LIMPOPO
June 2022
P3 Time to Rally
P6 Ferrari’s back on form
P8 Celebrating a Decade
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CONTENTS ISSUE 03 | JUNE 2022
Personeel | Personnel
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Office: 064 650 7123 Redakteur / Editor Joe Dreyer 072 930 1462 joe@farnorthbulletin.co.za Joernaliste / Journalists Roelof de Jonge 078 672 7306 roelof@farnorthbulletin.co.za Ontwerp / Design Tessa Thompson 079 653 6317 tessa@farnorthbulletin.co.za
Kantoor: 015 306 0198 Bemarking / Marketing Riaan Barnard
063 465 1524 riaan@farnorthbulletin.co.za Chrizelle Dreyer 082 628 4181 chrizelle@farnorthbulletin.co.za Admin / Finance admin@farnorthbulletin.co.za Drukker/Printer: Novus Print
Verspreiding | Distribution Tzaneen • Haenertsburg • Modjadjiskloof • Mooketsi Letsitele • Gravelotte • Lenyenye • Nkowankowa Phalaborwa • Hoedspruit
Kontak besonderhede Contact Details
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10 Aqua Ave, Aqua Park, Tzaneen, 0850 Posbus/P O Box 3838, Tzaneen, 0850. Tel: 015 306 0198 063 465 1524 (Riaan) • 072 930 1462 (Joe) Copyright © 2021 Far North Bulletin All rights reserved. No part of this publication (including editorial, artwork and layout) may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission by Far North Bulletin.
Jimny gets a new sibling Suzuki has increased the appeal of its Jimny range with the introduction of a mid-range GL specification level. Designed to bring many of the must-have luxuries of the GLX to a wider audience, the GL slots in just above the utilitarian GA model and brings with it the option of an automatic transmission to the mid-range buyer. In response to this demand, and in partnership with its Japanese Head Office and Indian manufacturing facility, Suzuki Auto South Africa has created the GL range. Viewed from outside, the GL shares many of its GLX sibling’s features. Among these are the hardened offroad ready alloy wheels, finished in a smoky chrome trim and with an alloy-equipped full-size spare wheel. It also shares the flagship’s front fog lights in the squaredoff front bumper. The GL will also be available with a choice of all body colours and the two-tone paint option, where the roof is finished in a contrasting colour to the rest of the body. Inside the Jimny is where the GL answers all the questions posed by mid-range customers. The model is available with the choice of either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, air conditioning and power steering as standard. Also standard in the GL are electric windows, electrically adjustable mirrors and a Suzuki audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and steering wheel controls.
Suzuki has also added a 50:50 split rear bench seat and remote central locking as standard. Unlike all other compact lifestyle SUVs, the Jimny is categorised as a full-blooded 4x4. All Jimny models are fitted with a 1.5 litre petrol engine with variable valve timing and multi-point injection that delivers 75kW at 6 000rpm and 130Nm of torque at 4 000rpm. This engine, code-named K15B, consumes according to the manufacturer 6.3 litres per 100km for the manual model and 6.8 litres for the four-speed automatic version. All models are fitted with a ladder frame chassis, rigid axles in the front and rear with a three-link suspension system and a fully mechanical low range transfer case. The Jimny is further fitted with a ball-screw steering system that allows for direct steering and good feedback, which protects the driver from sudden jerks and jolts that result from heavy-duty off-roading. All Jimny models are also equipped with Suzuki’s pop-
Suzuki Auto South Africa has created the GL range
ular AllGrip system, which utilises the brakes and electronic stability control unit to drive or brake individual wheels in extremely technical off-road situations. All the Jimny models have Hill Descent Control, which electronically controls the engine and brakes during steep descents, allowing the driver to focus on steering inputs. Suzuki Auto South Africa will also partner with its global parent company and affiliates across the world to support rhino conservation in South Africa and across the continent.
