 1980’s
when McCarthy took control of Midas, and Rolf Güdegast
making a strong point at a Midas convention, by
presenting a pirate suit to the late Brian McCarthy]

G
iel Steyn would like to see the word pirate banned
from all discourse, as it is used entirely inappropri-
ately, and subsequently high quality parts are being
tarred with a particularly unworthy brush. Take,
for example, the expression “gay abandon” which
was used in the introduction. 50 years ago the word gay meant
something entirely different to what it means today. Similarly,
terms such as spanner assistant, grease monkey, panel beater, and
anti-freeze are no longer in vogue, as these terms are either deroga-
tory or misleading, being replaced with the more descriptive, cor-
rect and preferred automotive technician, collision repair outlet,
repair shop assistant and coolant conditioner. Giel appeals for
“pirate part” to go the same route and to be consigned to history.
This will solve the problem once and for all, since most aftermar-
ket parts are manufactured by the same manufacturers who make
parts for OEMs, their P&A divisions and the quality aftermarket.
These manufacturers are proud of the technology, quality, safety
and value for money that is inherent in the product that they
manufacture, and abhor being referred to as pirates. Giel says
“inferior quality parts” should be called exactly that, or parts that
are passed off as the real thing, should be called “counterfeit”. The
definition of counterfeit is “made in imitation of something gen-
uine, with the intent to deceive or defraud”. To fully appreciate
this definition, we need to understand that the definition of orig-
inal is “of or relating to an origin or beginning”, and genuine is
“not fake or counterfeit; original, real, authentic”.
Please folks; let us make Giel Steyn happy and do the whole indus-
try a favour by banning the word “pirate”, unless we are referring
to Blackbeard or Somali maritime interlopers. And let us also put
to bed the lie perpetrated by Shakespeare 400 years ago, by saying
that there is much in a name. Names such as Grandmark
International, a company that follows the Diamond Dialogue
template to the letter. For those who prefer visual stimulation, the
above pictures may get the message across.

60 October 2009
 Q&A

by Roger McCleery

Roger McCleery asks the questions

See how many of these 20 Questions you can answer.
1. Name the Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyundai South Africa.

2. What company is the fourth biggest motor manufacturer in the world?

3. What tyre company supplies the most OE tyres in Europe?

4. What was the first make of car in South Africa?

5. The British Marcos sports car took its name from two Brits. Who?

6. Who won the Swedish Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1976 in a 6-wheel Tyrrell?

7. What American 3 litre all alloy V8 engine was used in the Rebco Brabham for two World Championships?

8. What is the largest one-day sports event in the world?

9. GSM Dart was the first car made in South Africa. What does GSM stand for?

10. Who ran the first Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Team?

11. Who designed the Porsche 356?

12. What Nationality was Louis Chevrolet?

13. Who is the only man to have won world championships on 2 and 4 wheels?

14. Name two drivers in line to win the 2009 South African Rally title.

15. Who founded NASCAR Racing in the States?

16. What is the name of the South African who heads up the Hendriks NASCAR team in America?

17. What is the name of the Volkswagen Beetle featured in the film “The Love Bug”?

18. The first four cars to be exported from America were sent to what country?

19. What is the maximum time for a Formula 1 GP?

20. The Porsche 924 was originally designed by what company?

Answers on page 78

62 October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

Tshepo Montana (CEO PRASA) [left] and Thomas
Hemmerich (CEO MTB South Africa, right).
MAN Truck & Bus South Africa
delivers 110 intercity buses
for FIFA World Cup 2010
About nine months before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa, MAN
Nutzfahrzeuge is further expanding its presence on the nation's market. The region-
al sales company MAN Truck & Bus South Africa received an order for 110 Lion’s
Explorer intercity buses from the Public Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The
vehicles are initially to be operated as general spectator buses by subsidiary Autopax,
and later in urban public transport in various large South African cities and surround-
ings. The order also includes a service level and maintenance agreement through the
MAN service network. Intensive training of more than 220 Autopax drivers will be
conducted before the World Cup, including the MAN ProfiDrive program, to ensure
a maximum of reliability and safety once the buses go onto the road.

At the signing of the Bus Procurement agreement in September 2009, Thomas

Hemmerich, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus South Africa, said: "We are proud of the
fact that we have secured this major order in conjunction with the soccer World Cup.
The vehicles boast excellent chassis that are made in Germany and first-class bodies
tailored to suit the needs of the market and produced locally at our plant in
Olifantsfontein. Through our extensive service network we'll devote all our efforts to
ensuring high availability of the vehicles." Tshepo Montana, Group CEO of the trans-
port agency PRASA, said the order marked a "major innovation in local transport in
South Africa, satisfying the requirements of the FIFA World Cup and subsequently
the need for urban public transport renewal in the country."

Pretoria to host first exhibition for heavy vehicle industry in 2010

The first national exhibition dedicated to the latest products, services and concepts in the heavy vehicle industry will be staged at the Tshwane Events
Centre in Soutter Street, Pretoria West from March 23 to 26 next year (2010). The HeavyWeight Expo, which enjoys the endorsement of the RMI,
will also incorporate industry related conferences and workshops, and will be the gathering place for the major players in the industry, from bulk trans-
port to passenger transport and materials handling, construction plant and equipment, agricultural applications and special vehicles. There will be
categories for heavy commercial vehicles, buses, trailers, mobile cranes and lifting equipment, forklifts, earthmoving plant and equipment, mining
equipment, road construction and maintenance equipment, agricultural vehicles and special vehicles (like dumpers, tippers, mixers, tankers, emer-
gency vehicles and security vehicles). Tshwane Events Centre’s Fanie Fourie is the moving force behind this unique exhibition and brings a wealth of
exhibition and transport experience to its staging. This includes the establishment of the very successful 2008 Johannesburg International Motor Show.
“It is time for an expo which showcases the heavy vehicle industry,” said Fourie. “It is a sizeable and influential sector of the transport business and of
particular significance in today’s environment of major infrastructural development and construction throughout the country. “The HeavyWeight
Expo will provide a unique platform for the leading manufacturers, suppliers and service providers to display their products and do business with exist-
ing and new customers, all in one place. We also expect to attract fleet management companies, vehicle finance houses, logistics providers and soft-
ware and equipment suppliers, heavy industry driver training institutions and specialists such as consulting engineers, project managers and civil engi-
neering contractors. “It will be the ultimate heavy vehicle shopping experience,” added Fourie.

The Lamborghini Reventón Roadster is a sports car of breathtaking fascination, menacing power and uncompromising
performance. The 6.5 litre 12 cylinder generates 493 kW, catapulting the Roadster from 0 to 100 km/h in 3,4 seconds,
with a top speed of 330 km/h. Fast and exclusive, Lamborghini has limited the series.

October 2009 63
 LIFE GOES ON

Electrifying AGM
Annual General Meetings are normally boring and staid affairs. Not so
the AGM of the Intelligent Transport Systems South Africa (ITSSA)
held on 27th August 2009 at the appropriately named Innovation Hub
in Pretoria. The atmosphere was literally electrifying, all because of
by Austin Gamble the keynote speaker.

