14 New Suzuki Alto

18 AAMA Appoints ABR

53 Pennies from Heaven
63 Staying Alive
68 Let Them Ride Bicycles
80 Team Timken Back to Form
 The Phoenix

High Altotude
September 2009 is the first anniversary of ABR, and what better way to celebrate
than to welcome to our front cover the Suzuki Alto, just a tad more than one year
after Suzuki Auto South Africa’s high profile return to South Africa. And there’s
more to celebrate; ABR has also been appointed as the official mouthpiece for AAMA
(Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturers Association). Two high altitude milestones.

Publishing Evolution...the survival of the fittest. Publishing Revolution...the Rise of the Phoenix and the
Forging of Premium Prose from the Crucible of Fire

T
he Suzuki Alto launch (see page
14 for the full story) is indeed
an appropriate cover story for
our first anniversary issue, as it
was the Suzuki SX4 that was the
first vehicle evaluated by Howard Keeg in
the very first issue of ABR (September
2008), and the Jimny and Grand Vitara
launch was the very first vehicle launch that
the Phoenix attended in early September
2008, and the Jimny graced our cover in the
October 2008 issue. Another coincidence is
that the Alto and ABR both share certain
characteristics, as appropriately defined in
Suzuki’s press release, and I quote with
relish; “a dynamic new contender and a
trend setter that is set to redefine the com-
pact city car concept, and an unprecedented
combination of superlative design, packag-
ing, safety, fuel efficiency and low
emissions.” Substitute the vehicle appella-
tions with publishing terms, and this could
be describing ABR when it was launched!
Taking this a little further and thinking
laterally you can also shoehorn AAMA into
this descriptive mould. The ABR AAMA
link makes sense, as both operations share
traits and characteristics that make it a good
fit, and both have histories and origins that
were not exceedingly auspicious, but
mimicking the ugly duckling, are becoming
stunning swans, and promising futures
beckon. AAMA can be traced back to 1986,
when the Partinform Component Manu-
facturers Association was conceived, and in
the words of Paul Williams, who served as
Chairman from 1994 to 1998, it “was a cre-
ation of good comradeship and the mutual
sharing of costs for trade evenings”.
Malcolm Perrie, the first Chairman of
AAMA, was more forthright when he
announced the formation of AAMA in
November 2008, stating that they had
“formalised the old boy’s tea club known as
Partinform into a properly constituted and
registered association”. The roots of ABR are
a little more tenuous, but November 2002
would be a logical starting point, when the
Phoenix responded to an SOS from an
ailing friend, and selflessly kept Auto
Engineering & Spares alive for eight
months, before handing back the reins to a
reinvigorated and dramatically changed per-
sona. The publishing bug had bitten, and
the Phoenix was soon back in the saddle,
creating and sustaining AutoInsight from
March 2004 to July 2008, before once again
handing over the reins of a healthy publica-
tion to some intriguing individuals. It is
difficult to find words to adequately describe
the unusual ways that the recipients of this
largesse contrived to repay this hard work,
suffice to say that they redefined the notions
of gratitude and generosity. The Phoenix
responded in the only way he knew – to up
the ante. ABR set the bar even higher and
started to redefine the concept of trade pub-
lications, and a dynamic new contender and
a trend setter in this publishing niche was
born with an unprecedented combination of
superlative design, packaging, and words in
action. Similarly, AAMA is set to redefine
the parameters of the automotive aftermar-
ket’s activities in information dissemination,
training, lobbying, quality standards, supply
chain sustainability, proactive policing
of inferior products, etc. You can read more
on page 18.

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

50 53 54

2 The Phoenix High Altotude

8 What’s the Buzz

12 Personal Profile Dr. George Nyabadza

14 Cover Story New Suzuki Alto

18 AAMA ABR Appointed AAMA Official Mouthpiece

22 Tony’s Take Barack Obama and the 40 traders

24 Frankly Speaking Electric Avenue

26 The Chery Story A Well Respected SUV About Town

28 AIDC AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

CONFERENCE 2009

30 Auto Topical How to Nail Jelly to the Ceiling

32 Weighty Issues The Marriage of MAN and VW Trucks

34 Managing the Risks Keeping It Clean

36 Health Care Managing Your Health

38 Tyre Safety Tyres’ Contribution to Safety in Motoring

40 Road Safety Road Safety and Driver Safety – An Oxymoron?

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

Trilogy Customer C.A.R.E. Programme

49 Intelli-Driving Defensive Driving Tips

The publisher and contributors have done their best to ensure the accuracy of the articles and cannot accept responsibility for any loss or inconvenience sus-
tained by any reader as a result of information or advice in Automotive Business Review. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publica-
tion 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 quotation 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 Advertising Sales:
McCleery, Roger Stanton Porter Marketing
Commercial Vehicle Editor Correspondents Twine, Tony Werner Kolver
Alwyn Viljoen Beeton, Frank Wilde, Fingal Tel: 012 654 2745
082 458 9332 Borlz, Baron Claude Cell: 082 577 8411
Burford, Adrian e-mail: abr@stanport.co.za

4
 Category

59 70 76

50 Robert Bosch Invented for Life

The Golden Triangle

53 e-CAR Pennies from Heaven

56 Lubrication Update A Blue Chip Investment

Castrol Launches GTX Anti-Sludge

58 P&A News Floods Hit Katima Mulilo

60 Capricorn Insights Cooperatives- it’s time has come

63 Industry Update Staying Alive

64 Diamond Dialogues The Heroes of the Aftermarket #2

66 AIDC Quiz

68 Wilde Things Let Them Ride Bicycles

69 Burford on Brands The Yin and the Yang of Chevrolet

70 Corporate Conscience I am Me

72 Hogg’s Wash South Africa’s Prime Exports

74 Life Goes On A Reality Check

78 Industry Update Bosch Golf Day

Gabriel Wings Take Flight

80 From the Cockpit Team Timken Back to Form

82 Fast Wheels Unpredictable Formula 1 in 2009

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
Fax 27 11 802 3979 Wendywood e-mail: jackie@kraftinfo.co.za
e-mail: bigheart@iafrica.com 2144
Website: www.abrbuzz.co.za Tel 27 11 802 6020
Fax 27 11 802 3979
6 e-mail: bigheart@iafrica.com September 2009
 What’s the Buzz?
Hino bids fond farewell
to industry veteran
Three years ago Piet van Wyk de
Vries set out to achieve a mam-
moth task: the rebranding and
revitalisation of Toyota Trucks
into a dedicated truck business
that would operate autonomously
from Toyota SA. Having not only
realised this goal but done so with
unmatched success and accept-
ance of the Hino brand, van Wyk
de Vries has chosen to hand over
the now-established business unit
to a younger successor. “I have
achieved what I set out to do,” he
told Hino’s dealer principals, gath-
ered for the manufacturer’s annual Casper Kruger Piet van Wyk de Vries with long-time secretary and personal assistant,
dealer strategy conference. “The Christine Boshoff (left) and Leone van Wyk de Vries (right), his wife and
Hino brand has been established dedicated support system during his tenure at Toyota.
and it’s time for new blood to take
this brand forward to even greater successes.”Casper Kruger, who has spent ten years with Toyota in various capacities from heading up Lexus to gener-
al manager: marketing and planning, will henceforth be at the helm of Hino in the capacity of general manager. Van Wyk de Vries’ departure, while
expected, does not come without sad farewells and fond memories. “Piet is retiring after a very successful 25 years within the Toyota Group,” said Andrew
Kirby, senior vice president for sales and marketing, Toyota SA, to a gathered audience of Hino clients and dealer principals at the annual Hino client
appreciation dinner.

In safe hands: the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Safety on South African roads in general and all aspects closely related to public transportation are currently very topical. Following the valuations
and findings of this year’s FIFA Confederations Cup, which show an immediate necessity to improve all modes of public transport services to ensure
a successful 2010 FIFA World Cup, Mercedes-Benz has reiterated that safety is paramount to all its products and that the brand takes all elements
of safety extremely seriously. “The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the various conversions undertaken by recommended Mercedes-Benz body builders,
comply fully with the latest regulations and standards issued by the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS/SABS),” says Nicolai
Berger, Divisional Manager Vans, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles. “The latest example is the newly introduced (mandatory) roof escape hatch
which has to be fitted to all TRP (taxi recapitalisation programme) taxi conversions registered as of 1 July 2009 onwards. The Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter INKANYEZI taxi conversion comes with this feature as standard,” adds Berger.

HYUNDAI GENESIS RECEIVES J.D. POWER AND

ASSOCIATES 2009 APEAL AWARD
J.D. Power and Associates has selected the Hyundai Genesis as its most appealing midsize premium car in the 2009 Automotive Performance,
Execution and Layout (APEAL) StudySM. The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL award measures what consumers like and dislike about their new
vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership, particularly with regard to the vehicle's design, content, layout and performance. Genesis received high
marks for its exterior design, engine and transmission, interior comfort, and technology and entertainment features totalling 864 points – 26 points
above the midsize premium car segment average. In addition, the Hyundai brand showed a 16 point improvement on 2008.

Bridgestone supports home for

BSM and Fiat in
landmark deal
BSM and Italian car giant Fiat have announced their
partnership which will see Fiat as the new fleet
provider for BSM (the British School of Motoring),
the UK’s most popular driving school. Fiat will pro-
vide BSM with 14,000 cars over the next four years,
most of them the award-winning Fiat 500 – Car of
the Year 2008 – along with the popular Grande
Punto model. The fleet vehicle is the biggest depic-
tion of the BSM brand, and the introduction of the
stylish Fiat 500 design is intended to appeal to new
learners by echoing the brand’s iconic feel. BSM will
start to take delivery of the new fleet this summer
and complete the exchange of all fleet by the end of
the year. BSM has a network of 94 UK driving cen-
tres from Inverness to Truro and teaches more than
130,000 learners a year. The agreement will make
the Fiat 500 even more visible on Britain’s roads –
and help Fiat with its plan to target the 500 at the
key young drivers market.
orphaned and abandoned babies
Vulnerable children from previously disad-
vantaged communities, who have been
abandoned, orphaned or born to HIV-posi-
tive parents, will benefit from a donation by
Bridgestone South Africa. Impilo, a place of
safety for children in need of care from birth
to three years of age, is situated in Fairvale,
Johannesburg, where it provides a homely
environment in the transitional period
before the children are returned to their par-
ents or extended family or placed in an
adoptive or foster home. Bridgestone’s
donation includes a cheque for R10 000 as
well as a gift of R5 000 worth of nursery
and office necessities. “We have been supporting Impilo for some years,” said Bridgestone’s
Mandy Lovell. “We have a responsibility to the communities from whom we draw our
employees and assisting an organisation like Impilo, which provides an essential service to the
community, is an integral part of our social investment programme and falls under the umbrel-
la of Bridgestone’s global One Team, One Planet initiative.”

8 September 2009
 What’s the Buzz?
safety of buses and taxis used to transport the expected 450 000
2010 Bus Safety Can Be visitors to the event. “Short of detailing bus and taxi accident sta-
Boosted tistics, South Africa ranks in the world’s top ten as far as public
transport-related fatalities are concerned. While time may be
Upon the completion of the recent Confederations Cup held in
short, every measure needs to be taken to ensure improved road
South Africa as a ‘tester’ for next year’s FIFA World Cup, the
safety during 2010 and after,” says Louis Swart, managing direc-
organisation’s president, Sepp Blatter had high praise for the
tor of Drive Report, a local company specialising in driver behav-
organisers of the event but had no hesitation in pinpointing his
iour improvement. Drive Report is the South African agent for
concerns over the country’s ability to effectively shuttle soccer fans
DriveCam, an in-vehicle video camera that records erratic driving
from game to game. “This is a big, big challenge,” he said. While
incidents in the form of 12-second clips which are transmitted to
Blatter may have focused his criticisms on public transport infra-
fleet controllers via WiFi, enabling them to implement corrective
structure, one can be sure that he and many other soccer officials,
coaching before major accidents occur.
not to mention politicians, also have serious concerns over the
Bridgestone South Africa has warned
Hyundai Becomes motorists that under-inflated tyres place
World’s 4th Biggest them at a higher risk of having a blowout
Automaker Romano Daniels, Bridgestone
General Manager Marketing
Recent sales results from Reuters in the UK have and Communications, says that
confirmed that Hyundai Motor Company is the tyre under-inflation is one of the
4th biggest automaker in the world with 2,153 most serious risk factors for
million units sold in the first half of 2009. crashes. “An under-inflated tyre
Hyundai Motor also reached 5 percent of the glob- runs at higher temperatures than
al market share in the first half of the year for the it is designed for,” he explains.
first time ever, amid a 15 percent decline in global “The excess heat and friction
automobile demand compared to a year earlier. can cause the tyre to disinte-
This result was achieved by expanded share in grate, leading to a blowout.”
developed countries including U.S., China and in Daniels says that under-inflated
Europe as the automaker boosted efforts to raise its tyres also cause fuel consump-
brand image and continued to expand marketing tion to increase because of the extra rolling resistance that results. “Another concern is tyre life,”
activities in local markets. In China, Hyundai sold he says. “An under-inflated tyre wears down much faster. This means that motorists may only
257,000 units in the first half, a 56% rise from a get 50 to 60 per cent of the tyre life they would expect from a correctly-inflated tyre.”
year earlier, mainly helped by its China-exclusive
models. Hyundai’s total exports to Africa also
reached one million units recently, of which SKF AND ATLAS
Hyundai Automotive South Africa has contributed COPCO UP THE ANTE-
20% to this impressive milestone.
FOR LOCAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT WITH
Show News NEW TRAINING CENTRE
Celebrating its fifth anniversary, Automechanika
Shanghai will take place 9 – 11 December 2009 at SKF South Africa and Atlas Copco South Africa
Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China. To recently entered into a joint venture to establish a
date, the show has already attracted over 1,800 new ultra-modern training facility. SKF’s
exhibitors from 15 countries and regions – China, Reliability Maintenance Institute (RMI) is an
Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, extension of the SKF Group vision, ‘Equipping the
Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, world with SKF knowledge’ and serves as a global
Turkey, UK and USA. The exhibition area will be vehicle to place knowledge into the hands of cus-
almost 100,000 sqm to accommodate the expected tomers and employees. “The RMI affirms SKF’s
record number of 2,000 plus exhibitors. philosophy of continued investment in people
Automechanika Shanghai, Asia’s number one trade through training, irrespective of economic climate”,
show for automotive parts, equipment and service says SKF South Africa Managing Director, Gavin
suppliers, continues to receive strong support from Garland. “Companies that use and create opportunities to train and develop employees and pro-
international trade associations as well as local and vide skill sets during the current global economic crisis will not only retain their position and
overseas companies. Seven pavilions from around the- market share but will reap the benefits when the economy recovers”. According to Garland, skills
globe – Germany, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, development is a hot topic in the current negative global financial climate and he cites two
Taiwan, UK and USA are already confirmed for the examples: “The UK is increasing apprenticeship opportunities while India has approved a skills
show. development policy to enhance capabilities and empower their workforce to work better,
smarter, and safer”.