National rallying finally heading back to Tzaneen Local motorsport fanatics will be ecstatic to hear that the organisers of the 2022 NTT Tzaneen National Rally motorsport event are currently hard at work planning for this national motorsports event. The event is set to take place over one of the weekends in August. After years of absence from the National Rally Championship calendar, Limpopo and in particular Tzaneen is back on the map. Far North Bulletin’s Wheels & Deals team had a chat with rally director Theuns Viljoen and the rally’s secretary, Evan Saayman, who is a new vehicle and Hino sales executive at NTT Toyota Tzaneen. “Because the event will be hosted in Tzaneen and surrounding areas, we would really like to involve the community. We are planning to host promotions where people stand a chance to win sponsored prizes prior to the rally,” said Viljoen. “The Tzaneen Show Terrain will be the central point for the crews to service their vehicles during the rally, which means over the two days the cars will be entering and leaving town all the time which will be great for the spectators,” said Saayman. With the Tzaneen Show Terrain as the central service point throughout the rally, Viljoen and Saayman plan to invite local informal traders like Riana de Wet from Riana’s Pancake Den, Letaba Rugby Club with its established Bosbok Bar and catering facility, will also be involved to further help create a festive atmosphere. Saayman is in talks with Toyota South Africa who have agreed to make a range of its exciting Toyota GR (Gazoo Racing) models like the latest hot hatch, the GR Yaris, available for demonstration over the two days. Some of these GR high performance models are rare finds. The popular Tzaneen Dam and Canal stages will be included in the rally and there are a couple of exciting routes planned for the Agatha stages. It seems the daunting ‘mineshaft’ stage in the area of the shooting range will also be included. The organisers plan to bring the action closer to the people, with two stages planned to run in town. The one stage planned for the evening, might be unique to the rally championship. The organisers are looking at the possibility of hosting the stage with the vehicles racing through the NTT Toyota Tzaneen workshop. Not only will this idea bring another form of excitement to the
event, but the ambient sound of the cars thundering through a mechanical workshop would be music to the ears of any motorsport enthusiast. The other stage planned for Tzaneen will be held around the area of the Star Spars, NTT Tzaneen Toyota and Tzaneen Show Terrain. So, what can local residents expect when the rally circus arrives later in August? The 2022 South African Rally Championship crews will be running on MRF Motorsport Tyres and is officially known as the MRF Motorsport National Rally Championship. To start the most exciting rally season in years, the Cape Overberg Rally comprised the opening two rounds of the 2022 championship. But there’s far more to it, with 25 entries in for the opening round, new machinery for former champions and the champion driver and navigator up against each other as the sport enters a new era. The 2021 SA Rally Driver’s Champion, Theuns Joubert, now has the hugely experienced Schalk van Heerden reading his notes in the NRC1 Salom Arbeid Toyota Yaris.
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Former national champions champions Guy Botteril and Simon Vacy-Lyle in their new NRC1 class GR Toyota Starlet rally car was bogged with niggling problems in the two opening rounds SA Rally championship as is the case with new race cars.
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Next generation racing marks new era in motorsport The world is becoming more environmental conscious with special attention to curb pollution caused amongst others by emissions from anything that uses fuel. The motor industry has over the last decade spend huge amounts of money in developing electric driven vehicles. It was just a matter of time before manufacturers of electrical, hybrid and hydrogen driven vehicles entered the motorsport fray to further develop and enhance these green technologies to ensure a cleaner and less polluted environment. The FIA, the governing body of international motor racing, has since launched the e-Grand Prix series, with a host of manufacturers getting on board like Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Mahindra and Nissan to mention a few. Now a new generation of electric racing, e-racing is the term used for electrified race cars, have been established. The first ever race for the inaugural eSkootr Championship was recently concluded which marks a new era and generation of racing action. The S1-X eSkootr is at the heart of the eSC Championship. It is powered by the cutting edge of micromobility technology and represents the future of sustainable personal transport. Throughout the history of motorsport, competition has led to innovation. The eSkootr Championship is the latest step in the story of technology transferred from the racetrack to the road. With the advancement of micro-mobility, the first iterations of the S1-X concept were developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering. In the earliest remit of the electric scooter, at the forefront was a mission to open the sport