A
fter the formalities (gratefully short and sweet, thanks to
the efficient approach of Dr. Paul Vorster, the CEO of
ITSSA), in which it was clear that despite the gloomy times
for the automotive industry, life indeed goes on for ITS practition-
ers, centre stage was taken by Kobus Meiring, CEO of Optimal
Energy and the public face of the Joule, South Africa’s much
hyped electric car. Not having previously been privy to all the ins
and outs of the Joule, I was all ears, not least because of their slo-
gan, “imagineering mobility”, which is a great play on words, and
which would surely get the seal of approval from our publishing
editor, who insists on “words in action”. And I was not disappoint-
ed, because 45 minutes later I had been converted to the electric
car brigade, as if even half of what Kobus Meiring said comes
about, the Joule will be playing a significant role in the global
romancing of the electric car. Space constraints preclude a com-
prehensive overview of Kobus’ presentation, but I believe the high-
lights will provide fascinating fodder for ABR’s readers, and I
promise to revisit the Joule story many times in the future.
We all know that electric cars are greener than the current batch
of internal combustion engines and hybrids, but did you know
that the Joule can be Eskom’s salvation? Ironically, it was indeed
an appropriate presentation on the same day that Eskom
announced a R9,7 billion loss! Kobus Meiring explained that
South Africa’s biggest energy problem is basically its off peak
wastage between the hours of 11pm to 6am. This wastage is equiv-
alent to charging 8 million electric cars during that seven hour
period, and enough juice to drive each car for 20 000 km pa. Even
if only 10% of the government fleet went electric, it would meet
government’s energy savings targets for 2013. If that does not con-
vince the sceptics, how about these convergence of factors:
• Global Warming
• Pollution – and the internal combustion engine is one of the
big culprits
• Energy Security – oil reserves are finite
• Urbanisation – 50% of global population is already urbanised,
and the trend is accelerating
• Global vehicle market – now standing at 800 million units,
and projected at 1,5 billion by 2030
• Advances in battery technology – lithium ion batteries have
come down in weight, from 1300 kg to 300 kg, and now have
a lifetime of 10 years and more (200 000km), the price is
decreasing, and they are still in their infancy! Imagine when
the chicken and egg scenario is over, and volume production
begins!
There’s much, much more, but I’m keeping my powder dry for
future articles, because it seems that the era of electric vehicles is
about to begin. At last year’s Geneva Show only three electric cars
were on display, then about 30 made their appearance at the Paris
show, and 60 are expected at this year’s Frankfurt Show. It is
exploding, and South Africa could be at the forefront of the explo-
sion. Watch this space.
Mthembeni Mkhize, President of ITSSA,
outlined in his President’s address the
challenges for the new year:
• FIFA World Cup transport challenges
• Dealing with the skills shortage
• Ensuring that the stakeholders under-
stand the requirements for sustainable
transport systems, CAPEX for the short
term, OPEX for the long term
• Capacitating institutions in the
appropriate and integrated use of
transport systems

Kobus Meiring, CEO of

Optimal Energy

The ITSSA Brains Trust for the coming year

64 October 2009
 LIFE GOES ON

Leading Change in a Turbulent Period

Finlay Events hosts regular breakfasts under the banner of “Meet the CEOs”, invit-
ing leading businessmen to share their secrets of success and to pass on motivation-
al titbits to a full house of those in search of the Holy Grail of Business, the pro-
ceeds going to the commendable charity NOAH (Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for
Humanity). On 8th September 2009 it was the turn of Clive Thompson, CEO of
Barloworld.

B
arloworld went through a massive restructuring and repo- • Products to Solutions – a reduced emphasis on physical prop-
sitioning exercise in 2007, and Clive Thompson could erties, and a shift to a higher order value proposition, i.e. focus
have been forgiven for expecting an easier ride than what on selling solutions
Barloworld has experienced these past 12 months, but this is what • Growth – particularly in emerging markets, which includes
comes with the territory, and he ruefully admits that he does get shivering in Siberia
nervous when he hears someone utter the ominous words
• Solutions for the energy crisis – innovation and inspiration
“Lehman Brothers”, the guys who started all the trouble last
September. Clive likes to quote Thomas Edison, whose pointed • Empowerment and transformation – BEE is now a given, so
and precise observation that “vision without execution is halluci- the need to go beyond what is expected
nation” could have been twisted to “hallucination without vision • Leading change – through the worst financial crisis since 1929
is execution” during the dark times in 2009. But the guys at • Focus on capital preservation and sustained cash flow – the
Barloworld are made of sterner stuff, and this 100 year old com- importance of this pillar cannot be overemphasised
pany and its CEO was perfectly placed to address the topic
“Leading Change in a Turbulent Period”. Add to this the need to read the signs in advance and to take
action early; to remain alert to acquisition and organic growth
Clive Thompson defines the tension between memory and vision opportunities; and to position the company to be strong for the
as the creation of a burning platform for change, with the provi- upturn which is coming, the only question is when.
so that it must be based on the template of past successes, and the
philosophy that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Thus the commitment There you have it. Life goes on, and it’s good to know that there
to lead in empowerment and transformation, the need to manage are companies like Barloworld who are prepared to lead change
long term relationships, and the requirement of an ability to through turbulent periods.
develop and grow business in multiple geographies (even Siberia!).
This presages the need to leverage core competencies, systems and
best practices. All of this required a recalibration of Barloworld’s
vision and strategy, which came out as “To be a recognised global
market leader in the provision of integrated solutions in distribu-
tion, rental, fleet management, product support and logistics to
customers in our chosen business segments”. This required the
unbundling or selling off of Barloworld’s manufacturing business-
es, and the renewed focus on the core business of distribution in
equipment, automotive, handling and logistics.

So what is Barloworld’s leadership philosophy? Clive spelt it out

succinctly and clearly:

• Focus on long term sustainability

• Servant leadership – the removal of obstacles for the guys cho-
sen to do the job
• Nurture talent and cultivate succession
• Develop and empower people
• Embrace and harness diversity
• Lead by example
• Inculcate Barloworld’s culture and value systems
• Clear communication – refer previous points
The other critical part of the mix is Barloworld’s 10 pillars of
sustainability. ABR looks at some of these, which are all premised
Lynette Finlay and Clive Thompson at the Finlay Events breakfast.
on the fact that the customer and all stakeholders are key: Lynette estimates that there are 2 million AIDS orphans in South
• Leveraging brands – from Audi to Subaru to VW in the Africa, and she adds the scary statistic that one in four South
automotive context Africans are orphaned by the age of 15.

October 2009 65
 Burford on brands

Heady Days
by Adrian Burford
for Hyundai
When the first Hyundais arrived in South Africa in the early 1990s thanks to
the now long-defunct (and distinctly shady) Wheels of Africa group, we had a
good chuckle and it was nice to have something to knock in print again, seeing
that the Japanese brands had long-since proved their worth. And some of those
early Hyundais were a bit dodgy, though maybe never as bad as was made out and
anyway, their low price was adequate compensation. They rapidly became known
for offering tremendous bang for the buck (they were ostensibly built in
Botswana from 1996, thereby sidestepping South African import duties because
the factory was in the same customs community) and even today the first Accent
and smoothly-sculptured second-generation Elantra still have an enviable rep-
utation in the marketplace.