GREEN TRAINEES REPORT SAVINGS, SAFETY

Employees of SA tyre manufacturer Bridgestone are already reporting positive results after they hit the road with new driving skills as part of the Make
Cars Green campaign. The campaign, which was devised by the FIA, is sponsored internationally by Bridgestone Japan, and consists of ten ‘greener
motoring’ tips, five of which relate directly to driving style. More than 120 Bridgestone employees across South Africa have attended the first two
parts of a three-part driving improvement course presented by driving skills company driving.co.za. An initial seminar on defensive and economical
driving was followed up by a 50-minute practical on-road training session for each trainee, showing how to put the new skills into practice in prepa-
ration for the practical test in a few weeks’ time. Romano Daniels, Bridgestone General Manager of Group Communications and Marketing, said the
training had been well-received so far. “A number of our trainees have said that they are saving more than one litre per 100km over their usual con-
sumption, and one has already credited the course with saving him from a serious crash,” he said. “Even Makoto Ota, our Marketing and Sales VP,
has commented that he is no longer perturbed by taxis and vehicles dashing in ahead of him,” Daniels added.

10 September 2009
 Personal
Q&A INTERVIEW WITH DR. GEORGE NYABADZA
WesBank, the ‘Wheels Bank’, is the
biggest and longest standing sponsor
in motor sport in South Africa.
Besides this they have been sponsoring
the South African Guild of Motoring
Journalists Car of the Year Compe-
tition for 25 years, the National
Automobile Dealer Association meet-
ings, Motor Rallies and over the last
two years, the WesBank Street Race in
Soweto. WesBank has also been behind
the V8 Supercars which are the fastest
most powerful racing cars on South
African circuits for the last 26 years.
The man who heads up the team
sponsoring these high profile events is
Dr. George Nyabadza, the General
Manager of Marketing.
Q: Sponsorships like these give you an
exciting platform on which to promote
what WesBank stands for?
A: Over the last four years we have sought to
make sure that all our sponsorships are aligned
to our overall brand strategy which itself is
derived from our corporate strategy. After care-
ful consideration, as core to our business model,
we create partnerships and are always there for
the long haul as we have been with every other
sponsorship we have had. Our partnerships
involve wearing our hearts on our sleeves and
getting involved on a day to day basis with the
companies and properties we sponsor. For
example in motor sport, we know everybody on
first name terms and what they do. In addition
to this our personal and individual efforts tend
to become recognised by our partners. I have
been appointed Director on the Board of
Motorsport South Africa. Our motorsport co-
ordinator at WesBank, Tom Kubeka, has also
become the first black Clerk of the Course in
South African Motorsport, after passing the
exams with distinctions.
At the WesBank Street Race Launch, Jan-Louis
Pretorius spent time in Soweto getting to acti-
vate the sponsorship in the township where he
actually went and lived. Michelle Cowburn is
also hands-on to motorsport and knows all the
key role players by name; all three of these man-
agers are empowered by me to make decisions
on our behalf. In order to deliver on WesBank’s
brand and strategic position as “experts in asset
finance” we have developed eight brand imper-
atives that govern how we utilise our brand
communication tools to reach our target mar-
kets. We deeply understand WesBank’s target
markets, both current and future, and our spon-
12
profile
sorships meet the needs of our customers, across
all races, gender and age. For example motor-
sport, the WesBank Super Series, predominant-
ly caters for our white customers at the tradi-
tional circuits while the WesBank Street Race
predominantly caters for the growing black
market. Soweto is a case where we know the
growth of the market is going to come from as
more and more Blacks are becoming economi-
cally active and financing more and more cus-
tomers. Interesting enough surveys at the event,
have shown that even Northern Suburbs people,
across all races, came to see the Soweto Street
Race for themselves.
Q: Has all this been good for WesBank?
A: Myself and my team do all this for the
WesBank brand because of what WesBank is – a
culture of empowerment from an owner-man-
agement philosophy where every business case is
thoroughly debated honestly for the best result
for both WesBank and for the new partners we
are sponsoring. If we as a marketing team were
involved or worked for another company we
would never have been able to have the
WesBank Street Race: Soweto. This event is also
a classic demonstration of our partnership phi-
losophy as we now have new partners within the
City of Johannesburg with the full backing of
the Mayor.
Q: How did this all start for you?
A: I was born in Zimbabwe in 1967. I was one
of seven kids. My Dad, who started as a truck
driver and eventually became the Fleet Manager
of his Company, and my mother a hard-work-
ing home based entrepreneur, put everything
by Roger McCleery
into the education and well being of the kids.
My father always told us that we had our inher-
itance through the education they
provided us. A wonderful start to life.
Q: Schooling?
A: I went to a private school called PeterHouse
in Marondera, Zimbabwe. Besides education I
had a great love of rugby and played for the first
team as well as the Mashonaland schools 2nd
team.
Q: After school?
A: I qualified as a Chartered Accountant at 22
working for Ernst and Young. Armed with my
CA I joined a Construction Company first as
Group Accountant and then moved over to
Amtec Motors in Harare as the Group Finance
Manager of six dealerships that handled Mazda,
Nissan and Hino Trucks. This was a great chal-
lenge for me and my entry into the retail indus-
try. After spending a year or so at Head Office I
wanted to get into operations for some of the
action and was given a great opportunity to run
the 100 vehicles a month dealership in
Bulawayo, which I did for four years before
going back to Harare.
Q: In the motor business you normally
need a mentor.
A: Whilst all this was happening I met Paddy
O’Brien who was the MD of Sewells of which
was at that time part of WesBank. My CEO at
that stage, Brian Stevenson, was part of Paddy’s
performance groups; he allowed us to attend
performance groups at home and here in South
Continued on p49
September 2009
 Cover Story

New Suzuki Alto –

by Howard Keeg A dynamic new contender
The Suzuki Alto was first introduced in Japan in 1979 as a small car (kei car in Japanese),
and has since gone on to hit the 10 million sales mark worldwide, with 4.8 million sold
in Japan and 5.2 million sold in other countries. Thus it has been a long time coming to
South Africa, in its seventh generation guise, but the wait has been worth it. 2009 is also
an auspicious year for the introduction, with Suzuki celebrating its 100th anniversary.

S
uzuki has been both circumspect and active since its high
profile launch in South Africa in mid 2008, initially intro-
ducing the sporty Swift and SX4, followed closely by the
more family orientated Jimny and Grand Vitara, and now
the compact Alto city car, bringing the Suzuki range to five attrac-
tive vehicles. And at the Alto media launch in Bloemfontein, the
City of Roses, we were promised the status Kisashi in 2010, which
will make the range reasonably comprehensive, and will give the
current Suzuki network of 23 dealers something to offer to most
of the aspiring Suzuki owners visiting their showrooms.
The Alto has attributes linked to sporty and involving dynamics,
as well as high levels of comfort and convenience – and, of course,
outstanding affordability and value for money, which according to
Kazuyuki Yamashita, Managing Director of Suzuki Auto SA, "as
the newest model in Suzuki's world-car strategy, the Alto is per-
fectly in tune with the needs of the modern motorist. The Alto
offers economical and environmentally friendly, yet thoroughly
entertaining driving characteristics, top-notch features and excep-
tional value. It is also an exciting and important addition to our
growing product portfolio in SA. The Alto will undoubtedly
appeal to both environmentally and budget-conscious motorists,
as well as young, sophisticated urbanites who demand eye-catch-
ing style, easy-going practicality and involving dynamics."
Suzuki tells ABR in its press release that the Alto is the product of
an extensive Japanese and European market research, design and
development programme. The programme focussed on producing
a stylish and modern compact car that perfectly matches demand-
ing European tastes and standards – aspects which are equally per-
tinent in the exceptionally competitive Eurocentric SA market.
Suzuki adds that the result is an undeniably sporty five-door shape
that exudes vibrant urban energy, despite the car's compact
dimensions: it has an overall length of just 3,5 metres. At the same
time, the Alto is sophisticated and elegant, while boasting an
exceptional drag coefficient of just 0,30, enhancing overall fuel
efficiency. Two versions of the sprightly Alto are available, com-
prising the entry-level GL – which is ideally placed to satisfy the
requirements of the price-sensitive end of the market – and the
top-spec GLS, tailored to more discerning buyers demanding an
uncompromising level of standard features in this segment. Both
models are powered by a highly efficient , all-aluminium 1,0-litre
three-cylinder engine boasting multi-point fuel-injection, four
valves per cylinder and Euro 3 emissions compliance. Although
the European versions of the Alto feature the latest Euro 5-spec
engines, the Euro 3 unit was selected for the SA market due to its
greater compatibility with the quality of local fuel.
The engine is also better suited to the demanding high-altitude
operating conditions experienced at the Reef, making it the pre-
ferred choice for the largest proportion of SA drivers. The power
unit delivers superior driveability and cruising ability, while its
output characteristics have been complemented by the fitment of
a shorter final drive that further benefits all-round performance.
Economical and eco-friendly, the engine is credited with a power
output of 50 kW at 6 000 r/min and a torque peak of 87 Nm at
4 500 r/min. It boasts an uncharacteristically sprightly character
for its segment, matched to a low kerb weight of just 895 kg.

Alto GL

Alto GLS
14 September 2009
 Cover Story

This is sufficient to propel the Alto from 0-100 km in 16 seconds,
and attain a more than respectable 145 km/h top speed. More
notably, however, the Alto is credited with a convincing combined
cycle fuel consumption figure of just 5,7 litres/100 km, and a very
competitive CO2 emissions rating of only 133 g/km. Despite its
budget-friendly status, the GL incorporates an impressive level of
standard equipment, including power steering that enhances the
Alto's exceptional in-town manoeuvrability. Air-conditioning
with a pollen filter, and dual front airbags, also count amongst its
headline features. These are complemented by an integrated
immobiliser, front seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters,
dual rear ISOFIX child seat anchorage points, a remote fuel lid
opener, and a 12-volt accessory socket.
There is a backlit digital clock, dual-speed front wipers with inter-
mittent function, a rear window wash/wipe facility, and a wide
array of practical storage compartments front and rear. A full-size
spare wheel is standard, while a roof-mounted antenna is pre-
installed to ease the aftermarket fitment of a CD receiver on GL
models.
In keeping with its more upmarket positioning, the Alto GLS
model gains alloy wheels, fitted with 155/65 R14 tyres that have
been specifically designed to enhance fuel economy while still
offering impressive grip. Further distinguishing features include
colour-coded door handles and mirrors, front fog lamps and
remote central locking.
Additionally, the interior specification extends to tilt adjustment
for the three-spoke steering wheel, a rev counter, front electric
windows, a six-speaker sound system with MP3-compatible CD
tuner, 50:50 split folding rear seats, a remote tailgate release, and
a luggage compartment cover. The safety equipment is also bol-
stered to include ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
(EBD) and Brake Assist (EBA) functions, ensuring optimum
emergency stopping performance. "The Alto encapsulates
Suzuki's decades of unrivalled small car expertise, resulting in an
affordable, efficient, safe and stylish compact newcomer that is
delightful to drive and own. It’s a superior city runabout, and
expresses all of the core values of the Suzuki 'Way of Life!',"
Yamashita concludes.
The Alto GL and GLS models are launched at a recommended
retail price of R104 900 and R119 900 respectively. A three-
year/100 000 km warranty is included as standard.

An eco-friendly heritage
The Alto was introduced in 1979 in Japan as a very small car, with its main attractions being a low price and good fuel
economy. The first Altos had two engine options; a 593cc two-stroke and a 543cc four-stroke, delivering 21kW and
23kW respectively. In 1990, 657cc and 658cc engines were introduced, and these are still available because of the strict
taxation regime on high performance engines – a truly eco-friendly heritage which continues to this day.

September 2009 15
 ABR Appointed as Official
Mouthpiece of AAMA
2008 was an auspicious year for the South African automotive aftermarket, with four
important milestones. Firstly, the industry came back from their year end holidays in
January 2008 to discover that the cabinet had approved the Consumer Protection
Bill. A hiatus followed until a frenzied second half of the year. September 2008 was
particularly significant, with the establishment of South Africa’s premier automotive
aftermarket publication, Automotive Business Review (ABR), and then the announce-
ment by the Minister of Trade & Industry of the Automotive Production & Development
Programme (APDP). Then, in November 2008, the year was closed out and the circle
completed with the formation of the Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturers
Association (AAMA). Apart from being acronym and initialising heaven, these four
events will, as the years unfold, all prove to be glorious high points for the auto-
motive aftermarket in South Africa.

The Consumer Protection Bill, when it takes effect, and more
importantly, when it is enforced, will prove a boon to those who
play the game fairly and squarely, and it will become an albatross
around the neck for those who dabble in shoddy product and
shady practices. ABR has already established itself as the most
influential automotive aftermarket publication in South Africa
and without a peer in sight is slated to become the dominant pur-
veyor of news for the industry for the foreseeable future. The
APDP will only come into effect in 2012, but it already has had
an influence on long term investment decisions, and time will
show, as South Africa takes enormous strides in attaining the goal
of one million units of vehicle production, that the component
industry’s long term viability was saved by this particular piece of
government assistance. AAMA came about because specific needs
of the automotive aftermarket were not been met by bodies such
as NAACAM and the RMI, and the Partinform platform was
there to be built upon, and AAMA brought South Africa more
into line with international trends and practices. An example of
this is the AAIW (Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week) which
is held annually in Las Vegas, where three aftermarket bodies
combine to deliver to the automotive world an extravaganza of
parts, accessories and services. The AAIA (Automotive
Aftermarket Industry Association) and AASA (Automotive
Aftermarket Suppliers Association) join forces to run the AAPEX
show (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) at the Sands
Convention Centre, whilst three kilometres away at the Las Vegas
Convention Centre, SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers
Association) unveils their own show, encompassing ten specialised
councils. All under the banner of the all encompassing term
“aftermarket”. NACE (International Autobody Congress &
Exposition) and CARS (Congress of Automotive Repair &
Service) have also joined the bandwagon, leveraging off AAIW,
and putting on their own show at the cavernous Mandalay Bay
Exhibition Centre, at the southern end of the famous Las Vegas
Strip, to deliver comprehensive education and training by indus-
try experts. Together, NACE and CARS represent the cornerstone
of the Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) and are spon-
sored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA). ABR is com-
mitted to playing a role in promoting something similar to AAIW
and ASRW in South Africa, and the sooner the better.
The Consumer Protection Bill, ABR, the APDP and AAMA all
exist because of South Africa’s unique and vibrant automotive
aftermarket and they are all influenced by each other, to different
extents. Therefore, it is not surprising that ABR and AAMA took
their relationship one step further with AAMA appointing ABR
as its official mouthpiece. In a flash of prescience on the 21st
January 2009, ABR interviewed Malcolm Perrie, Managing
Director of Federal-Mogul Aftermarket, the first Chairman of
AAMA, after AAMA’s inaugural meeting, and with the appoint-
ment of ABR as the official mouthpiece, we revisited this inter-
view and chatted to Malcolm again to get an update, which
unsurprisingly has very little deviation from the original inter-
view. Malcolm explained the reasons for the formalisation of
Partinform into a far more powerful institution, saying that whilst
all the founding members of AAMA are also members of NAA-
CAM and/or the RMI, in many cases it was a situation of being a
square peg in a round hole. “NAACAM is primarily an OEM
focused body, whereas the RMI is a retailed focused organisation.
Both do a good job in their respective areas of expertise and focus,
and the AAMA members intend to continue to leverage off the
strengths of these important bodies, but in many cases the specif-
ic interests of aftermarket manufacturers are nor being catered
for.” To this end, he adds, AAMA does not intend to duplicate
what NAACAM and the RMI do, but rather to focus on what
they do not do, or do not do well. Thus AAMA intends to com-
plement the offerings of these bodies, and to service the unique
interests of the aftermarket manufacturers in four specific areas:
1. Strategic Input: A focus on government lobbying and the pre-
senting of a united front, for the good of the local aftermarket
industry, and for the good of the country. AAMA’s voice must
be heard at the legislative level, and standards, test procedures,
and very importantly, enforcement, must be of the highest
priority. Good enforcement with no legislation, and vice
versa, good legislation with no enforcement, means very little.

