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THE WITNESS
JUNE 6, 2019
WHEELS
www.witness.co.za
EVENTS IN KZN
A car adapted by Nicky’s Drive enables quadriplegic Siphamandla Mtsolo to work and drive himself around.
Car enables Mtsolo’s social work KERRYN MCKAY “DRIVING was something that I couldn’t believe I would ever be able to do. It has changed my life.” These words were said by Siphamandla Mtsolo just over three years ago, when he was recounting his journey from that of a quadriplegic, frustrated by his reliance on others in order to get from A to B, to an active undergraduate hard at work completing his final practical assignments for a degree in social work. Fast forward to today and Siphamandla, now equipped with a Master’s degree, practises as a social worker in the Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape. He said: “My Master’s degree included two years of research that required a lot of fieldwork and interviews, which I could never have done without being able to drive myself around. I can say without any doubt that Nicky’s Drive indirectly had a positive impact on my academic endeavours.” Nicky Abdinor, founder of Nicky’s Drive, said: “It has been inspiring to witness Siphamandla’s progress and to see that being able to drive with an adapted car has made such a difference to his life.” Siphamandla’s outlook has always been to remain positive and look for the opportunities when life throws problems, because no matter what, there will always be a solution, Abdinor added. • Nicky’s Drive is a registered non-profit organisation that assists people with disabilities in South Africa to be mobile and independent through the funding of car adaptations. More on nickysdrive.com or at 021 555 3298.
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That Tata Ace (left) and Changan (right) compete for the hearts and wallets of small business owners against the old but evergreen 1400 bakkie (centre), seen here with Bongani Nzimande fetching a load of diesel for AC Higgs Harvesting. PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN
Best lil’ load luggers ALWYN VILJOEN finds small bakkies have limited sex appeal, but fantastic fuel consumption SOUTH Africa needs entrepreneurs like never before to help deliver the “New Dawn”, and every entrepreneur needs a cheap runabout to deliver their loads. There are a slew of used small bakkies for sale, but South Africans currently have only three new small bakkies to choose from. They are the 1,4 diesel Tata Ace, the 1,3 petrol Changan Star and either a petrol or diesel Nissan NP200. None of them have the sex appeal of a double-cab, but all of them will do much less harm to a start-up’s cash flow. Used bakkie competitors On used car lots, buyers can choose between several used “half-tonners”, ranging from the frugal Fiat Strada and robust Ford Bantam to the lesser-spotted Proton Arena, Daihatsu GranMax and Suzuki Carry, as well as the evergreen Nissan 1400.
Of these, the Bantam and the 1400 are the most popular. Nissan stopped making the 1400 in 2008, when the last models were snapped up at R89 100. Yet these basic bakkies are still so popular that dealers can list mint-condition 1400s for as much as R74 000. This amounts to depreciation of only 20,41% over 11 years, compared to most bakkies that lose some 30% as soon as you drive them out of the showroom. Fleet operators and small business owners who swear by the 1400 and the Bantam told Wheels these runabouts are the cheapest to maintain and run among all the small bakkies out there. The only drawback is that thieves also value these traits, and unless you lock up your 1400 or Bantam, they will be stolen as certain as the sun will rise; which is why buyers should consider the more economical NP200, Tata Ace or Changan Star.
Nissan NP200 for dirty driving Selling from R178 000 with a petrol engine (either eight or 16-valves), or the gutsy K9K turbo diesel, the NP200 has proven its reliability to fleet operators since 2008. The bin fits a pallet and can carry 580 kg, with short ratios on the first three gears of the five-speed gearbox delivering good acceleration when fully loaded, and longer ratios in the top gears to save fuel. The load is carried on 15-inch wheels — the largest wheels of the three bakkies listed here — and a torsion bar supported by coil instead of leaf springs, for a softer ride. A 50-litre fuel tank gives a range of 600 km+, and a six-year or 150 000 km warranty is the longest here. Its ground clearance of 177 mm is the highest among the three bakkies, making this the choice for drivers who frequent dirt roads.
Tata Ace for sparkies and spazas The multi-franchise dealers that sell Tata have done the first generation of the tough little Ace no favours and owners have been slow to forgive and forget. But the testimonials on Tata Motor’s website show Tata has since been making their clients much happier, which makes the R167 k asking price for Super Ace less of a risk. The price includes a rather short three-year or 60 000 km service plan and a three-year or 100 000 km warranty, but Tata also throw in three years of roadside assistance. The Super Ace has a little 1,4 intercooled diesel that makes 52 kW and 135 Nm from 2 500 rpm, with a five-speed manual transmission to move its one-ton load. Tata is currently offering a R10 000 cash back and a canopy, which should interest people carrying valuable loads, like spaza owners and electricians.