A
nd as the twilight of the first
decade of 21st century
approaches, Hyundai (and
for the sake of accuracy it
must be pointed out that the
umbrella company includes Kia Motors,
which they purchased 51 percent of in
1998 though now own some 38 percent)
is now the fourth largest car manufacturer
in the world by volume, sneaking past
Ford after sales figures for the first half of
this year were announced.
The Reuters news agency researched the
industry and recorded 2,153 million units
for the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group,
just ahead of Ford, with 2,145-million. Of
the 10 leading brands in the survey,
Hyundai’s decline in sales (two percent)
compared to the same period last year was
far lower than all its rivals. Ford was down
by a third, and Toyota – the largest seller
of vehicles – declined by just over a quar-
ter. The global market was down by
15 percent year on year and Hyundai’s
figure meant it outsold Renault by a figure
of two to one...
This strong performance came on the
back of sales of over 250 000 units in
China, 56 percent up from a year earlier.
Africa has also become an important mar-
ket and sales recently passed the one mil-
lion mark, of which Hyundai Automotive
South Africa has contributed 20 percent.
While the first half-million took 29 years,
it took just another four years to double
that number.
Hyundai Motor Company was founded
in December 1967 and soon entered into
a contract with Ford to assemble the
Cortina and Granada for the South
Korean market. Towards the mid-70s the
brand set out to make its own cars, using
ItalDesign for styling and design and
Mitsubishi for most of the mechanicals.
The result was the Pony, production of
which began in 1975. Through the 1970s
and 1980s Hyundai continued to make
use of Ford and Mitsubishi technology
but by the early 1990s was making its own
engine, signaling the start of an era of gen-
uine independence.
Wheels of Africa was liquidated at the end
of 1999, briefly leaving local Hyundai
owners wondering what would happen as
far as warranties, servicing, and parts
availability were concerned. But by April
2000 Hyundai Automotive South Africa
had been formed after Associated Motor
Holdings, a division of Imperial Holdings,
announced an agreement with Hyundai
Motor Company for the importation and
distribution of Hyundai vehicles and
parts.
There was a collective sigh of relief that a
large, established group had picked up the
pieces, and today there are over
90 Hyundai dealers in Southern Africa.
It is represented in most segments of the
market, including recently venturing into
the van and light bus sectors with the
H-1, a model which has had very positive
reviews.
Hyundai is keen to highlight its environ-
mental credentials and at the recent
Frankfurt Show, it created a special ‘Blue
Drive Zone’ on its stand where it
showcased a wide array of its new eco-
friendly technologies and products.
Centre stage went to the world debut of
the ix-Metro, a new Hybrid Electric
European sub-B segment which promises
CO2 emissions of just 80g/km. The other
world debut for Hyundai was the i10
Electric, a production-ready zero emis-
sions vehicle which is set to go on sale in
Korea in the second half of 2010.
Powered by a 49kW motor and a 16kWh
battery, the i10 Electric promises a driving
range of 160 km and top speed of 130
km/h.
While the plug-in version may be a long
way from being relevant in South Africa,
its internal combustion namesake is
establishing a solid reputation for itself, as
is the larger i20. They’re playing a vital
role in shifting the brand into a new space
in the marketplace where high value is its
main calling card and where it is taken
very seriously indeed. Laughter is only
notable for its absence.

66 October 2009
 Vehicle Launch
by Howard Keeg
Small
T
he Fiat Linea is not a small car, but in relative terms its
engine is small. It sits comfortably in the segment C
sedan class, and in the words of Oscar Rivoli,
Managing Director of Fiat Group Automobiles South
Africa, the essence of the Linea is “bang for buck on the style,
space and gadget scale, you don’t get any better than the Linea.”
The Indians and indeed the Europeans agree, with the Linea
scooping both the 2009 Indian Car of the Year title (Autocar
India) and the Autobest 2008 award (representing 15 European
countries), successfully fending off contenders like the Hyundai
i20, Kia Cee’d, Mazda 2, Skoda Fabia and Toyota Corolla. Styled
in Italy, built in India, and sold across many continents, the Linea
is a world car by most measures, and if international trends are
anything to go by, then it should do well in South Africa. The big
question is whether the average South African family will accept a
classy sedan, with all the bells and whistles, but with a smallish
1400 engine pushing out 66kW? The engine does the job, but not
without judicious use of the gears, and that is why I predict that
Fiat will soon cover their bases with additional engine options in
the not too distant future. Not that I am personally against small-
er engines, and despite the motoring media having passed prema-
ture judgement on this matter, it is maybe time for South Africans
to be more European. Maybe they are already on this path, and
companies like Fiat are accelerating the process? No matter, with
68
is
BIG Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa
(Pty) Ltd is on a mission, and this mis-
sion is to build the Fiat brand in South
Africa, and in the process to position
itself as a provider of European styled
vehicles and to offer an unequalled
value proposition. The launch of the
Fiat Linea is an important building
block of this strategy. And it was clear at
the launch that Fiat, even though it was
unsaid, is anxiously hoping that South
Africans would be more like the
Europeans, and accept that small is big.
this engine, which incidentally is built entirely by robots, the Fiat
Linea has a top speed of 165 km/h, and accelerates from 0 to 100
km/h in 16.62 seconds. Consumption is among the best in its
class: 10 l/100 km in the urban cycle, 6.6 l/100 km out of town
and 7.8 l/100 km in the combined cycle.
It is in the category of interior appointments that the Linea really
excels, with standard equipment that normally only comes with
much more expensive cars. This is the trade off that Fiat is hop-
ing that the consumer will buy into, and in the words once again
of Oscar Rivoli, going for “substance and function, aspirational,
more for less, i.e. the intelligent choice”, or my translation, the
European choice. Of particular interest is Fiat’s unique
Blue&Me®* telematics system, which is state of the art and the
benchmark in communication, information and entertainment.
The launch price of the Fiat Linea 1.4i Emotion is R175 000
(incl. VAT), with 20 000 km service intervals and a three-year 100
000 km Warranty (three years on paintwork and five years on rust
anti-perforation) as well as a standard three-year 60 000 km serv-
ice plan, and AA Fleetcare roadside assistance for 12 months.
How well will the Fiat Linea do? Only time will tell, and time is
what is needed for the South African motorist to become more
European.
October 2009
 Vehicle Evaluation

The Real Deal by Howard Keeg

It has been some time since I had a German car for a week long test, and within five
minutes of getting into the Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI Highline, I started to realise
what I had been missing. Superb build quality, a solid feel, precise gear changes,
rocket like performance, and top class ergonomics; an all round package that is dif-
ficult to fault – in short, the real deal.

A built in satellite navigation system is very convenient, but

R28 290 for this convenience is simply outrageous, considering
the cost of a regular Garmin.