18 September 2009
2. Training Support: The establishment of a training academy to
serve the interests of the local aftermarket industry, spreading
the training net as wide as possible, whilst pooling resources
to create training teams that deliver cost effectively. Important
issues such as product training and the full understanding of
MERSETA requirements will get attention. However, train-
ing will be product specific, which may not necessarily com-
ply with MERSETA requirements
3. Partinform: The venerable Partinform format continues, pro-
moting local brands and passing on the vital message of qual-
ity and safety to all corners of the country via the tried and
tested mini-trade show formula – getting face to face with the
end users and retail shop employees in the rural areas and
emerging markets. A focus on educating the industry on the
different quality levels of life and limb parts, and the how,
why and what behind parts availability and technical support,
will play an increasingly important part of Partinform. And,
of course, the Consumer Protection Bill will have an enor-
mous impact on the industry.
4. Supply Chain Sustainability: A huge opportunity exists in the
area of supply chain management and improvement, via a
September 2009
combined approach to areas of common interest. There is
tremendous wastage in supply chain costs in many areas:
inward and outward logistics; customs management, and the
need to lobby strongly on commodity prices.
At its formative stage, AAMA consisted of thirteen founding
members, all who had been accepted on their credentials as
being existing Partinform members. For future members, the
process is more structured, with an application form to be com-
pleted by aspiring members. The entry requirements stipulate
that members must be local manufacturers whose route to mar-
ket is through the traditional channels, and not via vertically
integrated distribution.
Agents need not apply, as equity in the brand will be a prereq-
uisite. AAMA now stands at sixteen members, with three new
members having joined early in 2009.
ABR humbly accepts its mandate to be the voice of AAMA. The
Editorial Advisory Board has been nominated and once the
Board has been constituted, it will be announced in the October
issue of ABR.
The inaugural AAMA
Executive: Malcolm
Perrie, chairman;
Murray Long; Norman
Bull; Colin Murphy,
Partinform chairman.
AAMA held its
first meeting on
21st January 2009.
19
 The Objecives of the Automotive Aftermarket
Manufacturers Association are:
(i) promote, protect and encourage the general and collective (vi) jointly promote members’ brands and products in the
interests and image of the members engaged mainly or Southern African market by facilitating trade shows and
substantially as brand owners in the manufacturing sector similar marketing activities;
supplying the Automotive Aftermarket;
(vii) engage the relevant Industry Bodies in trade, labour, leg-
(ii) protect the brand value of members operating within the islative and other matters affecting members and, as desir-
South African Automotive Industry aftermarket; able, to promote, support or oppose any proposed legisla-
tive or other measures affecting thee interests of members
(iii) provide a forum for members to meet with a view to pro-
collectively;
moting and protecting the interests of the members of the
association; (viii) promote and disseminate to members and the authorities
any information of value and use to them;
(iv) promote employee training and training accreditation
within the automotive aftermarket and to facilitate the (xi) print, publish or advertise in any news media, periodical,
establishment and administration of a joint training facil- book or leaflet that the Association may think desirable;
ity in the automobile aftermarket parts industry;
(xii) do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to
(v) promote and protect the interests of members, customers the attainment of the objects above specified.
and the public by ensuring that proper standards of quali-
ty, service and ethical trading conditions are maintained by
its members;

20
September 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

CONTROL INSTRUMENTS AUTOMOTIVE

ANNOUNCES THE INTRODUCTION OF
THREE NEW CATALOGUES
ECHLIN SWITCH CATALOGUE - AN 88 PAGE CATALOGUE CON-
SISTING OF AN EXTENSIVE APPLICATION GUIDE FOR CARS AND
LDVS COVERING: FAN, OIL PRESSURE, REVERSE LIGHT, STOP
LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE SWITCHES. IT ALSO INCLUDES A
COMPREHENSIVE ILLUSTRATED BUYERS GUIDE SECTION
SHOWING PIN CONFIGURATION, OHMS RESISTANCES AND
TEMPERATURE VALUES WHERE APPLICABLE. AUTOEXCEL
AUTO- ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS GUIDE - AN ILLUSTRATED
140 PAGE BUYERS GUIDE CATALOGUE COVERING ALTERNA-
TORS/STARTERS AND THEIR ROTATIONAL PARTS. COMPLETE
UNITS SHOW MOUNTING POSITIONS, PIN CONFIGURATIONS,
AND APPLICATION DETAILS ALONG WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE
OE REPLACEMENT NUMBER. A 20 PAGE OE CROSS REFERENCE
PART NUMBER GUIDE CAN BE FOUND AT THE BACK OF THE
CATALOGUE. ECHLIN STEERING SEAL KITS AND SEALS -
A 14 PAGE REFERENCE GUIDE WITH AN 8 PAGE APPLICATION
SECTION COVERING RACK SEAL AND PUMP SEAL KITS FOR
CARS AND LDVS FOLLOWED BY A LISTING OF SEALS FROM
SMALLEST TO LARGEST I.D. FOR QUICK IDENTIFICATION. FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE E-mail: info@ci-automotive.com
OR PHONE 011 627 2500

Cannes International
Advertising Week
21-27 June 2009
Samantha Podmore, who until the 31st August 2009
was the Marketing & Communications Manager of
Federal-Mogul Aftermarket, recently attended the
Cannes International Advertising Week, and came
back all revved up with creativity. This is what she
had to say about the event, “What an unbelievable
experience to go to Cannes and see the best of the
best compete for the prestigious Grand Prix of Advertising. The standard of
work on presentation was incredible and it was great to see a South African Ad
Agency among the top entries. From registration to award ceremonies the
event was a well oiled machine and even though attendance was down, due to
the economic world recession, the standard of the event was still top class.
Each category on offer - PR/Promotion/Direct, etc. - held a different but well
thought out concept, some held shock value, some pulled at the heart strings
and others just made you smile, but each one targeted and achieve its message.
It also gave great opportunity to network and attend seminars on the different
advertising mediums. Each speaker was a class act and encouraged you to
expand your every day thought process. Although not every speaker targeted
my particular area of experience, it was awesome to hear and learn about their
field and what is happening internationally. At times I did feel like a pre-
schooler, as there is so much creativity to absorb in such a short time span and
you are bombarded with intense imagery and sounds from all sides. But from
a professional point of view, I certainly benefited from the event and have
come back to SA, with my creative juices flowing and more educated in the
new trend of the times. I was also lucky enough to be given a guided tour of
the wineries in Provence and to see some of France most beautiful landscapes
and beaches. Cannes is truly a place of beauty and charm, from her side street
bistros to her crystal clear topaz waves, Cannes is a place everyone should take
the opportunity to visit and enjoy.”
 Tony’s Take

Barack Obama and the

40 derivative traders…
Everybody speculates, but nobody loves a speculator. The lack of
enmity usually arises when speculation turns into a professionally
by Tony Twine, managed drive that pushes prices of commodities, currencies or equi-
Senior Economist, ties in a direction that is disadvantageous to the majority of minor
Director – speculators in any of those items, who consider themselves power-
Econometrix (Pty) less to either counter or take advantage of major speculative
Ltd thrusts by well healed market players.

T
ake the performance of the crude
oil price during 2008 as an exam-
ple. Market players produced a
speculative bubble in the price of crude oil
which was clear to see, but repeatedly
dressed it up with cock-and-bull stories
about impending shortages, cuts in pro-
duction from minor oil fields and a grow-
ing demand vs supply gap. It was easy to
detect the source of the inflation going
into the bubble, because each successive
statement that drove the price upwards
came from an oil analyst for a financial
corporation, not an oil analyst for an oil
producer. O, there was a Sheikh or two in
the mix, but we can guess which side of the
price trajectory they favoured.
Of course, the speculators probably never
actually owned a barrel of oil between
them. What they did own were future
contracts to buy or sell crude oil at a spe-
cific price at a specific date in the future, or
option contracts to do the same. Each and
every one of us can buy similar contracts at
a fraction of the underlying value of the
strike price, for any range of commodities,
currencies, government and Eskom bonds,
single equities or even the entire
Johannesburg Stock Exchange listing. It is
more than a little ironical that financial
instruments that were originally developed
to safeguard investors have become princi-
pal tools in the hands of market specula-
tors who use them to drive perceptions of
future prices. Suppose then an investor
buys a commodity at a given price, say
$100 per unit, in the belief that he can sell
it at a price of more than $100 at some
date in the future. Thus, even the truest of
true blue investors is speculating on at least
two levels when he purchases an asset,
firstly that the future price of the asset will
move in his favour, and secondly that the
carrying costs of owning the asset will not
exceed the growth in value of the asset.
In order to contain what is really an open
ended risk (the asset may turn out to be
either valueless or valued by the market
into which it is to be sold at a price lower
than $100 at a point in the future), the
asset holder or a financial intermediary
may sell a contract that will allow the hold-
er to sell the asset at, say, $105 at a date in
the future. Such a contract represents as
firm a commitment as a spot purchase
across the counter for the asset. A varia-
tion of such a future contract is one that
gives the holder of the contract an option,
but not an obligation, to buy (a call
option) or sell (a put option) a given quan-
tity of the asset at a given price on a given
date in the future.
Known as derivatives, these future and
option contracts were intended to limit the
risk to the owners and potential owners of
the assets which underlie the existence of
the derivative instruments. But, the deriv-
atives have taken on a life of their own,
being traded at a fraction of the value that
the rights attached to each instrument rep-
resent in terms of the asset. In this way,
they can, if they exist in sufficient volume,
end up driving the market price of the
underlying asset, rather than simply acting
as an insurance policy against sudden
unexpected price movements.
So, oil prices rose on the driving force of
derivative trading, not because of funda-
mental supply and demand references.
Consumers of oil products grumbled away,
but themselves immediately switched into
speculative mode, filling their tanks ahead
of suspected or announced price increases.
From July 2008, they speculated in the
opposite direction, waiting for prices to
drop on the back of falling crude oil prices.
On the way up, they bought SASOL
shares, as the price fell, they ditched them.
What can be done to prevent the knock-on
damages that occur when speculative
intensity rises to fever pitch? Unfortunat-
ely, the answer appears to be “very little!”
Market mechanisms only work if partici-
pants who buy and sell perceive different
values in what they have vs what they can
get by adjusting their asset and liability
portfolios. Consumers do the same thing.
The Obama campaign promised con-
straint of speculators, but the only govern-
ments which really got this right operated
in Moscow and Beijing, and he might have
trouble taking the American ethos to
either of those destinations.

Ken Ken 5 x 5
How to Play:
Like Sudoku, even though difficulty may vary from puzzle to puzzle, the rules for
playing KenKen are fairly simple:
For a 5x5 puzzle, fill in with the numbers 1-5.
• 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 33

22 September 2009
 Frankly Speaking

by Frank Beeton
Electric Avenue
After a mere 40 days of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, General Motors walked
away from its “bad assets”, including the Saab, Hummer and Saturn brands, a num-
ber of factories and numerous labour agreements and supply contracts, and emerged
as the “new” General Motors Company. With US government aid estimated to total
around $US 50 billion, the sanitized GM was put back into a viable operating condi-
tion, to compete for its share of sales in the still depressed global markets with
adversaries who have not had the opportunity to call on anything approaching this
level of support. The rescue process was not universally popular, even in the United
States, and many people were left asking: “will they make it?”

F
or the record, the “new GM” will initially be a pri-
vately held company, with its common stock owned
by the US treasury (60,8%), the United Automobile
Workers union’s retiree health-care trust (17,5%),
the Canadian and Ontario governments (11,7%)
and “old GM” bondholders (10%), until an Initial
Public Offering is launched, possibly in early 2010. The US deal-
er network is planned to reduce from the previous level of 6 000
outlets to around 3 600 by the end of 2010, domestic manufactur-
ing facilities will be cut from 47 to 34, and employment will
reduce from around 91 000 to 64 000 over the same
timeframe. One opinion put forward by industry
observers was that very little has really changed
at GM apart from the strengthening of its
balance sheet. This view had possibly been
reinforced by the surprise return of 76-
year-old former “Car Czar” Bob Lutz, as
vice chairman responsible for “creative
elements of products and customer rela-
tions”. Last February, the enigmatic Lutz
had announced his retirement, and some
felt, at that time, that his departure would
open up avenues for GM to completely
rethink its product strategy. GM’s portfolio
has come in for a great deal of criticism, and its
reliance on large cars, pickups and Sports Utilities
for much of its profitability input has been identified as
a major contributory factor to cumulative losses approaching a
staggering $US 100 billion that were chalked up over the past
three years, as well as the former Corporation progressively giving
up more and more of its North American market share, which has
reduced from well over 40% in the 1950’s to a current level of less
than 20%.
Clearly, GM’s problems have gone a lot deeper than just product
strategy, and the depth of the cuts that have recently been made
into corporate structures and iconic nameplates clearly indicate
this. It is also true that most of the company’s problems have been
lodged geographically in its North American operations, and no
amount of offshore success has been able to compensate for this
fact. However, to dealers, customers and the outside world, the
product is the most visible and tangible manifestation of what the
company is doing, and provides the most important basis for judg-
ing its success or failure. This is the motivation behind so much
time, energy and money being expended on building product
image. It is precisely for this reason that GM, now concentrating
on its Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick & GMC brands, badly needs to
get its product mix right. It is easy to say that it should just adapt
European or Korean product for the North American market, but
past experience has shown that this direction is not an automatic
panacea. However, it could be that the Opels that were
recently badged as Saturns were not adequately pro-
moted or merchandised, hence their failure to
even rescue that minority brand. The
Korean-sourced General Motors Daewoo
products have done well on a global
scale, with production running at
around 1,5 million units per annum,
but they have been hidden in the US
behind Chevrolet and other domestic
GM nameplates. Optimum research,
strategy, planning and execution will
be needed by the new company if it is
to succeed.
Of course, we now have the headlong rush
towards plug-in rechargable electric vehicles.
GM is at the forefront of this movement, and Bob
Lutz has positioned himself as the champion of the Chevy
Volt, the company’s first PHEV. There is much debate over how
successful this product direction will turn out, given that pricing
levels are estimated to be even higher than already expensive
hybrids, and it will probably take another upward rush by the oil
price before PHEV’s really take off. GM is also progressing with
development of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition
(HCCI) technology for petrol-fueled engines, but no production
plans have been revealed, as yet. There is no doubt that GM is as
technologically strong as any other vehicle manufacturer on Planet
Earth, but radical departures along inappropriate technology paths
have the potential to eat money very rapidly, and could easily undo
all the good that has been done with the rescue operation in 2009.