up to all by keeping the barrier to entry low. After a series of simulations and discussions the first specification of the S1-X appeared. The first iteration of the S1-X was a ‘mule’ vehicle that debuted on the test track in August 2020. By trialing riders of different heights, one of the first steps was to find the optimum position of the handlebars. Through a number of test days the riders all defaulted to a single position, which defined the main architecture and geometry of the S1-X. After the first prototype, a new collaborative partnership began with YCOM who accelerated the production and development of the S1-X. YCOM brought to the eSC their experience in using a composite fibre for the S1-X’s bodywork based on flax, an organic, grass-like material. Lightweight and durable like carbon fibre, this sustainable product fitted with the eSkootr Championship’s sustainability credentials. The S1-X scooter utilises two compact 6kW electric motors combined with a 1.5kWh lithium-ion battery, housed underneath the footplate. Approximately 80% of the volume is consumed by the battery, while the rest of the chassis internals are filled with the power electronics to control the motors, known as the SCU or Scooter Control Unit. The two customised hub motors are connected to each wheel and produce 18-19hp leading to a top speed of at least 100km/h. For safety reasons, the battery has been designed around a low voltage architecture at a peak of 60V and 120 amps. Dry ice helps reduce the tem-
Eskootr racing
perature of the battery between races through thermal conduction to eliminate the need for cooling fans and pumps. Weight: The S1-X weighs 33kg which is increased to 41kg when the battery is installed. The addition of broadcast cameras is expected to take overall weight to 42.5kg. However, one of the dominant factors in the overall mass window is the rider plus their safety equipment, they are also a consideration in terms of drag and the option to balance performance through software control is an option for the future. Controls and mapping: The twist throttle on the right-hand side mirrors a motorbike. The thumb throttle typical to normal escooters was also tested and riders preferred the former, which also includes mapping buttons for the front wheel. The mapping presets control the SCU to offer different power delivered to each motor, with five maps for each available in total. This functionality allows the rider and their engineer to finesse differing riding styles. For example, one map setting might deliver more power to the front wheel out of a slower corner to offer greater straight-line speed. Boost button: Similar to the power boosts available in other categories of motorsport, each rider is allowed an extra 20% boost of power from the battery for a burst of speed. By pressing and holding the boost button a timer records the length of time boost is deployed. This will be capped by a time limit which will be decided by the Race Director. The length of time will roll-over across the heats to enable an extra strategic dimension to the racing. Tyres: Through a partnership with PMT Tyres, a durable but raceable construction has been developed from their intermediate range. With a small tread pattern, it was designed to enable the 11-inch diameter tyre to perform in both wet and dry weather, which is not currently the case for normal escooters. The tyre regulations will allow the rider to have six sets per weekend, three of each compound, soft and hard. The white eSC labelled tyres are the softer and the yellow labelled tyres are harder. Riders have the option to run one compound on the front and a different compound on the rear if they choose.
Vehicles can be a deadly weapon for unproven drivers Wheels & Deals visited Tzaneen’s own established advanced driving instructor, Theuns Viljoen, at his Driving Dynamics Academy (DDA) facility situated at the Tzaneen Show Terrain. Viljoen who has an abundance of driving experience and who competed in numerous race cars in rally events across South Africa, shared the importance of understanding the basics of your car. And to be prepared for situations ahead in the road before getting behind the wheel and set off on into the distance. “It is actually shocking that there are people who get behind the wheel of their vehicles without any knowledge of the basics of the car they are going to drive. If you don’t know what the purpose of the various parts on car is for, is their no way you can prepare yourself for a situation. Especially when something happens suddenly on the road, and you need to react within a split second.” Part of the offering at DDA, the actual driving later in the course is where the fun starts, is the theory session. Here Viljoen explains the basic layout of a vehicle. “There are so many people driving cars on the road without having any knowledge what the purpose of the various items on their vehicles are. A car is like a tool, but if you don’t know how it works can be dangerous to you and potentially for other road users.” Viljoen said it is also shocking to see so many young and inexperienced drivers been given a car as a gift by their parents. He would like to encourage parents who are