W
hat definitely helped were the options that this
wonderful Golf came with. Electric sunroof,
leather seats, a multifunction steering wheel, and
an oh so convenient satellite navigation system,
with an oh so different fraulein voice compared to my regular
GPS. It made the car complete, and I could easily visualise myself
walking into the nearest VW showroom and parting with, let’s
have a look, WHAT! Oh dear, with all these options, the price
sticker is at a wallet searing R320 040. Eina. Even without the
options, the standard price is R272 900, a little steep for a 1400
hatch, albeit an engine from heaven. It is amazing what the mod-
ern gurus can get out of small engines these days. This perfectly
balanced baby delivers 118kW@5800rpm and 240Nm@1500-
4500rpm, with the help of turbos and compressors, making it a
thoroughly marvellous mill.
But maybe, when it comes to price tags, the problem lies with me.
You must realise that my first car, a humble Beetle, purchased in
1972, was well under R2 000, and it was a 1600. Years later, as I
slowly progressed up the corporate ladder, in 1981, I took posses-
sion of a spanking new Audi 100 5, a 1900cc 5 cylinder large
sedan, for R10 000. I stayed with Audis for another ten years, and
I recall that my last Audi, a 1991 500SE, set me back R104 000.
Inflation was starting to take its toll, so maybe new car prices in
2009 are just a reflection of a steadily weakening rand. To get
some perspective, let’s look at house prices. My first house, pur-
chased in 1978, set me back R19 500. The last time I purchased
a house, in 1991, it was R275 000. This self same house would
now fetch over R2 million, even in these depressed times, so
maybe I am the one living in the past. It looks like a decent vehi-
cle, equivalent to the 1991 Audi 500SE, should be roughly one
third of a decent three bedroom home. A third of R2 million
equals roughly R650 000. Let’s look at the price of the top of the
range Audi A4 sedan. R378 500. Aha, so the price of cars is not
bad at all. Better than what it was 20 years ago, relatively speak-
ing. The R272 900 for the standard Golf 1.4 TSI Highline is
looking better and better, but just don’t expect me to fork out
R28 290 for the gps option, even if it has a sexy voice.

October 2009 69
 Fast Software

Need for Speed shifting into

a higher gear By Richard Macaskill

Need for Speed is an institution in the gaming world. The very first game of the series,
The Need for Speed, was released in 1994, and EA’s Need for Speed brand has grown
exponentially since then. One of the brand’s most successful instalments came in
2003, with Need for Speed: Underground. Almost too successful, some might say, as
Underground was followed by a number of sequels that continued to follow the ille-
gal street-racing theme.

S
ubsequent Need for Speed titles included Underground 2, Most
Wanted, Carbon, ProStreet and Undercover, all games focused
on illegal street racing, modifying and tuning ones cars. Most of
these games were hugely successful, there is no denying that;
but the fact of the matter is that these street-oriented games
were growing more and more tiresome with each instalment.
However, it seems that EA has finally brought back a ‘real’ racing game, not
one in line with the successful street theme, but one that uses real race cars,
real race tracks and offers realistic performance. Enter Need for Speed: Shift.

Speedster Bryan Habana was trundled out for
the occasion
Pegged on the idea of offering a real driving experience, Shift is a game that
does not limit the player/driver to one city. The games predecessors focused
on the player building up an illegal reputation and evading police through-
out an intricate and involved story, almost losing track of the real racing
experience in the process. However, Shift makes use of tracks from all over
the world, including arguably the two most iconic racetracks in the world,
Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and the Nurburgring in Germany. Shift
rather focuses on a more realistic element: still building up one’s reputation
and career, but as a legitimate racing driver. This means being able to race
on tracks from all over the world, as well as partaking in legitimate and
organised street races in some of the world’s most notable locations, includ-
ing a race along the Thames River in London. What is more impressive than
the Need for Speed franchise’s step away from the illegal scene though, is the
fact that, as Shift has proposed, this game offers one of the best driving expe-
riences that one could get from a game today. Diverse options mean that this
game is ideally suited for both absolute beginner and consummate veteran.

These diverse options mean that, if set correctly, the performance, reactions
and experience of being in control of these race cars comes as close to real as
could be expected. One of the most notable areas in which you get the true
driving experience is in the handling of the vehicles. Although some might
say the handling is extremely difficult to deal with, it is certainly much more
realistic than Shift’s predecessors, and this applies to every car. Furthermore,
the settings can be dialled down until one becomes accustomed to the han-
dling and controls. With an array of cars ranging from old Nissan Skylines
to the GT-R and from the Toyota Corolla to the Pagani Zonda, Shift offers
the player the opportunity to experience myriad vehicles, and to do so in a
game where the differences of front, rear and all-wheel drive make a tangi-
ble difference on the racetrack.

Accurately-modelled vehicles, accurately-modelled racetracks and city loca-

Sean Vollmar, Track Modeller, shows some intrigued
kibitzers how to out Schumi Schumi
tions and a fresh idea from EA mean that Shift is definitely the game to take
the franchise further. While it may have been risky to step away from the
street scene, the sheer impressiveness of the game ensures that not only will
Shift carry the brand’s mantle successfully until the next instalment, but
move it forward as well.

70 October 2009
 Tipping Point
A series of articles based on interviews with Klaus G. Langer, an inde-
pendent supply chain consultant and self confessed environmentalist
who proudly sees himself as a “Cultural Creative”, which is an influen-
tial group of new progressives who are disenchanted with materialism and
hedonism, and who are at the forefront of prodding mankind to move
from conventional to rational and responsible thinking, and to encour-
age participation in an ethical expansion, focusing on “balanced rather
than negative reciprocity”

Klaus Langer
Eco-Friendly Cities
In the previous Tipping Point article in the July 2009 issue of ABR, we analysed the race for
environmentally friendly vehicles, driven by the need to arrest and reverse global warming, dwin-
dling fossil fuel resources, and the realisation by humanity that we simply cannot continue with
our wasteful ways. Klaus Langer predicts the demise of the internal combustion engine within 15
years and he anticipates a wave of new engines and new technologies to emerge in a much shorter
space of time than we currently anticipate. But it not just the automotive industry that has to get
its act together. In this Tipping Point article, we take an intriguing look at eco-friendly cities.

Sun Power can be mined in many

A
bu Dhabi is at the forefront of change and is
building a city that will run entirely on solar
power, recycled waste, and other new age power, innovative ways:
and it will not allow cars in this city. The premise
• Solar thermal farms concentrate the sun’s heat with mir-
is that fossil fuels belongs to the previous century,
rors to create power, and this may be the way for Eskom to
and that the city of the future will be zero-carbon
boost its electricity reserves without burning any more of
and zero-waste, and that the main power source will be the sun, a
that dirty sulphur leaden coal (the sun does not play
natural resource that mankind has been ignoring for centuries,
favourites – it gives all of humanity its warmth and poten-
but is available 12 hours a day, free of charge. It is true that the
tial power!)
initial costs of Masdar (the name for this city) will be higher than
a traditional city, but once built it will comprise 1 500 business- • Photovoltaic plants use silicone cells to turn sunlight
es, 50 000 residents, and 40 000 commuters, and these corporate directly into electricity, and this is a technology that still
and private citizens will consume 75% less electricity and 60% has a long way to go, and when it becomes ubiquitous it
less water than older and badly planned cities. Masdar means can provide the world with carbon-free power
“source” in Arabic, which in years to come will prove to be entire-
ly prescient, as this city will be the source of inspiration and the • Solar-powered desalination plants can be used to provide
pioneering source for the environmentally friendly cities of the potable water for all the sea facing cities around the world
future. The city will not be just a showpiece; it will
be home to a green-tech research institute, and the
city will also serve as a laboratory to test carbon-
free products and alternative energy ideas. The
one question that is still to be answered is whether
smoking will be allowed within the city limits?