24 September 2009
 A series of articles on the rise of the Chery automobile

A Well Respected SUV About Town

When I took delivery of the Chery Tiggo 1,6 Compact SUV for a vehicle
evaluation, I had to lay down the law – to myself. The law revolved
around my accepting that I was to drive down to Durban, and drive back
to Johannesburg, in a budget SUV, and that this SUV was not an expen-
by Howard Keeg sive latest generation mortgage consuming Sandton zooming past the
Joneses chariot. A corollary to this law was that I had to shelve my
Jeremy Clarkson alter ego and bring to the fore my humbler side, the
part of me that correlates to the common man, i.e. the vast majority of
our country’s population. I was, for a week, as the Kinks would say,
“going to be a well respected man about town” driving a well respected
SUV around said town. Once this law was in place, I was in a position,
both emotionally and intellectually, to give an honest evaluation.
Mission accomplished, and here is my evaluation, sans motoring jour-
nalist sense of self.

T
he Chery Tiggo 1,6 Tiggo TX is a 4x2 front wheel
drive SUV that would not have elicited a lifted or
batted eyelid ten years ago, with rather pleasing
external lines and a modern and spacious interior
layout, with satisfactory appointments. It has a
willing 1600 engine (output 80kW @ 5800 rpm;
torque 147Nm @ 4 300 rpm) that does the job without much
fuss. First and second gear and a slightly notchy gear change take
a little getting used to, primarily because we have been so spoiled
by the latest and greatest transmissions in heftier priced models,
and I have a strong feeling that this would not have solicited much
comment a decade ago. The return trip to Durban was surprising-
ly pleasant, with this compact SUV doing all that was expected of
it and cruising happily up hill and dale at 120/130 km/h in fifth
gear, with fourth gear only required up such obstacles as van
Reenen’s Pass, which was not an issue, as the speed limit of
80 km/h presented absolutely no problems for this eager little war-
rior. I am afraid that there is precious little else that I can say, as
there was no drama of any sorts, and the small amount of town
driving that I did was also negotiated with ease and aplomb. For
the price of R164 900 you get a 3yr/100 000km warranty and a 3
year 75 000km service plan that is backed up by the reputable
McCarthy organisation, which in any language translates into a
perfectly acceptable package. So there it is. If you want to hear
quibbles and criticisms, you’ll need to speak to the Jeremy
Clarkson clones, of which there are many I’m afraid.

The Tiggo 1,6 delivered a commend-

able 6,9 litres per 100 km fuel con-
Modern and well pleasing lines sumption on the round trip This could be one of many SUVs

CHERY VEHICLES PERFORM WELL IN 2009 TOTAL ECONOMY RUN

C
hery, scored two podium
positions in their respective
classes on the recent Total
Economy Run 2009. Chery is
distributed in South Africa by
Amalgamated Automotive
Distributors, a joint venture between
Imperial Motor Holdings and McCarthy
Limited. Competing in Class A (petrol-
engined cars with engine capacities between
750 and 1 150cm3) the Chery QQ3 was
crewed by Francois van Rensburg and Thinus
van Rensburg. They achieved a figure of
6.57ℓ/100km on a very demanding event,
with lots of inclines and even some rain
ensuring that the going was quite tough
throughout, certainly not suiting the smaller
capacity vehicles like the Chery QQ3. The
class was won by a Daihatsu Charade.
Competing in Class D the Chery J5 of Syd
Brett and Joe Smith performed equally well in
the class for 1800cc - 2000cc vehicles.
Achieving a figure of only 7.1ℓ/100km with
their 2-litre J5. They even ended up a very
respectable 8th overall on the Efficiency
Index. The class was won by Willie Nel in a
Ford Focus 1.8Si. This year’s Total Economy
Run was run over three days, with the start
and finish at the Badplaas resort. The event
attracted a strong field of 28 vehicles, repre-
senting 14 different brands, thus competition
in the various classes was very keen, with
many of the crews having competed in
numerous Total Economy Runs. The route
took competitors over a variety of roads in
Mpumalanga, covering stretches of road from
Ermelo to Hazyview.“We are delighted with
the good consumption achieved by the Chery
QQ3 1.1 and J5 in the Total Economy Run,
as this event is acknowledged as an excellent
way of comparing the potential fuel economy
of various makes and models of vehicles
under identical conditions,” commented the
managing director of Chery SA, Brett Soso.
“As the route was especially tough on the
smaller capacity vehicle’s the QQ3 still did
the brand proud, but we are especially proud
on the achievements of the 2-litre Chery J5
for ending up as high as 8th overall in such a
strong field.”

26 September 2009
 AIDC Automotive Industry Conference 2009

SA AUTOMOTIVE WEEK BOOST

FOR REGIONAL ECONOMY
Automotive manufacturing hubs throughout South Africa stand to benefit from potential new investors who will be
attending the second South African Automotive Week in October, according to National Association of Component and
Allied Manufacturers of South Africa (NAACAM) Executive Roger Pitot. He says companies such as “Chana, Tata,
Mahindra, Goodrich Tyres and others,” are looking at investing in South Africa to take advantage of the emerging African
market and to gain access to the European and US markets as well. Held every second year, on alternate years to the
Johannesburg International Motor Show, South African Automotive Week takes place in Port Elizabeth from October 7-
10 this year. Hosted by NAACAM and the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAM-
SA), the South African Automotive Week (SAAW) is the only dedicated trade show for the automotive components indus-
try. The importance of the auto industry to the local economies of Durban, East London and Nelson Mandela Bay (Port
Elizabeth) was highlighted in the latest Absa property revue, which found that the three auto hubs had suffered the biggest
decline in property values. At a local level, SAAW is expected to inject over R35-million into the Nelson Mandela Bay
economy. SAAW director Andrew Binning says local industry – from car hire companies and accommodation establish-
ments to printers would benefit significantly from the spend on infrastructural costs for the Initiative and from over
3 000 trade delegates expected to converge on Port Elizabeth. “Add to these revenues the value of deals negotiated at the
event – surveyed at the inaugural Week in 2007 to be conservatively at R30-million,” says Binning.

A
n important theme of the Week is the economic cri-
sis and opportunities created by government for the
industry to sustain itself and refocus on its vision of
producing 1 million vehicles by 2020. “South
African Automotive Week will provide the platform
and networking opportunities for the auto industry to fully
exploit the opportunities which exist for component manufactur-
ers, distributors and exporters.” According to Binning, 20 per cent
of exhibitors at the 2007 event concluded deals above R100 000,
while the top nine per cent completed agreements above R500
000. Nearly 70 per cent of exhibitors said they had had a “very
positive” or “overwhelmingly positive” interaction with visiting
buyers. This year’s event will host delegations from the United
Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, India and
China. SAAW sponsors include the Eastern Cape Provincial
Departments of Transport and Economic Development, the
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Coega and MERSETA.
For more information or opportunities please contact
Alastair Stead at Inkanyezi Event Organisers at 086 1101 475,
email saaw@inkanyezi.co.za or visit www.saaw.co.za
South Africa in danger of
“losing” auto components
industry
“If we do not join hands and make the auto components indus-
try work, we will lose it,” is the warning given by South African
Automotive Week (SAAW) chair Alfred da Costa.
His warning comes as the National Association of Automobile
Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) says in its report for
the second quarter of 2009 that “as a result of low industry vol-
umes and ongoing financial stress experienced by suppliers, avail-
ability and security of supply is increasingly at risk in certain
instances. The ever present need for global cost competitiveness
and vehicle manufacturers’ cost reduction targets continue to
pressurise suppliers. The strengthening of the Rand also causes
domestic components to become less competitive.” Among the
steps being taken by the industry is an Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) supplier forum, which will be hosted in
Port Elizabeth on October 8 as part of SAAW, which runs from
October 7 to October 10. Da Costa, who has interests in compo-
nent manufacturing, says one of the biggest challenges facing the
local components industry is that it is largely unknown outside of
South Africa. “Through my travels overseas, I have become very
concerned about the level of what we can call naivety about the
South African components industry. The industry overseas simply
does not know what we have in this country. SAAW includes a
components trade expo, and a “Navigating the storm: A roadmap
to vision 2020” conference organised by the Automotive Industry
Development Centre (AIDC). Delegations from a number of for-
eign countries have already confirmed attendance at SAAW,
according to Da Costa, who says the expo is an opportunity to
show the world “how sophisticated and competitive our auto
components industry is”. SAAW has the backing of the National
Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers
of South Africa (NAACAM), as well as the AIDC and NAAMSA.
For more information go to www.saaw.co.za
HAS THE TIME COME FOR
GOVERNMENT TO SUP-
PORT THE AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY IN THE CREDIT
CRUNCH?
The need for government support to the automotive industry is
set to come more sharply into focus in the context of record lows
in average production capacity utilisation levels, severe job losses
and depressed retail sales, says Barlow Manilal, CEO of the
AIDC. NAAMSA's latest quarterly review released in August
2009 points to the extent of the crisis in the automotive sector.

28 September 2009
 Vehicle manufacturers are reeling from a huge drop in
domestic and export demand for new vehicles. Executive
Director Nico Vermeulen described the current situation
as "unprecedented in the history of the SA automotive
industry."

During the first half of the year, almost 4,500 car manu-
facturing jobs were shed. Adding to the woes of the indus-
try, retail sales slumped 6.7 % year on year in June, accord-
ing to Statistics SA. The data is being used as an argument
for further interest rate cuts this year.

"Government will need to assess the situation carefully,

given the sizable influence of automotive manufacturing
on the economy," says Barlow. "The provocative question
of whether the SA automotive industry deserves a bailout
will be a focused panel discussion at our Automotive
Industry Conference," he says. The Automotive Industry
Conference 2009 takes place on 7 and 8 October 2009 at
SA Automotive Week. Panel members include Firoz
Cachalia (MEC for Economic Development), Mcebisi
Jonas (MEC: Department of Economic Affairs &
Tourism), Dr Matthews Phosa (ANC Treasurer) and Irvin
Jim (NUMSA National Secretary). The panel discussion
will be facilitated by eTV news anchor Jeremy Maggs.

The theme of the conference is "NAVIGATING THE

STORM: A ROADMAP TO VISION 2020". The first
day of the conference takes the form of a plenary session
with plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate. The
second day sees delegates focus on specific areas of interest:
Supply Chain Development, Supplier Development and
Skills Development & Training.

The Automotive Industry Conference 2009 is being host-

ed at SA Automotive Week in Port Elizabeth. "This offers
great additional value to delegates," says Lance Schultz,
AIDC Manager and Conference Manager. SAAW includes
the only NAACAM endorsed International Trade Show in
South Africa. The Trade Show is focused on Component
Manufacturing, is for trade only and attracts buyers and
suppliers from throughout South Africa and around the
globe. Site tours to the Coega IDZ, an OEM and Fifa
2010 Soccer World Cup Stadium are among key network-
ing opportunities, which also include golf and the famous
Gala Networking Dinner on Port Elizabeth's blue flag
beach attended by the who's who of the automotive sector.
Over 500 companies have registered on SAAW's business
matchmaking system.

To register for the Automotive Industry Conference or

view the full programme, visit www.aidc.co.za.

September 2009
 Auto Topical

How to Nail Jelly to

by Tony Twine
the Ceiling
In President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of interventions to rescue vulnerable sec-
tors and consumer groups in the current recession, put forward in the first week of
August, the hard pressed motor, clothing and textile sectors, all received a mention.
ulating demand. The most probable ration-

T
he slim references that were
made tended to suggest a lean-
ing towards supply side support.
Such support usually takes the
form of tariff reductions or cash-flow infu-
sions in order to tide over companies in sec-
tors where contractionary trading condi-
tions are deemed to be temporarily rather
than permanently constrained. Sadly, this
ducks the question of whether it is better to
stimulate the supply or the demand side for
the output of such sectors. Even if that is
decided, is it feasible to stimulate either or
both sides of the economic equation? The
problem with stimulating the supply side
of any sector, is that the only reason that
such support could be necessary has to be
that there is significantly reduced demand
for its output. In such a case, tax payers
money is being used to prop up productive
activity that is not confronted with an
equivalent level of demand. Alternatively,
it allows the recipient companies to survive
without producing at levels that would
normally ensure their ongoing survival.
Either the government pays the producers
to build up output inventories, or to sit
around doing less and less for the same
amount of revenue. This is the General
Motors and Chrysler bail-out approach.
The problem with replicating this
approach on even a microscopic level for
the South African motor sector is that there
is much less obscene fat to be chopped out
of the local supply chain. The vehicle
assemblers and imports have indicated that
they are in survival mode and are only like-
ly to topple if their international owners hit
the wall – and not even then, according to
GM South Africa. Therefore, the most
probable targets of supply side intervention
have to be the local component manufac-
turers, whose dominant business interests
have moved distinctly off shore since the
MIDP forced a change of focus away from
import displacement towards export pro-
motion after 1995. Very clearly, support-
ing these suppliers at home in South Africa
will not increase demand for their output
in foreign countries, and the transfer from
the local government to those producers
can only last a limited time period, which
may well be shorter than the time required
to restore previous levels of demand in
heavily hit foreign economies.
Some economies, including those which
have simultaneously granted supply side
support for their motor sectors, have also
stimulated the demand side for vehicles.
Germany took the lead, providing tax
rebates for scrapped vehicles 9 years or
older. It was an enormous success. The
British market also recovered sharply on
the back of a similar plan. In the USA the
cash-for-clunkers programme went a long
way to producing the first year-on-year
positive growth in vehicle sales for 19
months, recorded as 2% growth in July
2009. A significantly differently structured
demand side program in China, focused on
rural demand for commercial vehicles, saw
annual sales growth leap to 48% in June
2009. The very success of these programs
has led to concerns about what happens
when they are terminated. The South
African Rescue Package appears to favour
the supply side approach, rather than stim-
ale, apart from the local vehicle suppliers
having said that their future survival does
not depend on government hand-outs, is
that the cost to a government already
saddled with a deficit budget and a growing
reality that lower than expected revenues
will expand the fiscal deficit beyond
planned levels, is a fairly decisive stopping
point. Also, there is a big difference in
using taxpayer’s money in countries with
comparatively wealthy social networks to
subsidise aspirant vehicle buyers.
Try explaining why the South African gov-
ernment is subsidising car purchases to a
village of poverty stricken individuals in
Limpopo or Transkei, and see which way
they vote in 2014. Vehicle sales volumes are
also notoriously price in-elastic, but very
sensitive to economic growth in South
Africa. No sizeable impression is likely to
be made on the number of units demand-
ed in the local market without a stimulus
subsidy in the order of 20% of purchase
prices, representing R27bn in last years
sales revenue terms. That is R27bn that
government simply does not have available
to spend.
The response so far by the South African
Government to calls for support from the
motor sector appears entirely understand-
able, even though it does not solve the
problem of a lack of demand, both at home
and abroad. When it is made public, we
can expect it to help cash-flows rather than
sink wealth into component exporters or
anybody else within the sector.