thinking of buying their child their dream car, to first consider sending their child for a driving course to equip them with the necessary knowledge for a safer driving experience and for other road users around them. “To give a vehicle to any inexperienced driver with woeful ignorance is basically the same as giving a child a loaded weapon to carry around in public and hope nothing will happen. A car with an inexperienced driver on the road is a lethal weapon, I so wish parents would grapple it.” The Advance Course for instance that Viljoen offers contain amongst others accident avoidance and skid control. It is a whole day long session, and with Viljoen’s passion for cars and people, there won’t be a dull moment for the course attendees. The session is held on Saturday’s and starts in the morning and ends in the afternoon. Viljoen also offer an advanced 4x4 driving and recovery course and driver rehabilitation sessions. “To explain more about the driving rehabilitation course, it is designed specific for persons who was involved in an accident and as a result instilled fear into them. I will help to gain back their confidence to get back into a vehicle and behind the steer to drive again.” Viljoen and the owner of the local insurance broker company in Tzaneen, Koos Smit from Smit & Kie Brokers, has agreed to give a certain discount on car insurance instalments for persons
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who have completed the Advance Driving Course successfully. The broker will first do a profile on the person before any final decision is made on any discount. This will surely encourage people to consider DDA’s Advance Driving Course. “Another great offering the academy offers are gift vouchers for the Advance Driving Course. It is an excellent idea for a gift for someone, whether for a birthday or wedding anniversary. For instance, I had a customers who bought this course as a gift for their would-be son in law, because they wanted to be assured that their daughter is going to be safe wherever they are travelling. For more information, people can contact Theuns Viljjoen at 060 686 9726 or visit his website at www.dda.org.za
Theuns Viljoen
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Ferrari’s Prancing Horse back on top form The participants of the 2022 Formula One season has already finished in five races. The new rules and regulations of the new 2022 cars has sprung quite a few surprises thus far. The Silwer Arrows fans who thought their cars will once again sprint off into the distance, were hugely disappointed with the team’s performance thus far as they been struggling to get on top of the porpoising (bouncing up and down at high speeds) problem. Porpoising is a phenomenon caused by an increase, then a sudden decrease, of downforce. It is traditionally associated with ground effect cars, with teams working hard to get on top of the issue with the new breed of Formula 1 machines. The reigning Constructor Champions for the past eight seasons, the Petronas AMG Mercedes-Benz team of Lewis Hamilton and new team signing, George Russel, have been making ground steadily as the season progresses, but it is the 7-times world champion who find it the most difficult to adapt as the car seems to be quite a handful to perform to his liking. On the other side of the Mercedes garage is Russel who is the only driver who have fin-
ished in the top five of all the rounds so far. Why is he struggling less than his more senior team mate? Russel made it clear that he races for the team, and he is not going to abide to team rules that will state he needs to move over for his somewhat entitled team mate. No guessing there is a lot of frustrations going on in the Silver Arrows garage to get the car competitive. The reigning champ from 2021 in the Red Bull, Max Verstappen, The battle is set to coontinue. Defending champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull has a new rival had a difficult start to for 2022 coming from Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari his campaign as his Verstappen did not wait for grass to grow car and of his Mexican team mate, Sergio Perez, had some reliability underneath his feet and progressed quickly to move passed the Spaniard in his Ferrari issues that sidelined his title defence a bit. The Red Bull team worked hard on the reli- and set his sights on Leclerc who was leading ability issues to deliver Verstappen and Perez the race from the start. With Leclerc’s Ferrari using up his rubber a competitive car for the rest of the season. And boy, did they deliver. The quicker than the Red Bull, was it just a matflying Dutchman were back on top of ter of time before Verstappen caught up with the podium in the second race at the the Monacan. Once in the lead, Verstapppen fast street circuit of the Saudi Arabian steadily increased his race lead to win from Lecrec in second place and Sainz in third GP. The team to watch this year along place. Perez had the speed to catch and probwith the Red Bulls is the new strong ably pass the Ferrari of Sainz had it not been performing Ferrari F1 team with for a technical issue with the engine software Charles Leclerc from Monaco and that hampered his progress. Leclerc is still leading the championship Carlos Sainz from Spain. Leclerc is the first ever Monacan driver to lead an standings for drivers on 104 points. VerstapF1 world championship after winning pen with two non-finishes