72 October 2009

Coshed in Klerksdorp
P
artinform is fun. Partinform is a must to attend, and
Partinform is a great forum to network in a relaxed
informal environment, with munchy food and nour-
ishing drink to wash it down and a chance to win
some really useful prizes. Partinform is also serious,
and for those in the aftermarket who tend not to look at the
aspects of safety, quality, technology and value for money, and
their responsibility to their customers, Partinform can be a reality
check. Thus, it would not be remiss to say that for those dabbling
in low priced poor quality product in the KOSH (Klerksdorp,
Orkney, Stilfontein, Hartbeesfontein) area, a visit to Partinform
would have been the equivalence of running into a firmly held
cosh. Klerksdorp is the biggest town in the gold mining area of
KOSH, and it is named after the first landdrost in the area, one
74
Howard Keeg follows the action
Jacob de Clerq. This area serves the needs of a large slice of North
West motorists, and thus was deemed important enough for a
visit by Partinform, the information arm of AAMA (Automotive
Aftermarket Manufacturers Association). Partinform promotes
local brands and disseminates the vital message of quality, safety
and value for money to all corners of the country through its tried
and tested mini-trade show format, by getting face to face with
the resellers and end users in the rural areas and emerging mar-
kets. The focus is on educating the industry on the different qual-
ity levels of the automotive parts that are available in this country,
and the ancillary aspect of warranty and technical support, which
with the introduction of the Consumer Protection Bill in 2010,
assumes a huge role for the future. ABR gives its readers a mon-
tage indicating the good vibe at the show:
October 2009

The name is Murphy, Colin Murphy.
Colin Murphy, Chairman of Partinform,
reminded the audience of the importance of
the Consumer Protection Bill, and the addi-
tional responsibility of parts resellers and fit-
ters to meet the needs of the modern
motorist in times of recession, and to keep
their vehicles in pristine condition. People
are holding on to their cars for longer, and
they have demonstrated their commitment
to maintaining their cars, and the onus rests
on the shoulders of the aftermarket industry
to provide superior levels of service to these
motorists – and a critical aspect of this serv-
ice is to provide branded, quality product
with the concomitant support in technical
back up and warranty support.

A new face at Partinform was that of Jayaprakash

(JP) Divakaran, Business Manager South Africa &
Southern & East Africa, Adhesive Technologies,
Henkel South Africa (Pty) Ltd. JP, a 20 year veter-
an at Henkel, told ABR that he comes to South
Africa after eight years in Dubai handling a similar
portfolio for Henkel’s Middle East and North Africa
area, encompassing 13 countries. Henkel achieved
400% growth in the Middle East over the past five
years, and JP is hoping to make analogous progress
in South Africa. The Teroson brand, a market
leader for Henkel worldwide, will play a major role
in these plans, and JP is holding a can of Teroson
brake & clutch cleaner, which has some great prop-
erties. More on this in future issues of ABR.

October 2009 75
 Jackie Wiid of KCC Engine
Rebuilders was the happy winner
of the Forza Racing Ferrari Track
Experience, which will take place
at the Zwartkops Race Track on
Friday 19th November 2009. Four
other lucky winners will be drawn
at the Port Elizabeth Partinform
on the 13th October 2009. These
winners will truly deserve this
prize, as they will have been part
of the readers who responded to
ABR’s Competition Corner since
the beginning of the year. A big
thank you for the impressive
response, and well done in advance
to the fortunate four, and bad luck
to the hundreds who did not have
the luck of the draw. Better luck
next year.

There were hordes of photographers

at the event.

76 October 2009
 Corporate Conscience

Building a Brand on Positive

Energy
Recently, the Pretoria chapter of the YPO* hosted Judge Mervyn
King, to allow him to dispense his words of wisdom on corporate gov-
ernance. It was the astute observations by the learned judge that
gave Patrick Latouche, C.E.O of Sparepro, pause to reflect on how
Sparepro measures up against other companies, big and small.

C
orporate governance encompasses
many things which would require
many tomes of dry prose to fully
explore, so for the sake of brevity Patrick
Latouche distils its essence into the fact
that in today’s enlightened times business is
no longer just about making money, or get-
ting the best possible return on investment
in the short term. The financial aspect is
still vital for the sustainability of a business,
but nowadays two additional pillars of pro-
bity are seen as equally important. The sec-
ond pillar is that of a social conscience,
which Andrew Carnegie recognised a cen-
tury ago, but only became mainstream less
than fifty years back. The third pillar of
environmental awareness and proactive
behaviour is extremely broad but has come
frighteningly onto the radar in the past two
decades, and who knows where this aspect
will eventually end up in the big scheme of
things. On this premise, Patrick asked him-
self a single question, “Where does
Sparepro fit into this dynamic?”
Using examples quoted by Judge King,
Patrick cites two large multinationals who
exemplify the modern approach, and
examples of their reaction to regional or
behavioural problems, and the conversion
of these challenges into opportunities, and
transforming a negative into a positive.
Coca-Cola, a brand builder of note for the
past 100 years, had a bottling plant in India
that was denuding the immediate environ-
ment of its potable and irrigation water,
and this was generating negative publicity
over and above the impact on the local
population. Rather than close the plant
down, which would have been the easy way
out, Coca-Cola redesigned the plant to use
recycled water, and now is lauded for con-
tributing to the regional economy and con-
tinuing to employ the locals whilst not neg-
atively impacting the environment – and
good for business. The second example is
that of Proctor and Gamble developing a
bio-degradable disposable nappy, which
shall be shortly on the shelves, and thus
allowing young mothers to continue their
throw away lifestyle whilst at the same time
solving the serious waste problems that
were arising from millions upon millions of
non-disposable nappies accumulating on
dump sites. Sparepro may not be as big as
these giants, but it is a microcosm of what
business is all about, and its report card is
first class. From a financial perspective,
2009 has been a good year by any measure-
ment, be it margins, stock turn, debtors
ageing, liquidity position, transparency,
you name it. But what really excites Patrick
is that in the area of social conscience,
Sparepro is ahead of the game, and that the
change came from within. Sparepro’s social
initiatives revolve around handicapped
children, disadvantaged women and the
elderly, and these sterling activities have
been well documented in previous issues of
ABR. On the environmental front,
Sparepro has begun to beautify its sur-
roundings, and has many plans in the
pipeline. The Sparepro building is going to
get a facelift in the coming year, and
unutilised land will be cleared to allow for
the planting of fruit and vegetables, with
each patch and each tree the responsibility
of individuals and departments. This is all
designed to wake up the consciousness, and
to encourage a commitment to an individ-
ual’s environment, be it business, family,
friends, community, etc. The bottom line is
to support the Sparepro/Toni brand with
positive energy. Sparepro wants its cus-
tomers to buy the Toni brand not because
of price only, not because of quality only,
but because of the perception of overall
value. Value throughout the supply chain,
value through relationships, value through
a corporate and social commitment.
Patrick strongly believes that the customer
of tomorrow will buy on perception, not
price, and will support a business on the
basis of a set of values, and the package that
the business and its brands represent. In
other words, the customer will support a
business with heart and soul. Patrick gets
immense satisfaction in the fact that he sees
on a daily basis the change in the people in
the organisation, and he is driven to up the
game, and to take Sparepro even further
along the corporate conscience curve.
* YPO is the acronym for the Young
Presidents’ Organisation, a group of some
20 000 leaders across 100 countries, a
fraternity of achievers sharing, growing and
giving back. Price Govender, the founder of
Sparepro, is a member of this exclusive organ-
isation.