McCARTHY OPENS NEW SUZUKI DEALERSHIP IN BLOEMFONTEIN

McCarthy Limited has announced the opening of a new McCarthy Suzuki dealership in Bloemfontein. The Group already has
five Suzuki dealerships in Parow, East London, Pretoria Central, Strand and Umhlanga. “The Suzuki brand is renowned for its
exciting and dynamic automotive products. As Suzuki Auto South Africa’s leading dealership partner, we believe the brand has a
lot to offer motoring customers,” said Brand Pretorius, CEO of McCarthy Limited. “Looking at the brand’s performance over
the past year, we have great confidence in the future of the Suzuki brand in South Africa.” According to Kazuyuki Yamashita, man-
aging director of Suzuki Auto South Africa, “the central South African region is particularly important to the company strategi-
cally, both from a vehicle sales point of view, as well as to support for our existing customers in the area. McCarthy’s has been one of the top perform-
ing dealer groups since the launch of Suzuki Auto South Africa in 2008, and we are delighted that they will be handling the new Bloemfontein dealer-
ship,” said Yamashita.

30 September 2009
 weighty issues

THE MARRIAGE OF MAN

by Frank Beeton
AND VOLKSWAGEN TRUCKS
One of the most interesting events currently unfolding in the South African truck-
ing scene is the impending merger between MAN Truck and Bus South Africa, and the
heavier commercial vehicle business of Volkswagen South Africa. This follows the
€1,175 billion acquisition by MAN’s German principals of Volkswagen’s Brazilian
truck and bus-building operation, Volkswagen Caminhöes e Ônibus, during the first
quarter of 2009. The immediate ramifications of this takeover included instant
Brazilian market leadership for the expanded MAN operation, and the appearance of
MAN powerplants in some VW test units, where MWM International and Cummins diesel
engines had been used previously. From a longer term perspective, the merger raised
prospects for a considerable enhancement of the MAN/VW global footprint in both
geographic and product coverage terms, making it highly significant for its potential
future impact on the pecking order within the global truck community.

up. Likewise, the creditable stand-alone

I
t was notable that, despite some nomi-
nal overlap between the heavier
Brazilian products and models in
MAN’s own truck line-up, there is more
than enough differentiation in market posi-
tioning, particularly when comparing VW’s
more basic models and MAN’s state-of-the-
art TGL, TGM, TGX and TGS series, to
suggest that the sum of the two ranges
would open up significant additional
opportunities across world geographic
regions with differing requirements in
respect of vehicle complexity. This situation
will apply equally in South Africa, where
MAN has historically been placed among
the industry “heavyweights”, whereas the
recently-arrived VW truck and bus models
have slotted in among the “volume” market
participants.
Details of the local integration modus
operandi recently announced by MAN
CEO Thomas Hemmerich include consol-
idation of all vehicle assembly at MAN’s
Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal facility, the con-
version of qualifying VW truck dealers into
dual-brand outlets, and the absorption of
VW product and warranty liability by
MAN. One of the conditions of the
takeover was that the Volkswagen products
would retain their original branding, thus
ensuring continuity of VW’s truck market
presence. It should be noted that the VW
Crafter van range, which participates in the
Medium Commercial Vehicle market seg-
ment (3 501-8 500 kg Gross Vehicle Mass),
is to remain within the Volkswagen light
32
vehicle distribution network, and is not
affected by this merger. It will be interesting
to see if MAN explores the possibilities of
extending the Volkswagen range sold in
South Africa downwards. Currently, the
Constellation truck line-up covers the
GVM spectrum from 13 to 24 tons, but
the presence, in the Volksbus passenger
range, of a 9 ton GVM chassis, hints at the
availability of lighter models. In fact, the
range of vehicles produced at Resende, in
Brazil, also includes smaller trucks with
payloads ranging down to three tons, plus
related bus models, and it may be desirable
for the local planners to look at some addi-
tional VW-sourced product in order to pro-
vide more complete coverage of the truck
and bus markets above 3,5 tons GVM.
While it could be said that the local market
performance of the VW Constellation
range has been slightly disappointing since
its initial introduction in 2007, much of
this can be ascribed to the total lack of his-
toric truck-market experience and credibil-
ity on the part of the manufacturer and its
dealers. Future prospects for the range,
under MAN stewardship, could be consid-
erably brighter, and have the potential to
“stir up” the HCV segments, between 8
501 and 16 500 kg GVM, in particular.
The price positioning of these models is
more than competitive with the Japanese
marques that currently dominate this mass
spectrum, and product perceptions are
bound to improve as more MAN influence
is bought to bear on their technical make-
local success achieved, thus far, by the
Volksbus passenger models, should be con-
siderably enhanced by association with
MAN’s market-leading bus operation. It
can be expected that VW chassis will soon
be offered with off-the-peg variants of the
Lion’s Explorer body superstructures built
at MAN’s Olifantsfontein plant, which
have been well accepted by the local operat-
ing community. While the MAN buses will
undoubtedly continue to satisfy the needs
of larger, more sophisticated operators, the
VW products promise to exploit opportu-
nities among smaller operators, particularly
in the rural areas, where more basic “emerg-
ing market” specifications are favoured.
Looking ahead, the combination of MAN
and VW products, supplemented by ship-
ments from the MAN Force Trucks joint
venture in India, and, possibly, the recent-
ly-announced MAN-Sinotruk collabora-
tion in China, are placing this group in a
very strong position to bid for local and
international market leadership. While the
recent power struggle between Porsche and
Volkswagen for control of their combined
operations in Germany has diverted atten-
tion from more fundamental issues, it
should be remembered that Scania is also
part of this family, and that some future
structure that draws all these elements
together could find itself as a dominant
power in the global hierarchy of truck and
bus manufacturers.
September 2009
 Insurance Policies on the rise
UK Companies renewing their motor insurance policies in Q3 could face
increases in premiums with 91% of underwriters predicting a rise, according
to Aon’s Market Pulse, a quarterly index that tracks the UK underwriters’ pre-
mium predictions for property, liability and motor fleet insurance. Ron
Gordon, senior executive at Aon South Africa, says these results will be very
similar for the South African market place. “This is in stark contrast to the predictions for Q2
in which every underwriter stated there would be no change in rates for this type of cover. As the
economic downturn has worsened globally, companies have cut back on their motor fleets,
spending less on insurance and therefore pushing up rates in order for insurers to remain prof-
itable,” he says. Aon’s Market Pulse also shows that 40% of underwriters believe rates will rise
for casualty/liability insurance, while 35% believe the same for property insurance. The dramat-
ic change in forecasts for motor insurance is symptomatic of a ‘hardening’ market, when insur-
ers look to drive up premiums. These rises are set to continue for at least the rest of 2009 in order
to return this market to profitability and prevent even more significant increases in 2010.
Answers
From p 22

September 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
T
he South African oil
industry has being mak-
ing the news lately, and
most of the comment is
about the refineries’
inability to provide (deliv-
er to the pumps) the highest quality fuel
(in accordance with the 2006 World Wide
Fuel Charter protocol), and the accusation
that they are behind the times and are sim-
ply not prepared to invest in much needed
upgrades. The pros and cons are many and
sometimes confusing, but whatever the
facts, it is simply not true that with fuel
matters South Africans are always behind
the curve. There are many pioneers in this
country, and three of them are Malcolm
Walker, Roger Gemmell and Hector
Saltzwedel, who are worthy of the title of
“Innoventors”. Innovention is a new word
coined by ABR to describe a mixture of
ingenuity, innovation and inventiveness,
and the diesel fuel filtration system devel-
oped by Ultra Fine Depth Filtration (Pty)
Ltd. definitely fits the bill. Walker,
Gemmell and Saltzwedel are the brains
behind the system.
UDF (Into the Future with Cleaner Fuel)
filtration systems are manufactured by
U.D.F. (Pty) Ltd, a privately owned South
African company specialising in diesel fuel
filtration systems, and these systems can be
fitted to all types of diesel powered equip-
ment and are installed as either retro-fits or
by original equipment manufacturers and
suppliers before delivery. The concept
behind UDF filters is that no diesel fuel,
Séan Jackson
anywhere in the world, is clean enough for
engines, particularly the modern genera-
tion of diesel engines, and the belief from
the three pioneers that “adequate” filtra-
tion is just not good enough in modern
diesel engines. UDF explains that conven-
tional filters are like kitchen sieves in that
they catch everything above a certain parti-
cle size, but that they let everything below
a certain particle size through. The end
result is that too many large particles cause
the primary filter to block or unplug, thus
nullifying the filter’s efficiency.
Take this a little further, and when huge
numbers of very small particles are not
caught, they cause wear and stiction/
seizure. Enormous numbers of very small
articles of less than four microns pass
straight through conventional area filters
and jam between the injector needle and
barrel stopping smooth opening and clos-
ing, and also cause injector spray holes to
wear open.
We shall revisit the technical aspects of
these deficiencies in upcoming articles in
ABR, but for the purposes of this article
Séan Jackson decided to fit a UDF filter on
his Toyota Fortuner 3,0 litre D4D, to test
the efficacy in a real life scenario. Before
fitment, Séan was achieving a fuel con-
sumption of 8,0l/100km, and after fitment
this improved to 6,7l/100km. What Séan
also noticed was that the engine was con-
siderably quieter after fitment, which he
ascribes to the cleaner fuel being delivered
to the engine through the injectors. Sean
explains that the UDF filter is the third
line of defence against dirty fuel.
Traditionally, the fuel goes through a water
separator and a fuel filter, but now it also
has to run the UDF gamut, and this is
where the magic happens. UDF filters have
a cellulose fibre and synthetic medium that
has been extensively developed since 1996,
and with this final polishing the fuel that is
delivered is as clean as can be.
Next month we shall look at the technical
aspects.

34 September 2009
 health
An update on Moto Health Care
In last month’s edition of ABR I touched on certain challenges still facing Moto
Health Care since its administration was entrusted to Momentum Medical Schemes
Administrators at the beginning of this year, and indicated ways in which members and
employers could assist in meeting those challenges.
I
do believe, however, that it is impor-
tant to convey the message that every
effort is being made by MHC
through its various structures to
address all issues of concern. To this end a
task group has been established to proac-
tively spearhead this effort. Members of
this group are drawn from Trustees and
senior management of MHC and MMSA,
and the group’s proposed nomenclature is
the “Technical/Process Management
Committee”. While its terms of reference
are still in the process of being finalized,
these will broadly encompass the identifi-
cation of challenges, problem areas, con-
straints, and complaints as reported by
individual members, groups, or stakehold-
ers, and then to develop and implement
corrective action. This may include system
or process changes, the identification of
the persons responsible for the implemen-
tation of such changes, and the setting of
deadlines for the corrective measures to be
implemented.
One area that appears to continue to
plague MHC is the question of correct
billing. I believe that a deeper insight into
the processes surrounding the billing of
contributions due will assist in alleviating
to some degree the unhappiness this issue
causes.
While the ideal scenario would be to col-
lect contributions in advance as most other
medical aid schemes do, MHC collects
contributions one month in arrears. So,
for example, July contributions are payable
by the 3rd of August. However, in order to
generate the billing statements in good
time, this exercise takes place around the
middle of the month so that statements
reach employers and individual members
before the month end to enable payment
to be effected by due date. Thus, to use
my example, billing statements for July
contributions are automatically generated
around the 15th of July to reach their
recipients before the end of July, for pay-
ment by the 3rd of August. I have to stress
that MHC is regulated by the Medical
36
care
Schemes Act which precludes it from
granting any form of credit. It is, there-
fore, essential that payment of contribu-
Barry Canning, Chairman Board of
Trustees - MOTO Health Care
tions must be made when due. Any delay
in payment for whatever reason could prej-
udice any member whose contribution is
not received when due.
It follows, therefore, that notification of
changes to membership data, e.g. new
members, changes in beneficiaries, resigna-
tions, and so on, received near to or after
the middle of a month will not be reflect-
ed on the billing statement for that month.
In such a case, MHC would depend on the
employer to reflect any changes in a recon-
ciliation of the amount billed to the
amount paid. I would urge any individual
member or employers to make use of the
interactive website created by MMSA to
enable them to effect their own changes to
their membership data. Details of this
facility and how to make use of it can be
obtained from MMSA.
There are some important points to bear
in mind with regard to membership.
Members are members for an entire
month. Thus members join from the
beginning of a month, and it is suggested
that staff joining a firm in the first two
weeks of a month and requiring medical
aid membership, should join MHC as
from the beginning of that month.
Conversely, any staff joining in the last two
weeks of a month should join as from the
beginning of the following month.
Children born on or before the 15th of a
month need to be registered from the
beginning of that month, while those born
after the 15th need to be registered at the
beginning of the following month.
Members leaving the fund for whatever
reason during a month will remain a mem-
ber until the end of the month in which
they leave, and contributions will be
payable for the whole month.
Importantly, members intending to resign
from MHC must give 30 days notice of
their intention to do so.
A challenge for the administrators is the
proper identification and matching of pay-
ments received, particularly via EFT’s.
A circular was fairly recently sent to all in
which it was explained how to correctly
reference any payment made. I would
appeal to any one making payments to
MHC to make every effort to comply with
the circular. If, for some reason, anyone
has not received the circular, please contact
MMSA for one to be sent.
September 2009
 and Their

by Marcus Haw
Tyres Contribution to
Safety in Motoring
This issue, we carry on with the next five costly common mistakes fleet operators make.
Having already covered five in the last issue we need to make it clear that while the
ten mistakes are the most common, we are not necessarily giving them in any order of
importance or priority.

6. Tyre and rim fitment and training

Wheel rims can have a very direct effect on tyre life. Equally, the
way tyres are fitted to rims can have a very direct effect on tyre life.
There are so many mistakes made in rim choice, rim maintenance
and tyre to rim fitment that we will never be able to cover them all.
What we will do, is cover the reasons for the effects that rims have
on tyres. We will also look at the principles behind these effects.