behind his name the Bahrain and Australian Grand after retiring in Bahrain and Australia, is second in the standings on 85 points. In third Prix’s. Then followed the Emilia Romagna place is Sergio Perez with 66 points followed GP at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino by George Russel in the Mercedes on 59 Ferrari Circuit, Imola in Italy. With the points and Carlos Sainz on 53 points. The sixth position is currently occupied by Ferrari factory a mere kilometres away from the track, the fanatic Tifosi (Fer- Lewis Hamilton on 36 points with the fast-imrari supporters) had high expectations proving McClaren of Lando Norris in seventh spot on 35 points, just one ahead of the GOAT for the red scarlet cars. The Red Bull teams had other ideas from Mercedes. Within sight on 30 points in and spoiled Ferrari’s hopes of a cel- the Alfa Romeo behind Hamilton is his former ebration in their own back yard with teammate from last year, Valtteri Bottas. By the time you read this story the F1 circus a stunning 1-2 result for Verstappen has already competed the next back to back and Perez. The Ferrari team was seeking for rounds in Spain and Monaco, the first time revenge at the new fast and demand- since the teams were last in Europe for the ing street circuit of the Miami Grand pre-season Winter testing. The new regulated Prix in the USA. Leclerc put his Ferrari cars are certainly able to follow each other on pole with Sainz in second place, much closer than the ones from the previous regulations. making it an all-Ferrari front row.
VW to launch new compact SUV coupé The new Volkswagen Taigo (pronounced ‘tie-go’) will join the Volkswagen T SUV model range in South Africa from June 2022. The Volkswagen Taigo will join the T-Cross and T-Roc as Volkswagen’s trio of compact SUV’s. Volkswagen’s T SUV range currently consists of five models namely the T-Cross, TRoc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace and Touareg. With the new Taigo, Volkswagen has produced its first SUV coupé in this segment. Highlights of the new Taigo include highquality equipment features, raised seating position and unrestricted suitability for everyday use. The technical basis of the new Taigo is provided by Volkswagen’s Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB). The MQB platform offers a range of advantages: tight proportions are combined with a high level of body rigidity, excellent crash properties and a low body weight. The luggage compartment volume is an impressive 440 litres and offers almost as much storage space with full seating as the T-Cross with its sliding rear seat (385 to 455 litres). All exterior lighting elements from the headlights to the rear lights feature LED technology as standard, which makes for a charismatic daytime and night-time signature. The new Taigo is available in eight exterior colours, namely two solid paint finishes, five metallic paint finishes and one pearl effect finish. All body colours except Deep Black Pearl can be combined with a contrasting black roof. Customers can choose wheel sizes from 16 to 18-inch alloy wheels. The 2-zone climatronic air conditioning (standard in the Style and R-Line) has a new, digitalised mode of operation, touch panels and sliders now perform the functions of rotary knobs and buttons. Located below
the air conditioning module are two USB-C ports and, as an option, a compartment for inductive smartphone charging. Volkswagen has bundled its systems for assisted driving under the umbrella brand IQ.DRIVE. A fundamental element here is the Travel Assist system, which permits partly automated driving in the Taigo. The system can steer, brake and accelerate the Taigo at speeds between 30 and 200 km/h. To do this, the activated system relies on functions such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist. Using a radar system in the front end and a camera behind the windscreen, Travel Assist can maintain the speed, lane and distance from the vehicle in front. The system is activated by means of the Travel- Assist button in the multifunction steering wheel. The driver must remain responsible for control of the Taigo and must keep their hands on the steering wheel even when IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist is active. Volkswagen has redesigned its equipment lines across all model ranges for greater clarity. Features favoured by most customers such as LED headlights and Digital Cockpit are now integrated as standard in the Taigo. The Taigo is available in Life, Style and R-Line versions. The new Taigo will be available with the 1.0 TSI engine with 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque. The Taigo’s three-cylinder engine is paired with the 7-speed DSG transmission. Fuel consumption is 5.4 litres per 100km, and it takes just 11.3 seconds to go from 0 to 100km/h. The Taigo comes standard with a
New Toyota Starlet “brakes” cover
The new Toyota Starlet was introduced on 7 June. Launched in September 2020, the Starlet has since become highly competitive in the B-segment in the passenger car market.
three year or 120 000km warranty, three year or 45 000km EasyDrive Service Plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty. The service interval is 15 000km. The retail pricing of the Volkswagen Taigo will be announced closer to the launch date.