Answers From page 62

1. Stanley Anderson 11. Ferry Porsche (son of Ferdinand)
2. Hyundai 12. Swiss
3. Continental 13. John Surtees
4. Benz Velo 14. Hergen Fekken and Johnny Gemmel
5. Jem Marsh and Frank Costin of Cosworth 15. Bill France
6. Jody Scheckter 16. Ken Howe
7. Buick 17. Herbie
8. Indianapolis 18. South Africa (in 1904)
9. Glassport Motors 19. Two hours
10. Enzo Ferrari 20. Audi
78
October 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

CLARE VALE –RSF ROAD

SAFETY AMBASSADOR
The Road Safety Foundation has excitedly and proudly
announced that Clare Vale, South Africa’s only female
driving in the Wesbank V8 Supercar Series, has accepted
the invitation to become a Road Safety Ambassador. In
her role as Road Safety Ambassador Clare will be creating
awareness about the road safety challenges in South Africa
and offer education and advice, which is vital to change
the road safety situation in South Africa. One of the main
focus areas will be road safety awareness among female
road users under the banner of Women in Road Safety, a
forum of the RSF. "We need to get the right messages to
road users and through our Road Safety Ambassadors we
will be able to extend our reach. We look forward to
working with Clare and sharing her expertise with
SA road users.” said RSF Director, Petro Kruger. “Road
safety is an issue of critical importance in South Africa,”
said Clare. “I’m totally committed to supporting the RSF
and I am looking forward to making a contribution in any
way I can.” Contact: Petro Kruger – 083 386 6963
Dirk Vale - 0792174072

Down, but not out

Emperor’s Palace was the location of a breakfast presen-
tation, hosted by Hulamin, from Cees Bruggermans,
chief economist at First National Bank, on
22 September. The presentation focused on the recent,
and still prevalent, economic crisis. Refreshingly
however, Bruggermans did not speak about how bad
things have been, how bad they still are and how tough
they are going to be to fix. Instead, the true reasons
behind the crisis were revealed, as was the path to reco-
very. A common misconception is that the sub-prime
lending plan and Lehman Brothers’ subsequent bank-
ruptcy were the cause of the recession. This was in fact
merely a sign of things to come – the recession had
already begun. “This was the real moment of truth,”
noted Bruggermans. “On Monday Lehman went bank-
rupt, and on Thursday the treasury was asked for $700
billion.” This led to panic, and as Bruggermans joked,
“When we panic, we do it in style.” Everyone expected
the entire collapse of the word economy and prepared for the worst, but thanks to Ben Bernanke,
governor of the Federal Reserve Bank, the worst did not happen. Actions were taken to restore the
lost faith in the world economy. Bank guarantees restored trust, arranged takeovers restored sys-
tem stability, new capital injection improved solvability and collapsing the interest rates led to
improved credit. While we are still reeling from the blow of the crisis, it is, essentially, over. It
won’t be plain sailing from here, but we are past the worst. “It is actually very difficult to destroy
the international financial system,” stated Bruggermans. Many people try to come up with new
methods of making money, and while some will work, some will not. This means that during an
economic crisis, particularly one as severe as the world has just experienced, these newer methods
will fall away. “The stress-tested, residual innovations from the past thousand years are what you
are left with,” he illustrated. So here we are, on the other side, left with a damaged, but still func-
tioning economy. There’s some damaged pride too, but expect more on this next month, because
as we all know, Life Goes On.

October 2009 79
 Hogg’s Wash - by Gilbert Hogg

We are the champions,

we are the champions,
we are the world
I don’t know whether anyone else has picked up on this, but the second that Alastair
Cook took the catch on the 23rd August 2009, for England to regain the Ashes, anoth-
er milestone, of far bigger import, was being recorded in the annals of world sport. At
that second, South Africa went to the top of the ICC cricket test championship log, to
go with their top spot in the ICC limited over internationals rankings. Add to this the
fact that the Springboks are on top of the pecking order in the IRB world rankings for
test rugby and they are also the current IRB Sevens World Series champs, and some-
thing unique is definitely on the go. I doubt whether this has ever happened before, and
maybe it will never happen again that one nation holds all four titles simultaneously.
Wow, quite a feat, particularly if you consider the poor bunch of administrators our
players have to endure, and the international bias we also have to contend with. I
attach a Zapiro cartoon that one of my readers sent to me via the internet, and a story
on the Supersport website, which was written by Dan Retief and appeared on 26 August
2009. Both of these get the message across far better than anything I could cook up.

Justice my other foot!