One of the biggest concerns affecting tyre wear is the way the tyre
beads seat on the rim flange. If the seat is imperfect, the tyre will
wear irregularly. Very few transporters pay wheel rims the attention Mismatched rims
they deserve. Very little training is given to fitters other than them
learning from the other fitters, who are fitting incorrectly anyway.
Rim maintenance is totally ignored, or very poorly carried out.

Lately a new problem has emerged in cheap imported rims. While

their flanges are of the correct specifications for our tyres, their lev-
els of manufacturing standards vary too much.

Mixing of rims in a fleet is a bad move, but one that all fleet oper-
ators indulge in. Rims have different dish offsets, different
strengths and carrying capacities, even different flex rates. Mixing
rims, especially in dual fitment positions, not only affects the tyre
life, but can be dangerous. This is the fundamental principle to
bear in mind. The differences in flex rates and strengths in rims
means they react differently in all dynamics and cannot work Alignment
together. One will therefore be under more stress than another.
However there are still enough operators running their own work-
Dish offsets will affect flex rates to some extent and the results can
shops, and making a complete hash of it, to warrant this section.
be the same.
Workshop control touches the entire operation. If the workshop is
Pay attention to the rims in your fleet. Keep them clean, ensure the
poorly run, and the vehicles condition suffers, the whole company
flanges are not damaged and are clean. Match them carefully and
loses. Tyres are not only affected quicker and harder, but are in fact
correctly and standardise on the type, size, dish and offset. Get
an excellent indicator of the workshops levels of service. Too many
information and use your knowledge when buying and maintain-
workshops run on a “manage by crisis” system. And especially
ing your rims. Train or get your fitting staff properly trained. You
when times are hard, as they currently are, too many workshops
will increase your safety and reduce your costs by correct rim use.
cut costs in the wrong places. Strangely, when times are hard the
first thing to go is preventative maintenance. The best way to con-
7. Workshop habits trol cost in a fleet is to maintain your vehicles in a way that keeps
Here is a problem which sometimes seems to be on the decline. them running reliably and consistently. This is only achieved
This is because so many vehicles are sold with maintenance con- through pedantic preventative maintenance. Surely this is logical.
tracts these days. This (usually) ensures professional workshop And tyre costs, being as high as they are, can be dramatically
attention and obviously some recourse when things go a bit pear reduced by the way the workshop is looking after the vehicles.
shaped. Wheel alignment should be regularly checked and corrected.

38 September 2009

Rim maintenance close-up
Worn suspension
The same with wheel bearings, suspension and steering bushes,
shock absorbers and brakes. They all have a direct influence on tyre
life and wear types.
8. Loading attendant habits
The way vehicles are loaded can make or break tyres. High loads
result in load sway. Load distribution affects stability, which affects
safety and tyre life. It also affects the loads individual axles, and
therefore what individual tyres are carrying.
Correct loading is paramount to good tyre life. So important, but
so ignored. Study your operation and thoroughly plan your loads
to be the most efficient logistically, and the most effective for vehi-
cle and tyre longevity.
9. Scheduling habits
Without exception, fleet operators consider keeping the fleet mov-
ing as their only function of importance. Of course this is true
since without the fleet moving, they would not have jobs. But the
way they go about keeping the fleet moving at all costs boggles the
mind. Cost effective fleet movement should be their priority, not
keeping it moving at any cost. But the sad and unbelievable truth
is they will keep their trucks running even in a dangerous and un-
roadworthy condition. Tyres are neglected along with all other
components, and deteriorate to the point where safety is thrown
out the window, and costs escalate unrealistically.
September 2009
Scheduling should be considered and planned, with all mainte-
nance, as a major priority. Services, minor and major, oil changes
between services, and tyre checks should take priority above that of
simply arriving at the next job on time. Reliable vehicles are cheap-
er to run. Well maintained trucks get the best out of tyres and
therefore reduce tyre costs to acceptable levels. Make sure the oper-
ations guys are informed regarding the importance of scheduling
correctly, including maintenance and tyre checks.
10. Driver habits
Who’s the most important person in a trucking fleet? The owner?
The manager? The controller? No, none of the above - none other
than the driver. Why then are drivers last on the list of staff con-
sideration in all fleets? They get pushed to limits of endurance that
no one can maintain, their remuneration is usually far below the
responsibility they carry, and their training is the most neglected of
all. Everyone gets computer training, human resources are con-
stantly finding some seminar or other to send everyone to, but
driver training has all but gone forever. Drivers are in control of all
the goods the fleets carry around the country each day. More than
anyone else they are responsible for the running costs of the fleets,
the condition of the vehicles and of course the way the tyres get
treated. They are directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of
rands each day. Why does no-one recognise their importance?
Train your drivers. Get them to understand the workings of the
vehicles they drive. Understanding brings gentleness through con-
sideration. Get them to understand the dangers and how to avoid
them. Teach them about vehicle dynamics, road safety and how
tyres are their only contact with the road surface, and therefore
their only real means of control. Train them to conserve your vehi-
cles and take care of their tyres, and reward them on a performance
based approach. Reward them for road safety awareness and prac-
tices. Reward them on cost saving practices and driving habits.
The habits of your drivers are manageable concerns in your fleet,
and should be one of your main priorities. In so many cases we
witness drivers getting blamed for tyre abuse, when in fact there is
no abuse at all. Damage is done through ignorance and a lack of
understanding. This is due to a lack of training, and is the direct
responsibility of the fleet controller.
In this regard, the whole industry needs to wake up in a big way.
This is the final issue in which we concentrate on this particular
market segment. We trust it will assist the fleet controllers in look-
ing at their tyres in a new and informed way and we hope that they
benefit financially from their new insight. More than anything, we
trust they approach their tyres with more understanding and in a
more safety minded way.
Next month we start another look at the tyres on fleet cars, the new
technologies, and new problems and fixes in these hard times.
www.bridgestone.co.za
39
 Road Safety

Road Safety and Driver Safety –

an Oxymoron? by Dr Nick Christodoulou - Dover Systems

There is never a good time to lose your money or to have an accident.

Both have a bad effect.

R
oad safety is an often mentioned concept and discussed
at length around the braai: “don’t use that road, it isn’t
WHAT IS PSYCHOMOTOR
safe” or “use the highway, it’s safer” Roads are generally TESTING?
static and it is the user or driver that makes them unsafe
Psychomotor testing is a means of measuring the individual’s
or not. Other articles have highlighted the fact that safety is a fac-
information processing and combines it with some sort of reac-
tor of speed only. Speed might kill but negligence does kill. It is
tion. When an individual is tested it is an evaluation of competen-
the mindset and body reactions of the driver that can produce safe
cies which are well developed and those which are problematic, It
or unsafe roads. From a psychological perspective it is obvious
is unfortunately true that many of the current commercial drivers
that the person’s interpretation or perception of the road environ-
are way below the required levels for safe, competent driving. This
ment plays a major role in driving. A rested, relaxed, and
does not mean that they are not employable, but rather that they
unstressed driver would more than likely make a better judgment
should be deployed to positions in which they would function
call than a tired, stressed, hungry driver. Similarly, sober or drunk
well. Alternatively, those in employ should be earmarked for fur-
drivers, fatigued or fresh or even time constrained or no-rush driv-
ther training. Larry Vertue of Spar Supermarkets in the Western
ers make different judgment calls. In the 1960’s these phenomena
Cape achieved very good results doing just this. Drivers were test-
received a lot of attention from Road Safety Authorities. This led
ed using the Dover Test. This test measures the driver for hand-
to the development of a host of driver testing programs aimed at
eye-foot coordination, visual organisation, reactions (correct and
the mind-set of the driver.
incorrect), distance estimation, and co-ordination.
Traffic Psychology joined the ranks of emerging interest fields and
The results were reported as A= good, B= average and C= prob-
became an important research vehicle to identify personal
lematic. A subsequent follow-up indicated that the A and B can-
strengths and weaknesses. These factors became an essential part
didates were safer, more reliable, and generally better employees.
of the understanding of traffic behaviour – not necessarily to reg-
They also had other positive personality qualities characteristics
ulate it but to develop meaningful structures. One of the largest
which could be measured. These personality traits are often the
contributors to this field was the Austrian Road Safety Council
make or break of an organisation in terms of time, deliveries, safe-
who commissioned the development of computer based testing.
ty and reliability. A driver of an ordinary car is as vulnerable as the
This was part of a wider initiative to improve driver skills and by
driver of a company vehicle who is repping. All driving is a mix-
implication, driver safety.
ture between skill, aptitude, and attitude. These are all measura-
ble and can be quantified and dealt with. Business transport is the
PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS backbone of our economy and can only benefit from a bit of psy-
These have been recognised for a long time. By definition these chological or psychomotor insight.
skills include the mind and body. In more medical terminology it
is the level of arousal and the central nervous system’s reaction to Dover systems is a Randburg based company which sells
that arousal (message). This begs the question – did the brakes fail the equipment for in-house use (e.g. Trucksurance) or as a
or did the driver fail to operate them (wrongly or at all). service provider to the Logistics, Transport, Mining,
Manufacturing and similar industries.

TWO TOP MOTORING BRANDS ARE

‘tickled pink’ to join forces with the 2009
Clicks ‘Journey of Hope’…. the same path,
a different road…
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (MEA) and AMG Conversions are tickled pink as they announce their
involvement and sponsorship of the 2009 Clicks Journey of Hope Breast Cancer Ride 2009 to promote awareness of breast cancer to urban
and rural women across South Africa. As part of its commitment to supporting the fight against breast cancer, Harley-Davidson and AMG
Conversions have pledged their support by offering vehicles that will be used on Clicks Journey of Hope. 15 breast cancer survivors from all
walks of life will roar off from Cape Town via the West Coast on Harley-Davidson Motorcycles & vehicles from AMG Conversions as they
pursue the West Coast on an eight day journey that will cover 2400km. They arrive in Johannesburg on the 24th October after leaving Cape
Town on the 17th October. Well known celebrities like Janie Du Plessis and Lilian Dube; both breast cancer survivors are once again on the
ride – Janie on the Harley and Lillian in the AMG. For more detailed information – please visit our website www.journeyofhope.co.za

40 September 2009
 Customer
Theo Calitz has been working in
or involved in the motor industry
for the last 16 years. A
Mechanical Engineer by profes-
sion, he is passionate about cus-
tomer care and his company,
T-R-M specialises in automotive
CRM for the automotive industry
and has been doing it for nine
years
As discussed before, CRM is about managing relationships and recognising the
importance and power of relationships in order for our businesses to thrive and
even survive. Since CRM has become such an accepted norm, it does feature more
and more with the latest technology trends.
I
got myself a brand new GPS unit last week and my, how
this technology has developed! I had a built in unit in my
car a few years ago and it was great because I could give
it instructions by pressing a button on the steering wheel
and say things like “filling station at current location” and
it would bring up a list of filling stations in my vicinity
in order of distance from me. Fabulous! But my new GPS unit
(which is not a built in unit but stand alone) takes it to a new
level. It now recognises the fact that I am part of a community
that can add immeasurable value to each other and in the process
give access to other to do business with me. By creating a commu-
nity of users we can share useful information like road closures
and other things I encounter that would be useful to everyone
else. But it gets even better; I can know when friends and
customers are in the vicinity and use the knowledge to meet up
with them. Obviously, the system and process must be smart
enough not to infringe on privacy and become a nuisance –
something we all experience with modern CRM in the form of
SMS, e-mail and telephone calls. Let’s call it uninvited approach-
es. However, used smartly and appropriately, we are entering a
whole new dimension of offering relevant and appropriate
interaction with our customers.
I always like to think of CRM as in terms of the way I would
approach my friends or would like them to approach me or even
the dating process. If I want to go into a relationship, how would
I approach a potential successful date and how would I like to be
approached? The same principle applies, it is about managing
relationships, which we know people appreciate and enjoy.
44
C.A.R.E.
CRM –
new technology
trends
So how do we use the latest technology like a GPS unit to further
our CRM programme? GPS allows us to combine position with
other information. We call it spatial data, this being a particular-
ly dynamic version thereof. An example could be that the cus-
tomer loads in their preferences on a device like his or her GPS
unit. This allows the device to provide you with useful informa-
tion at the location where you are at or better still, remind you of
shops you prefer, filling stations with lower diesel price and even
when you have friends in your area. The next step would be that
the technology can actually learn from your behavior, e.g. do you
like to stop at certain shops, do you search for certain restaurants
regularly? If there is a pattern, it can be tracked and applied. We
are creatures of habit after all, and recognising this fact means that
we can, once again enhance the customer experience.
Soon I will not go anywhere without my trusty GPS device. It
knows where I am, how to get to where I want to be in the most
efficient manner, tell me about shops and things that would be of
interest to me on the way, make sure I arrive on time, know about
friends in the area, tell me about the weather, warn me about traf-
fic and speed cameras – even read me stories from audiobooks.
Soon I will be able to go nowhere without my GPS – just like my
cell phone!
Isn’t this amazing? This was science fiction a few years ago! Now
the trick is, how do I use this latest trend to improve the relation-
ships with my customers?
www.t-r-m.co.za
T 0861 TRM TRM
F 086 686 8382
September 2009
 Customer C.A.R.E. Programme
– sponsored by Federal-Mogul

Module Four - COMMITMENT RE-VISITED

In module three, we answered some questions which should have highlighted our com-
mitment to ourselves, our companies and our customers. Let us re-visit these
answers, and try to expand on the philosophy behind those questions. I know that
some of us cannot even remember our last birthday, so we are only looking at our
behaviour over the past 3 months:

COMMITMENT TO no spare parts available, or more accu-

YOURSELF
• How many times have you
improved yourself, at your own
expense, and in your own time?
What I am really asking, is do you realise
that you have been allocated 3 score
years and ten for your time on earth?
Take off the first 20 years, which is really
your apprenticeship, and that leaves you
with just 50 years. What are you doing
with this time - watching TV, or playing
video games, or watching life go by? You
cannot waste this time, it is too precious.
Like water being the lifeblood of this
planet, time is the lifeblood of your being.
DON’T WASTE IT. IMPROVE YOUR-
SELF, every day, every hour, every
minute, every second of your precious
life. And don’t wait for your company to
send you on a course, in their time, and
at their expense. This is in many cases
unfocussed and unproductive. Choose
what you want to do, and do it, in your
own time, and at your own expense - now
you are really investing in YOU - be your
own unit trust; that keeps growing and
growing, with amazing dividends. And no
stock exchange crashes.
• Have you looked after your body
through diet, exercise and modera-
tion in other activities?
The same philosophy applies here. You
were only given one body, and there are
rately, easily obtainable. So maintain this
body, and don’t abuse it. Look after it, to
enable you to fully enjoy your stay on this
earth. This will give you the ability and
the desire to thank God that you are
alive, every day of your life, and to
appreciate nature and the wonderful
machine that has been given to you - your
body.
• How many times have you compli-
mented yourself, and how many
times have you added value to other
people’s lives?
Once again, the same philosophy applies,
like a golden thread. Enriching your
intellectual mind, and strengthening your
physical body, are important factors in
your being able to enjoy life, but there is
one vital ingredient necessary to com-
plete your life experience. This ingredient
can be called psychological balance.
You cannot enjoy life if you can only
laugh, and not cry, or can only express
joy, and not experience sorrow. We need
to understand the good and the bad, to
experience things emotionally, but tem-
pered with an over-riding psychological
control. We have to accept that we are not
machines, and that being human we have
to compliment ourselves frequently, to
obtain psychological and emotional bal-
ance. We need to exercise self discipline,
but balanced with frequent bouts of self
gratification. A good indicator of this
balance is the ability to add value to
other people’s lives. A simple example is
how we react to an act of discourtesy on
the highway. Do we display sign lan-
guage, or do we give way graciously? By
giving way graciously, we are not only
adding value to the other person’s life, we
are also complimenting ourselves. If this
example is difficult for you to swallow,
then you need to re-examine where you
are coming from.
The bottom line is that you can
IMPROVE yourself.
COMMITMENT TO
YOUR COMPANY
• How many times have you gone
beyond your job description, to
enhance your company?
I have debated this question many times
with many people, and the tragedy is that
the majority of them somehow see this as
a victory for the company. “Why do
something that you are not being paid
for?” is the general theme. Whilst this is
an indictment of the culture of the compa-
ny, it is also an indictment of the person,
because we get back to the principle of
making the most of life - you get out of
life what you put into life. And logically,
if you have chosen to work for that com-
pany ( it is your choice, by the way ), then
your commitment to yourself demands
that you commit to your company of
choice.
Continued on p48

46 September 2009
 Customer C.A.R.E Programme
Continued from p46
• How many times have you RUN
DOWN your company, or its man-
agement, or your fellow employees.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it! Don’t worry,
this is a perfectly normal human trait,
which is the ability to find fault with
everyone, bar yourself. Maybe you
should worry, because you are indulging
in something the psychologists call pro-
jection. You are actually blaming your-
self, because you are seeing your own
faults in everyone around you. The solu-
tion? Start working positively with every-
one, and the results will be sensational,
because you may not change the person
you are working with, but you will sure as
nuts improve yourself, which is really the
aim of the game. And voila, you will be
committed to your company.
• How many negative things did you
do, merely to protect your own turf?
We all know that the territorial impera-
tive is a powerful force with all mam-
mals, but the problem is that when you
protect your own turf in a company envi-
ronment, you damage the company. So,
rather look for positive ways you can
enhance your company, and hence your-
self.
COMMITMENT TO
YOUR CUSTOMER
• Who gets the prime parking posi-
tions at your company - management
or customers?
Have you noticed that whenever parking
is at a premium, management always
hogs the best spots. They are making a
major sub-conscious statement to both
their employees and their customers - I
AM MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU!
This is a disturbing state of affairs, and
yet it is totally prevalent in this country,
with absolutely no exceptions in my expe-
rience. Have they forgotten that C.A.R.E.
48
means CUSTOMERS ARE REALLY
EVERYTHING.
• When staff training is done, is it
done at the employees’ expense, or the
customers’ expense?
This is another quite weird situation that
seems to be common practice. At many
post offices, clothing stores, and com-
mercial banks, they open late on certain
days of the week for, guess what? - cus-
tomer care training! Inconveniencing the
customer is one thing, but to brazenly
state that they are opening late for the
benefit of the customer, is in the Monty
Python league. I know that South Africa
is renowned for its high quality marijua-
na, but should management be allowed to
smoke it on the job?
• Are commission structures based on
sales or service?
In the mad, lemming-like rush for ever
increasing sales volumes, most compa-
nies design their commission structures
around the altar of TURNOVER. This
does achieve the desired results in the
short term, but at a terrible price - the
practically non-existent thing called
service, particularly after-sales service.
The long term negatives are incalculable,
and as the long suffering South African
consumer becomes more aware, could be
fatal. The insurance industry has been a
classic case study for decades, and in the
contemporary milieu, the cell phone
industry is fast becoming another classic.
There are many other examples of this,
but space constraints force me to holster
my pen.
WHERE DO WE GO
FROM HERE?
The situation is very bad, and in many
cases terminal, but the true tragedy is that
most people in management positions are
very aware of the shortcoming in their
organisation, but do very little about it,
and even worse, some argue that it is not
terribly important in the big scheme of
things. But there are some people out there
who are concerned about the situation,
and they do understand intellectually and
emotionally that C.A.R.E. means CUS-
TOMERS ARE REALLY EVERY-
THING, and they do have the vision to
know that the striving for superb customer
care eventually reaps substantial returns.
These are the people I want to speak to.
From the next module, we shall be address-
ing these visionaries.
DISCUSSION
POINTS
1. Compile a list of things that you can do,
cost effectively, to invest in yourself.
2. Explain, in your own words, how you
can add value to your life, by not react-
ing to bad driving on the highway.
There is one exception - you must use
the word “affirmation” in your answer.
3. Give three reasons why you should not
commit to your company. Analyse these
reasons.
4. There is a logical explanation why staff
training is done during working hours -
discuss the philosophy behind this
explanation.
5. I have mentioned the insurance and cell
phone industries as classic examples of
Jekyll and Hyde customer service behav-
iour. In your experience, which other
industries deserve a mention.
September 2009
 Intelli-Driving

Defensive Driving Tips

by Eugene Herbert

Defensive Driving Key #1. Pay Attention and tired, pull over and rest. Don't gamble your life and another's just
Focus on the Task of Driving because you're in a hurry or you believe you won't fall asleep.
Driving is hypnotic - eventually you will fall asleep if you are not
Yes, this one seems the most obvious! But how often have you well rested. If a your company does not have a Policy governing
been on your cell phone while driving? Or fiddled with a hand- the use of mobile phones you may request a sample copy from
bag, papers, a map, or kept digging for something in your pock- us by mailing your contact details to racsa@mweb.co.za.
ets? Splitting your attention from the process of driving immedi-
ately puts your driving on auto pilot. You are no longer conscious- Defensive Driving Key #2. Maintain Your
ly involved in operating your two ton box of metal - you find you Distance
can't remember what you saw, or that you changed lanes a km
this is particularly difficult for those of us driving on the highways
back. Most importantly, your response rate is reduced and
around the main centres. We're practically raised on tailgating!
impaired. You cannot react quickly to new stimuli because your
But nevertheless, following too closely behind another vehicle
conscious brain is not involved in the active reception of such
accounts for a significant number of vehicle accidents. Plus, in the
information. So how can you increase your ability to pay active
event of a rear-end collision, the fault automatically falls on the
attention while driving? Never use your cell phone illegally - in
rear vehicle - even if the driver honestly believes the front vehicle
some Companies, it is policy that drivers are not allowed to use a
stopped too suddenly. If you maintain the proper distance, it's
mobile phone at all. Try not to daydream, and if someone else is
almost impossible to hit the vehicle in front of you - because
in the car with you, do not look at them while talking - keep your
you've allowed yourself enough reaction time to stop.
eyes and attention on the road. Averting your eyes, for even two
seconds, while talking to a passenger, could put both your lives in
So what is the proper following distance? A good rule of thumb is
serious danger. Also form good driving habits. For instance, if
the "three to four second" rule. You want to always remain a four
you're making a trip to a new destination, get familiar with your
-second count behind the vehicle in front of you. However, the
map or directions before getting into your car. Make sure that you
faster your speeds are, the more space you must allow. At freeway
can recall most of them from memory so that you are not forced
speeds, maintain a good 4 to 5 second leeway.
to finger through, or constantly look at your papers while driving.
In addition, pace yourself - if you're hungry, stop and eat at the
restaurant. Don't drive through and eat while driving. If you're Further tips next month
INTERVIEW WITH DR. GEORGE NYABADZA
Q&A Continued from p12

Africa. I also “forced” Paddy to become my
mentor and he has been for over 10 years now.
Paddy made a great impression on my life and
wanted me to join him. At one stage he even
had me an offer of employment from WesBank
but I wasn’t keen to leave Zimbabwe at that
stage. This wasn’t to happen for a few years
because I started studying for my Masters
Business Leadership Degree at Unisa and was
offered a job also as MD of a Milling Company
in Harare with over 400 employees and 20
branches across the country. I did that for a cou-
ple of years until the bottom really fell out of
Zimbabwe. Then I joined Crown Agents
Southern Africa with a branch in Johannesburg.
All the time I kept in touch with Paddy, who
still wanted me to work for Sewells. In 2003 I
moved to Johannesburg to join Sewells as a con-
sultant where one of the things I did was devel-
op a leadership programme for Ford Motor
Company under the Ford Academy umbrella
under Kyle Dickie. My last role at Sewells was as
the partner in charge of the Nissan account.
Paddy then introduced me to Ronnie Watson
and Brian Riley, the top men at WesBank. Due
to the good association Sewells had with
WesBank I joined WesBank as their Research
and Development Manager. After a year or two
of this I was appointed General Manager of
Marketing, where I have been for the last four
years to get the most exposure for WesBank and
where we have formed great partnerships.
Q: Other interests?
A: My week days usually start at 3.45 a.m.
when I spend time doing my own thing until
6.00 a.m. Sleep? I can do with four hours a day
after years and years of studying, culminating in
receiving my doctorate degree. Then WesBank
has my time from 6.30 in the morning till 6.30
at night. I allow myself time at weekends to go
hiking along with members of the Joburg
Hiking Club. I have a pilot’s licence and fly a
Cessna and am also a Second Dan Taekwondo
which is a Korean Martial Art. I am a certified
Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic
Programming and Neuro Semantics, the models
of how humans achieve personal success and the
use and mastery of language. I am a part-time
member of the faculty of Haggai Institute of
Leadership based in Hawaii.
I absolutely love reading and studying success
and excellence in human behaviour. I have writ-
ten a couple of books. “Black Book of
Leadership” was published in Germany. I got
my Doctorate from Unisa in Business
Leadership in May 2005. My thesis for this
degree was the Lived Experience of the Strategic
Leader, what a CEO should do and
Exploration.
I love motivational speaking and leadership
development and every opportunity that I get I
talk and sharing with leaders, young and old,
about the principles of personal and leadership
success. I love working and inspiring leaders
because that way I believe I can influence a
greater number of people during my own life
time. My life changed dramatically when I
immersed myself in understanding and master-
ing the principles of success and leadership
development. I want as manyt people as I can
reach to be exposed to these same principles.

September 2009 49
 Robert Bosch

Invented for Life

The Bosch slogan invented for life was created to denote many things, primarily centring
on the inventiveness, ingenuity and longevity of Bosch products. Its creators may have
not have been aware of the uncanny precision this slogan assumes when considering that
more vital aspect of human existence, life itself. Irrespective of the motive, this descrip-
tion is indeed apt, and an accurate example of reality following science and art.

I
n the previous two issues of ABR, we discussed the pio-
neering role of Bosch in the development of antilock
braking systems, which are now old hat, but wouldn’t
James Dean have loved to have had ABS in his Porsche
Spyder in September 1955, as this would most probably
have allowed him to avoid the accident that took his life.
Many a company would have rested on their laurels after invent-
ing ABS, but Bosch was far from satisfied, as they realised that
whilst ABS was a revolutionary step forward in better and safer
braking, there was also a need for further assistance to the driver.
This was the driver, excuse the pun, for Bosch’s next revolution-
ary, and evolutionary step, of ESP®. Worldwide accident studies
prove that skidding and the often resulting lateral impact is one of
the main causes of severe and fatal road accidents. The Electronic
Stability Programme ESP® counteracts skidding: it stabilises your
vehicle and reduces the risk of skidding. ESP® makes a significant
contribution towards road safety. International studies by well-
known automobile manufacturers and safety authorities that have
assessed its effectiveness confirm the great life-saving potential of
ESP®. The world's first ESP® was introduced in 1995 by Bosch,
and this “invented for life” product, in more ways than one, made
an immediate impact on road accident statistics. This was recog-
nised by the highest accolade for Bosch in December 2007, when
the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) awarded the
company the internationally acclaimed “FIA World Prize for
Road Safety, the Environment and Mobility”. With this award,
presented by FIA President Max Mosly to the CEO of Robert
Bosch GmbH, Franz Fehrenbach at the FIA Gala in Monaco, the
FIA expressed its recognition of the great contribution Robert
Bosch had made to the worldwide road safety through the
development and consistent marketing of the ESP®
safety system. Mosly put it as such “Bosch has
played a pivotal role in the development
and promotion of the most effec-
tive car safety system since
the invention of the safety belt!” Fehrenbach accepted the award
graciously and modestly, replying that “this prize is a distinction
for all our associates: for the engineers who developed the system,
for the associates in our plants and who have been producing this
system to the highest quality standards for many years now, and
not least for the marketing experts who have never tired of com-
municating the benefits of this system.”
In 2007, a socio-economic study by the University of Cologne
showed that 4 000 traffic deaths and 100 000 injuries could be
prevented in Europe alone if ESP® was installed in all vehicles,
whilst the U.S. road traffic agency NHTSA estimates that 10 000
traffic deaths on American roads could be prevented with ESP®.
Just imagine how many lives ESP® has already saved worldwide,
and how many more lives will be saved when ESP® becomes
mandatory as standard equipment for all vehicles in the not too
distant future? Truly a product that earns the title “Invented for
Life”. Next month ABR shall look at the technical aspects behind
ESP®.
1. Hydraulic modulator with attached control unit
2. Wheel-speed sensor
3. Steering-angle sensor
4. Yaw-rate and lateral acceleration sensor
5. Communication with engine management

50 September 2009
 Robert Bosch
A series of articles on the versatile FSA 720/740/754 series

The Golden Triangle

Carlo du Plessis of Cencar Centurion is an avid Bosch fan, which makes him the
perfect role model for aspiring Bosch Service entrepreneurs, and a shoe in as a
technical guide and demonstrator for this series of articles on the versatility of
the Bosch FSA series of vehicle system analysers.