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With the new Taigo, Volkswagen has produced its first SUV coupé in this segment.
Kempston Logistics celebrates 10 years in Tzaneen 35 years nationally A pioneer of the self-drive vehicle rental concept, East London-based businessman, Tony Cotterell, established Kempston Truck Hire in 1973. At that time, it is doubtful that he envisaged that this basic operation would evolve into the large and diverse group of companies known as the Kempston Group. The Kempston Group offers a broad spectrum of specialised services. Over the years, it has diversified its interests and grown to include Logistics, Truck & Car Rental, Financial Services, Insurance Services, Cleaning Services, Employment Solutions, Recruitment, Truck Stops, Forklifts, Retail and Agricultural Equipment, Vehicle Theft Recovery and various truck and passenger vehicles, as well as
New and Used Vehicle Dealerships. Throughout its five decades of operation, continuity of personalised and quality service has instilled confidence in the Kempston brand. The foundations of these businesses are a family culture, strong entrepreneurial spirit, passion for customers and a desire to offer practical solutions to clients. The group has made its mark in South Africa’s highly competitive industry sub-sectors by consistently fine-tuning its service spectrum to meet the changing needs of the marketplace. Kempston Logistics celebrates 35 years in existence this year, whilst their parent company will turn 50 in 2023.
Kempston Logistics
Kempston Logistics Tzaneen
With their national footprint, their transport database, and vastly experienced logistics specialists, they can provide any of their customers a national transport solution, with any variety of vehicle specification, from any central point in South Africa to anywhere else in South Africa, and cross border on short notice, at competitive rates and inclusive of Goods In-transit Insurance cover. Kempston Logistics was founded more than 35 years ago, and it has a unique culture of staff, of which all were hand-picked, with honesty, energy, enthusiasm, and passion being the fundamental attributes, to qualify for employment. On average, Kempston Logistics moves 50 000 loads per year equating to approximately 1, 5 million tons of cargo. They continue to achieve exponential growth and their success is largely due to the fact that they do not dictate rates, the market does, and they follow. “Personal relationships and mutual respect are essential in our business and our customers and transporters are considered to be our partners, and we become an extension to their business.” Kempston Logistics provides an “unlimited fleet of vehicles” to any customer’s disposal, without the customer having to own any of the assets. So why don’t you give them a call and test their service yourself? It might be a whole new experience in trucking.
“I used to travel to Tzaneen once a month from Pretoria, spend a few days here and then travel back. It soon made sense to open a branch in Tzaneen to offer an improved service experience to our clients, and in 2012 my wife and I made the move.” explained Ion van der Westhuizen, Kempston Logistics Tzaneen Branch Manager. Kempston Logistics in Tzaneen was originally opposite Minitzani for close to nine years until the company bought their present, perfect premises in Billy Maritz Street in October 2021. Kempston Logistics is not a transport company in the traditional sense. “We are not the guys you call when you’re moving house or need your building rubble removed. We specialise in large 34/36 ton produce hauls from the farmer’s packhouse to the market, or timber loads that need to be transported, etc.” With 13 branches countrywide, Kempston Logistics has a national footprint, and their transport database and vastly experienced logistics specialists, can provide a national transport solution, with any variety of vehicle specification, across South Africa as well as cross border, on short notice, at competitive rates and inclusive of Goods In-transit Insurance cover. It’s cross border division provides clearing and forwarding services to both customers and transporters. On average, Kempston Logistics moves 50 000 loads per annum equating to approximately 1, 5 million tons of cargo. They continue to achieve exponential growth and contribute their success largely to the fact that they do not dictate rates, the market does, and they follow. “Personal relationships and mutual respect are essential in our business; our customers and transporters are considered to be our partners and we become an extension to their business.” So why don’t you give them a call and test their service yourself? It might be a whole new experience in transport.
015 307 2248 083 459 5686 ion.vanderwesthuizen@kempston.co.za 3 Billy Maritz Street, Tzaneen