“
To say that I am pissed off about the
IRB’s decision to find the
Springboks and SA Rugby guilty of
bringing the game into disrepute is
only because I can’t come up with a
stronger expression. The IRB’s so-called
Independent Committee, chaired by Sir
John Hansen of New Zealand with Judge
Guillermo Tragant of Argentina and for-
mer Wallaby captain John Eales, has
played it by the book and in the process let
down one of rugby’s great figures, John
Smit, and the game itself. In the course of
a “judgment” running to some 35 pages
the trio have left SA Rugby with little
room to manoeuvre with dire threats of
how the penalties could have been greater
and how South Africa’s world champions
were at risk of being banned (although a
subsequent passage revealed that such a
sanction would have been suspended)
from the next World Cup tournament.
The committee “expressly found that on
the merits of the case the actions of SARU,
its players and team management brought
the game into disrepute, criticised the judi-
cial process and was (therefore) miscon-
duct. “The committee separately noted
such misconduct to be serious in nature
and commented that ‘there has been no
formal apology, acknowledgement, contri-
tion or clarification from either the players
or the SARU themselves.’ “The independ-
ent committee made it very clear in its rul-
ing that the playing arena is no place for
protest and that the wearing of the arm-
bands showed a serious lack of respect and
consideration for their opponents. It was
clear that if players choose to wear on their
uniforms armbands or other emblems
which bring the game into disrepute, then
they have breached that Regulation [11].
“The committee criticised SARU because
they allowed the game and the IRB to be
brought into disrepute by not only failing
to attempt to prevent this protest, but by
approving of it and effectively consenting
to conduct which was prejudicial to the
best interests of the IRB and of the game.”
The Hansen committee has thus chosen to
look at the armband incident in isolation
and not delve into the reasons for it occur-
ring. It is a classic case of treating the
symptom and not the cause because
Messrs Hansen, Tragant and Eales elected,
copping out in my opinion, to ignore the
reason for the Springboks resorting to their
protest. In so doing they failed to heed a
heartfelt message from the world’s most-
capped captain and one of the most-
capped and most-decorated squads of
players in history. The Springboks are not
some two-bit little outfit from the back-
woods. They are the current world cham-
pions and are No 1 on the IRB’s ranking
list. For them (and the union they repre-
sent) to decide to show dissent in a way
they probably knew would lead to tumult
in the oval world’s corridors of power in
Dublin surely deserved greater considera-
tion. The amount of capital letters the IRB
affords itself and its functionaries in all its
communiqués is revealing of the kind of
stuck-up organisation it is and it is guilty
of shooting the messenger, in this case SA
Rugby and the Springboks, rather than
paying heed to a Problem that is Seriously
bringing The Game into Disrepute. The
IRB’s disciplinary process is a mess that
delivers inconsistent and flawed outcomes
almost on a weekly basis. Not only is the
judicial system out of step with the ethos
of the game it purports to protect and rep-
resent but it does not enjoy the support
and confidence of the players and the pub-
lic at large. The Springboks deciding to
make a stand on Bakkies Botha being sus-
pended for an action that takes place
numerous times in almost any senior game
played around the world was not some
knee-jerk by the squad but the result of
frustration at inequities visited on them
over many seasons. To even link John
Smit’s name to the phrase “bringing the
game into disrepute” is an insult that can-
not be allowed to stand. The Springbok
captain has suffered severely and unfairly
at the hands of officialdom – Paul Honiss
telling him to have a chat to his players at

80 October 2009
 Hogg’s Wash
Lansdowne Road and allowing Ronan O’Gara to score
a try while the Boks’ backs were turned; being unjustly
severely punished with a six-week ban when, while in
possession of the ball, his hand-off made contact with
French captain Jerome Thion’s throat at the Stade de
France; Brad Thorn up-ending him in a spear tackle in
which he was injured at Eden Park and then receiving a
suspension of only one week and the punishment
meted out to Bakkies Botha for a rugby action while
Andrew Sheridan escaped any censure whatsoever for
aiming punches at Andries Bekker’s testicles. There have
been many other incidents in the course of Smit’s long
career in which the scales of justice have been weighted
against his team or one or another of his teammates.
Given wiser council the Springboks might have decided
not to wear the armbands but the steps taken and the
language used by the IRB is a raging disgrace. How dis-
appointing that the much respected John Eales, who in
my estimation was the kind of captain John Smit is, has
lent his name to such calumny. The great pity is that
Louis Luyt is not still the president of SARU because

”
boy would they have had a fight on their hands!

What’s the Buzz?

INACCURATE TYRE GAUGES COST MONEY

Inaccurate tyre gauges could be costing you money and risking your safety. This is the message from
Romano Daniels, Bridgestone South Africa’s General Manager of Group Communications and
Marketing. “Inflating your tyres to the correct pressures ensures you get the best lifespan and safety out
of your tyres,” said Daniels. “If your tyres are over-inflated, they wear faster in the middle, shortening
tyre life and also reducing traction. Underinflated tyres wear excessively on the shoulders, and also build
up excess heat which could cause a blowout,” he added. He said that many tyre gauges at filling stations
were old or not properly calibrated, leading motorists to set their tyre pressures incorrectly. He recom-
mended that motorists buy their own tyre gauges to ensure their safety and maximise tyre life. “A good
portable tyre pressure gauge can be purchased for under R200, a small investment compared to the cost
of a set of tyres,” explained Daniels. “A really top-class gauge such as those used by motor-racing teams
will cost more, possibly over R500, but will last for many years. There is no doubt that the increased tyre life and safety you will enjoy will more than
repay the purchase price,” he said. He recommended that motorists keep the tyre gauge in the car and check their tyre pressures weekly. He said that
tyre pressures should always be checked when cold. “The best way is to slightly over-inflate your tyres at your closest garage on the way home in the
evening,” he said. “Then check the pressures the next morning when the tyres are cold, and deflate them to the correct pressures using an accurate tyre
gauge.” Daniels said that this would give spot-on tyre pressures, especially important with the upcoming rainy season. “The tread on tyres disperses
water in wet weather. Correct tyre pressures play a major part in ensuring the tread pattern makes correct contact with the road surface as the tyre
manufacturer intended, improving your safety,” he concluded.

OGILVY CAPE TOWN’S TV COMMERCIAL

Answers WITH RONALDO AND CASTROL IS
NOTHING SHORT OF A VICTORY
From p 21 In what may be Ogilvy Cape Town’s most prestigious international
celebrity TV shoot, the local agency has used Cristiano Ronaldo to cre-
ate a Castrol EDGE commercial to be flighted across the world from
September this year. The commercial, created for BP Lubricants UK
Ltd, emphasises both Ronaldo and the oil’s ability to perform under
extreme conditions. This ad follows in the footsteps of Ogilvy Cape
Town’s recent Sun International ad with Charlize Theron. In the com-
mercial Ronaldo demonstrates his ability to play football in extreme
hot and cold weather conditions and then matches this to the oil’s
capacity to do the same. “While the glamour of shooting overseas with
Cristiano Ronaldo is undeniably seductive, more exciting is the fact
that we’re developing global work for a global brand from Ogilvy Cape
Town,” says Gavin Levinsohn, Ogilvy Cape Town Managing Director.
FIFA’s 2008 World Footballer of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo, is a
brand ambassador for Castrol and a natural fit for a youthful oil brand
such as Castrol EDGE. Like the oil, Ronaldo is able to perform under
harsh and varied conditions.