Changan Star for couriers Selling from R141 880, Changan’s 1,3 petrol is the cheapest small bakkie in SA today. A super- and double-cab are also available, but Wheels likes the Mini Van most. It costs R11 k more, with sliding doors, a low floor and a high roof that make this one-tonner van ideal for parcel couriers. The 1,3-litre petrol mill is, however, made for last mile deliveries rather than long roads, making 60 kW at 5 300 rpm and a relatively low 102 Nm from 3 500 rpm. Lower power does mean consumption can be as low as 6,5/100 km, but this will increase if the bakkie carries its 900kg payload on the 165/65R13 wheels. Changan includes a three-year or 100 000-km warranty, with Metro Cars in Pietermaritzburg the leading seller and servicer of these willing Chinese workhorses.
• June 16: Team 44 presents the third annual Youth Day Spinfest at Mason’s Mill in Pietermaritzburg with 18 teams billed to compete in the crowd-thrilling Driftkhana format that pits two cars in the arena against each other. The drivers will be coming from as far as Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape to compete against the precisions driving skills of KZN’s leading team led by Kurt Volmink. Entry is R70 for adults and R30 for children under 12. More information from Wanda 078 116 1965. • June 15 to 17: Gas Motorshow at Cornubia Mall will host over 150 exhibitors at Cornubia Mall in Umhlanga over the Father’s Day weekend. Punters can expect drifting displays, freestyle motorcross, karting, enduro x, spinning, soundoffs, and remote controlled racing. Tickets are available at Computicket, with free entry for kids under 10. • June 27: The Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (Twims) will host a breakfast seminar on “Industry 4.0”. Professor Justin Barnes will demystifies the Industry 4.0 challenges for South African manufacturers. He will explain the use of big data, machine learning, digital twinning, virtual recognition, IOT, additive manufacturing, and smart materials in manufacturing. The breakfast seminar is from 7:30 am to 9:30 am on June 27. at the Twims Campus at 74 Everton Road in Kloof. The cost is R120 per person and space is limited. Book on twimsafrica.com.
VW IMPORTS T-CROSS FROM SPAIN
‘Trike bakkie’ makes life easier for waste collector
VOLKSWAGEN is taking orders for the T-Cross, which arrives from the VW plant in Navarra, Spain, to South Africa in August. The T-Cross driver sits 10 cm higher than the Polo driver, guaranteeing good visibility from all seats. The entry level T-Cross comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, LED daytime running lights and tail lights, electric and heated side mirrors, electric windows, height and lumbar adjustable driver and passenger seats, Tyre Pressure Monitor, 6,5-inch ‘Composition Colour’ display and four airbags. The T-Cross will be available with two engines at launch. Commuters will like VW’s frugal 85-kW, 1-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine the most. This little gem makes 200 Newtons with long gear ratios to enable fewer gear changes in city driving. Claimed fuel consumption is 4,9 litres/100 km. This engine is only available in sevenspeed DSG transmission. People who often drive longer routes may want to consider VW’s 110-kW, 1,5-litre TSI three-cylinder engine for its higher power output while pensioners may want to wait for the entry level, 70-kW 1-litre TSI, which arrives next year.
PORT ELIZABETH — Staff at Isuzu Motors South Africa designed and built a “trike bakkie” for a Walmer Township man who makes a living from selling waste. Like many recyclers, Khululekile Wilson Moko used a pallet mounted on shopping trolley wheels to move bags of plastic waste, but he has swapped this cumbersome makeshift cart for a functional waste-bike donated by Isuzu Motors SA. “We donated an obsolete trolley to him, which was transformed into a modern waste-bike,” said Isuzu Motors South Africa corporate communications manager Gishma Johnson. The waste-bike was designed and built by Kevin Kimwelle, social entrepreneur, innovator and architect. His social enterprise, Indalo World, was incubated by Propella Business Incubator. Kimwelle has made a name for himself by turning waste into functional buildings. These structures are then utilised to the benefit of underprivileged communities of Nelson Mandela Bay. Collecting waste provides
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Khululekile Moko on the ‘trike bakkie’ he uses to collect waste, which he trades for food at the Re-Trade Project in Walmer, Port Elizabeth. a livelihood for Moko, who lost his job of 17 years and lives in a shack with his wife. He trades recyclable material for food at a local Re-Trade Project in Walmer.
“Re-trading is the only thing that puts food in my mouth. This is my way of living — going to the store and trading for food or hiring my cart to the community when they need help,”
said Moko. Kimwelle said such social innovation on a community-based level can enable South Africa to empower the less fortunate and uplift them to a better life. “It is possibly South Africa’s future in dealing with job creation in a world of diminishing employment,” he predicted. Kimwelle uses an Isuzu truck, courtesy of Isuzu Truck Centre Port Elizabeth, to transport his recycled materials to the latest project that he is working on in Walmer Township — building The Penguin Pre-School, an advanced eco-brick structure — while strengthening Re-Trade Project’s green initiative. Johnson said Isuzu SA regarded waste as a resource that can create secondary and tertiary employment. “Approximately 30 people are based at our facilities from different recycling organisations while many others are employed at recycling companies across the city, creating furniture, plastic goods and polystyrene commodities,” she said. — WR.
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