October 2009 81
 Fast Wheels
FORMULA 1 HEADING
FOR A CRACKING FINISH
Despite the efforts of part-time stewards at the Grands Prix trying
to mess up the races, the Formula 1 season with four or five races
to go, depending on when you are reading this, looks like it is head-
ing for another grand stand finish as we had in 2008 in Brazil.
W
e have had late charges from Mark
Webber, despite a drive through penalty,
winning his first Grand Prix in
Germany, Lewis Hamilton, the reigning
champion taking Hungary, veteran
Rubens Barricello getting his first Grand
Prix win in five years on that awful Valencia Circuit in Spain.
Then Kimi Raikkonen got Ferrari’s first win this year at Spa in
Belgium despite great pressure. Never mind those four, what about
Fisichella racing his Force India car using Mercedes Benz power
being fastest in Belgium in the Ardennes Forest and finishing on
the tail of Kimi.
You just can’t predict who is going to win these days. Bookies must
be losing a fortune. Massa getting hit by a spring off fellow
Brazilian Barricello’s Brawn brought in Luca Badoer, a faithful
Ferrari employee and test driver, who hasn’t driven a Grand Prix
car for eleven months, thanks to the FIA testing rules. He is a great
tester but a rusty GP driver.
They could also have had a choice of proven drivers like Nelson
Piquet Jnr fired by Renault whilst playing a junior role as team-
mate to Alonso, Sebastian Bordais (four-time American champi-
on) and a few others who could all shape in a team like Ferrari.
Some people even say that the Michael Schumacher come-back
was engineered by F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, to up flagging
ticket sales on the featureless Spanish harbour circuit.
Could it be fans thought that Fisichella going to drive in place of
Badoer in the Ferrari at Monza was another such plot? He was in
fact staying put after giving Force India a great win and the best
result they have had in their short history in GP racing. In the end,
true to rumour, he went to Ferrari and is staying until the final race
in Brazil. Maybe Force India still owes for the Ferrari V8’s they
used in 2008. Who knows. Liuzzi jumped into the Force India
seat. There was even talk of Alonso getting into the red fire-engine
as he was rumoured to be into the Ferrari line up for next year.
Anyway, despite this merry go round, the Formula 1 season has
had more highs than lows. Brawn GP led the way with six out of
seven wins to start the year. Vettel and Webber also surprised and
the Red Bull Team became a real threat using Renault engines.
Then there was a late come-back of McLaren and Ferrari.
Hopefully Brawn GP is working on getting heat into their tyres on
wet and dry roads so as to continue where Button and Barrichello
left off so they can pull off both titles – Drivers and Manufacturers.
Only the Manufacturers really care about the second one.
I love the bit about the FIM investigating Alonso winning the
Singapore GP after he gained a good few positions when he pitted
82
by Roger McCleery
for fuel first and came out at the back of the field. His team-mate,
Nelson Piquet Jnr then crashed into the wall which brought out
the safety car. All the others dived for the pits as Alonso went to
the front of the pack and took his first Grand Prix in a few years.
Who actually cares about the 2008 Championship? It is done and
dusted. Once again all this officialdom seems to rear its head to try
and reduce the entertainment and excitement value that Formula
1 GP Racing should have.
Also Renault could get the hell-in as all Manufacturers constantly
threaten in motor sport and withdraw. Next year engines must last
longer. There is no stopping for fuel. I just hope this is not going
to be another economy run as we saw in the Prost days with driv-
ers slowing and dropping places in an effort to finish or actually
running out of fuel altogether. Carrying 200 litres of gas in a light-
weight motor car is no joke for the drivers.
With two more teams joining the pack the one hour final practice
on Saturday will change. The slowest eight drivers will each drop
out of the first and second session leaving ten drivers to fight out
the final ten minute session for pole. That really should make our
Saturday afternoons watching practice the most exciting viewing of
the weekend.
The minimum weight of the cars is going up by 15 kilos to 620
kgs to incorporate the fitting of the KERS system which gives
another 80 hp for a few seconds. Funnily enough the teams said
they are not going to fit this systems anyway. The points awarded
for 1st to 8th stay the same.
Let’s hope this all works out to provide us with as good racing as
we actually see here in South Africa in our local motor racing.
Racing-wise ours is better. Promotion-wise, Formula 1 has got it
wrapped up around the world.
Rumour has it that Toyota, a team that has been run by their Board
Room from the start, will join Honda and BMW and depart the
scene. Not a bad idea maybe if you look at their results. Forecast
is that Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Renault and maybe Toyota will sup-
ply the 2.4 litre V8 engines in future.
October 2009
 The Last Writes by Baron Claude Borlz

A selection of light hearted humour sourced from

my readers and other publications that also try to
lighten up our days …
This one was in the Did You Hear page of the Financial
Mail of 4 September 2009, and is worth repeating:
Klein Piet comes down to breakfast, and since they live on
the farm, his mother asks if he has done his chores, because
he will only get his breakfast after they are done. A little
ticked off; he goes to feed the chickens, cows and pigs, giving
them all a kick in frustration. He gets back to find that break-
fast consists of a bowl of dry cereal. “How come I don’t get
any eggs and bacon? And why no milk in my cereal?” he asks.
His mother explains that she saw him kicking a chicken, a
cow and a pig. “As punishment, no eggs for a week, no milk
for a week, and no bacon for a week” she explains. Just then,
his father comes down for breakfast and kicks the pussycat as
he walks into the kitchen. Piet looks at his mother with a
smirk, and says, “Are you going to tell him, or should I?”
A husband walks into Victoria's Secret to purchase some see-through
lingerie for his wife. He is shown several possibilities that range from
R250 to R1500 in price, the more see-through, the higher the price.
He opts for the sheerest item, pays the R1500 and takes the lingerie
home. He presents it to his wife and asks her to go upstairs, put it
on and model it for him. Upstairs, the wife thinks, "I have an idea.
It's so see-through that it might as well be nothing. I'll not put it on,
do the modelling naked and return it tomorrow and get a R1500
refund for myself. So she appears naked at the top of the stairs and
strikes a pose. The husband says, "Good Grief! You'd think for
R1500, they'd at least iron it!" His funeral is this Thursday.

An Epiphany
A man met a beautiful blonde lady and decided he wanted to marry
her right away. She said, "But we don't know anything about each
other." He said, "That's all right, we'll learn about each other as we
go along." So she consented, they were married, and off they went on
a honeymoon at a very nice resort. One morning they were lying by
the pool when he got up off of his towel, climbed up to the 10 metre
board and did two and a half tuck, followed by three rotations in the
pike position, at which point he straightened out and cut the water
like a knife. After a few more demonstrations, he came back and lay
down on the towel... She said, "That was incredible!" He said, "I used
to be an Olympic diving champion. You see, I told you we'd learn
more about each other as we went along." So she got up, jumped in
the pool, and started doing laps. After seventy-five laps she climbed
out of the pool, lay down on her towel, and was hardly out of breath.
He said, "That was incredible! Were you an Olympic endurance
Spring has Sprung swimmer?" "No," she said, "I was a prostitute in Vereeniging, but
I worked both sides of the Vaal Dam."

SPRINGBOK Citings update:

Following Jaque Fourie's four-week ban for knocking over
little Ma'a Nonu on Saturday, the Sanzar citing committee
has confirmed several further citings: Fourie du Preez has
been banned for six weeks for 'looking at Dan Carter in an
aggressive manner thatmight have hurt Carter's feelings',
while Schalk Burger has received eight weeks for 'deliber-
ately entering successive rucks with an untucked shirt, and
a general sartorial approach detrimental to the spirit of the
game'. Meanwhile, video evidence showing Richie McCaw
pulling a knife on Heinrich Brussow to secure the ball in an
early maul has been dismissed by Sanzar, with McCaw
applauded for 'creative approach to the contest'.......Sanzar
biased against the Boks? Never.

October 2009 83