C
encar is shorthand for Centurion Cars, the business that Carlo du Plessis start-
ed in 1995, a while before he became a Bosch Service outlet. Carlo always
dreamed of owning his own business, and he wasted no time in setting up
Cencar after completing his diesel technician apprenticeship at Iscor’s iron ore
mine at Sishen, Northern Cape from 1992 to 1994. Carlo had already devel-
oped his taste for repairing motor cars when he was a school kid, spending most of his spare
time at his Father’s Trek filling station and workshop in The Reeds. Cencar initially served
its purpose, but Carlo realised that for him to stand out from the rest and to stay abreast of
the accelerating trends in automotive technology, he would need to always have the latest
workshop and diagnostic equipment, and to have access to cutting edge technical knowledge
and training. And Carlo wanted to be associated with a big brand name. A chance meeting
in 2000 on the golf course (not a VW Golf course, but that place where Tiger Woods does
rather well) with Ewald Faulstich, Director Automotive Aftermarket Division, Robert Bosch
South Africa, changed Carlo’s life forever, as he had found what he was looking for. Ewald
Faulstich told Carlo that Bosch was the answer to his prayers, and that Bosch was the path
to success, and the only way to get where he wanted to go. Prophetic words indeed, but
things did not fall into place straight away. Carlo’s workshop at that stage did not meet the
A certificate of confidence, certifying Carlo
Bosch requirements, so Carlo, being a single minded individual, put a five year plan into du Plessis as a Bosch Systems Technician
action, and in 2005 Cencar, after meticulous preparation, assumed
the Bosch Service mantle. Now, four years later, Carlo says that it was
“the best thing that I could have done. I will stick with Bosch for life.”
Quite an appropriate statement, considering that Bosch is “invented
for life”. Carlo says that the investment to meet the requirements has
paid off handsomely, with turnover increasing every year, and with his
up to date equipment, he is servicing the latest models of all the
vehicle brands, and that customers with abnormal problems now seek
him out, knowing that he has the wherewithal to solve these
problems. Carlo credits what he refers to as “the golden triangle” for
his fast growing fame as a solver of vehicle problems. With 14 work-
shops in the immediate vicinity, Cencar has to stay on its toes, and
the golden triangle keeps Cencar on top. It is the golden triangle of
the KTS Compact Control Unit Diagnostic Tester which isolates the
problem via trouble codes, the ESI[tronic] service information sys-
tem which gives step by step instructions to The FSA even has its uses on very old cars
allow for troubleshooting, and the FSA engine
analysing system which rigorously follows pro-
cedures and does the necessary testing right
through the car, and pinpointing the correc-
tive procedures. Add to this the necessary
knowledge and training, as Carlo modestly
points out, and there is nothing that will
stump the well equipped Bosch technician.
This three in one solution avoids costly trial
and error, and avoids the expensive swopping
of components, from a Maybach to a Mini.

In the next issue of ABR, Carlo will begin with

a series of real life examples of how this gold-
en triangle helps him.
Carlo with his beloved FSA

September 2009 51
 Picture 3: M10x1, T-Piece, double Picture 6: Male brake pipe joiner:
Quick Brake flare (convex) M10x1 & 3/8x24
manufacture a full
range of brake pipe
joiners, T-pieces,
mounting clamps
and adaptors in
their range of brake
pipe fittings.
Picture 1: M10x1, 4 way connecter, Picture 4: M10x1, T-Piece, single Picture 7: Pipe mounting clamp:
single flare (concave) flare (concave) 6mm,8mm,10mm,12mm,18mm

Picture 2: M12x1, T-Piece, double Picture 5: Female brake pipe joiner: Picture 8: Female brake pipe joiner:
flare (convex) M10x1 & 3/8x24 M12x1 double flare (convex)

52 September 2009

Chris Swale of Chris Swale Motors, 55 Alexander Road, Westmead, Pinetown,
describes his membership of e-CAR as “Pennies from Heaven”. And he says that these
pennies have been falling ever since he signed up as the very first e-CAR member in
May 2004.
C
hris Swale is always prepared
to take a chance, but he says
that hitching his star to the
e-CAR workshop concept,
even as the first member, was more like
a calculated risk. The taking of calculat-
ed risks is what Chris is always prepared
to do, as ever since he left school, his
dream was to start his own business, and
his first plunge into the entrepreneurial
unknown was in 1984 when he can-
celled all his insurance policies and put
the funds into Chris Swale Motors, and
this nerve-racking move soon bore fruit.
He took a few more calculated risks
since then, but he describes the e-CAR
decision as the best of the lot. A man of
few words, he puts it succinctly, “the e-
CAR investment has brought far more
returns than if I had put the money into
the bank!”
Chris’ mechanical engineering back-
ground sets him slightly apart from the
average e-CAR member, who tradition-
ally comes from an auto electrical envi-
ronment. Chris gravitated to automo-
tive repairs through his love for MG
motor cars, and with his penchant for a
hands on approach it wasn’t too long
before he earned the nickname in the
Pinetown area as the “Spanner
Mechanic”. Thus Chris Swale Motors is
now part of Pinetown folklore, but
Chris realised some five years ago that
with his sons not intending to follow in
their father’s footsteps, that he had
to convert the image of his business to
a more identifiable establishment.
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)
September 2009
e-car
Pennies from
Heaven
His propensity of calculating the risks
made him see the sense of e-CAR mem-
bership, and to put his hand up to be
the pioneer of this well thought out
concept. Today’s motorist is not looking
for a spanner mechanic, they are look-
ing for certainty, continuity, and tech-
nological assurance. The e-CAR image
provides this in spades – an image of top
class automotive repairs carried out by
highly qualified technicians, who use
the latest diagnostic equipment, and
provide a national warranty with the
requisite back-up. This image, Chris
assures us, is not just because of e-CAR’s
national and regional advertising, it is
based on the strong foundation of
Bosch diagnostic equipment and tech- Chris Swale with one of his beloved MG’s. Chris
nical training, combined with the provi- Swale Motors is the only commercial repairer of
sion of quality branded parts at compet- MG motor cars left in KwaZulu Natal. His fasci-
itive prices from Diesel-Electric. nation with MG cars leads him to quip that if you
drew blood from him it would be MG positive.
Combine this with the proud
record of innovation and respon-
sibility that e-CAR has built up
in the short space of five years,
and no wonder that Chris
speaks so highly of the fastest
growing workshop network in
South Africa.
Nothing scares Chris
Swale – he is the offi-
cial Lada repairer in
Pinetown
Two certificates take pride of place on the walls of
Chris Swale Motors – one certifying e-CAR mem-
bership (and the first in South Africa), and the other
proudly signifying that Chris Swale Motors was the
AA Business of the Year in KwaZulu Natal
53
 AutoZoneʼs Call Centre, which was a first of its kind in the aftermarket parts industry when it was
launched when AutoZone bought its Siemens Hymax Call Centre for Denver in the late nineties, has
again been elevated to yet another first in the motor trade with its 24-7 Call Centre!

The Call Centre was previously available to AutoZone Customers between Monday and Friday dur-
ing the week and 8-5 during the day... Now our customers can have access to our brand and assis-
tance all 7 days of the week, 24 hours a day, making AutoZone by far the most accessible brand in
the industry.

The AutoZone Call Centre offers our customers and teams a wealth of services and advantages,
some of which are listed below!

• Call Centre Primary Functionality

- Customer Service
- Efficient information gathering in a short period by conducting various campaigns
- Sales from this centralised environment
- Efficient real-time communication channels
- Communication in a multimedia environment
- Provide a framework, which will lead to the ongoing retention and growth of customers.

• Additional Great Services offered to the AutoZone Family Members:

- Database development and maintenance thereof
- Opposition Pricing and Shop-outs
- Tailored campaigns to suit exact specifications
- Outbound calls to customers assessing satisfaction levels regarding:
• Pricing
• Stock Availability
• Team attitude in the stores
• Deliveries

- Marketing, Market Research and Event Co-ordination:

• SMS
• Telephone
• Fax
• Direct Mailing to specified customer bases

54 September 2009
 Lubrication
A Blue Chip Investment
When Gary and Kathleen Marais, owners of Blue Chip Lubricants, looked to expand
their fast growing business which manufactures, markets and distributes a wide vari-
ety of high quality lubricants for the mining, automotive, engineering and industrial
markets, they looked to what is without doubt the most successful business format
of our times - franchising.
F
ranchising was the last option on
Gary and Kathleen’s minds, until
a chance meeting with franchis-
ing guru Eric Parker, one of the
founders of the successful Nando’s brand
and the country’s leading expert on fran-
chising gave them the idea to go the fran-
chise route. Says Gary, “Our initial reac-
tion was typical of most people – that
franchising was really only suited to some
sectors such as fast food but we were sur-
prised to learn that franchising can be
adapted to suit any business sector. Our
concern was in being able to offer our
expanded client base the same product
and level of service that our current clients
enjoy.” Eric Parker of franchise consult-
ants Franchising Plus, convinced the
Marais’ that by replicating the franchise
business format through owner-operator
franchisees throughout the country, Blue
Chip Lubricants had the potential to
become a leader in its industry sector.
“The franchise model is quite simple and
fool-proof ” says Parker. “By having a pre-
mium product, providing exceptional
service and exceeding customer expecta-
tions through a strict mechanism of dupli-
cation and with the commitment of
owner-operator franchisees, any business
can thrive and grow and become a recog-
nised brand.”
Franchising still has a long way to go in
South Africa, with franchising being rep-
resented in only 17 business sectors com-
pared to close to 100 in other countries, as
in the USA for example. Blue Chip
Lubricants is breaking new ground in
being the first in its industry sector to
expand via the franchise route. This is
exactly what South Africa needs – dynam-
ic and forward thinking entrepreneurs
who are able to ‘think big’ - by offering a
myriad of ‘small business opportunities’ to
other entrepreneurs. It’s really a win-win
situation - the customer gets a premium
product with consistent service, opportu-
nities abound for budding entrepreneurs
and the economy is boosted by skills
transfer and more importantly job cre-
56
Update
Presenters at the Launch on the 31st July 2009, with the owners of Blue Chip
Lubricants: left to right; Alex Hime; Chairperson, ILBA; Kathleen Marais; Ranjith
Ramkissoon, Manager Sales & Technical Support, Umongo Petroleum Additives; Gary
Marais; Eric Parker, Franchising Plus.
ation. Growing from humble beginnings,
Blue Chip Lubricants established them-
selves in 1983 and have become experts in
lubrication and cutting fluid technology
manufacturing, marketing and distribut-
ing specialised, high performance and
general lubricants nationally and to neigh-
bouring countries. As one of the founder
members of ILBA (Independent
Lubricant Blenders Association) they have
played a crucial role in making sure that
From the Old to the New
they adhere to a high standard in blend-
ing, packaging, promoting and marketing
opportunities to create alliances and syn-
whilst meeting the applicable industry
ergies with both competitors and majors,
standards, test specifications and operat-
convert independents and partner with
ing procedures as prescribed by ILBA,
retailers to create a ‘store within a store’
SAE, API, SANS and other standard set-
concept that would tap into the retail
ting organisations recognised in the indus-
market and build both market share and
try. They also play their part in promot-
their brand.
ing and encouraging the environmentally
responsible collection and recycling of
More on Blue Chips Lubrication in future
used oil and related waste towards the issues of ABR.
preservation of the environment as mem-
bers of the Rose Foundation (Recycled Oil
To find out more
Saves the Environment).Blue Chip about Blue Chip
Lubricants’ goal and their expansion plans Lubricants franchis-
include gaining national market share ing opportunities,
through franchising their brand and tap- contact Chrissie
Froneman, Franchise
ping into the largely untapped agricultur- Manager at
al and retail markets in addition to their ChrissieF@bcl.co.za
existing mining, industrial, engineering or 011 462 1829 or
and automotive markets. Taking the lead- 082 319 1955
ership position through franchising and
building a strong brand will open up
September 2009
 P&A News

Floods Hit Katima Mulilo

In the August 2009 issue of ABR, in our Life Goes On series of articles, we mentioned
Toyota SA’s stellar P&A sales, and we promised to revisit the question of whether
South Africans are starting to look after their vehicles during these tough times. To
get a definitive answer, ABR visited the source of the P&A river of knowledge, Terry
O’Donoghue, Vice President Customer Service Division. With 28 years under his belt
at Toyota SA, Terry has seen it all and his views are indeed pertinent.

A
las, our supposition, and hope,
is not true. In actual fact, Terry
O’Donoghue says that if it was
not for Toyota’s and the indus-
try’s introduction of service and mainte-
nance plans on new vehicles, and more
significantly, the extended warranty plans
offered on older vehicles, many South
Africans would most probably be letting
their cars go to the dogs. Times are tough,
and whilst consumers are aware of the
need to maintain their vehicles, they are
of 2005, 2006, 2007, and the profile of
parts usage at Toyota Service Centres indi-
cates that the peak period tends to be
three to four years after the vehicle sale,
i.e. we are now in the peak period. The
surging waters have reached Katima
Mulilo and next year it will hit Victoria
Falls, and by 2010 the Kariba Dam wall
will take the hit. And the sales of Toyotas
were particularly high from 2005 to 2007,
averaging 150 000 units per annum, com-
pared to a 70 000 units average for the
Toyota’s new vehicle sales for 1981 down
to the final digit!), so it is no surprise to
hear that he has been tracking the behav-
iour of Toyota motorists and their service
patterns over the years, and that he can
confirm that based on their 2009 service
intervals they are driving on average 15%
less than previous years. Since so many
cars are now on service and maintenance
plans, he attributes this reduced driving to
the tough times and the higher fuel prices.
To counteract this, Toyota SA is extending

Terry O’Donoghue, Vice President

Customer Service Division, Toyota
This 2005 Yaris is well looked after by the Toyota guys South Africa

also trying to eke out every drop from
their well earned Rands, and vehicle main-
tenance is unfortunately not one of the
priorities. This begs the question; if
motorists are not upping their mainte-
nance budgets, why the stellar P&A sales
at Toyota SA, from just over R1 billion in
2006 to an expected R3 billion in 2009?
To explain this, Terry uses a metaphor that
goes well with our introduction, and may
bring back memories for those of us who
donned khaki uniforms in the 1970’s and
1980’s. He puts it thus; “If it rains heavily
in Angola, when you get the floods
depends on whether you’re at Katima
Mulilo or Victoria Falls” What he is saying
is that the mighty Zambezi of cars on the
road was fed by the record breaking years
first few years of the new millennium.
Thus the raging waters will continue for
quite a while, and the fishermen waiting
downstream comprise that part of the
automotive aftermarket that looks after
vehicles out of their maintenance plans.
Based on this scenario, Terry
O’Donoghue sees his challenge in main-
taining the high performance levels of this
year in 18 to 24 months time, when the
Toyota car parc moves to a slightly older
profile. Not that the car parc will dimin-
ish, it will actually grow. It is already
touching one million vehicles, and it will
definitely be beyond this seven figure
threshold by 2011 – it will just have a
slightly greyer beard. Terry is a statistician
in “murg en been” (he can even recite
its service plans, and putting emphasis on
getting people to sign up upfront.
Unfortunately, the exchange rate deterio-
ration over the past year has kyboshed
Toyota’s ability to absorb some of these
costs in their selling prices, so Toyota is
now offering monthly payment plans for
extended warranties, which is a Godsend
for conservative motorists with three year
old cars, but still with the albatross of two
years financing to surmount. These moves
are bearing fruit, with more and more
Toyotas being cared for by the guys that
built them, and Toyota has also imple-
mented other measures to improve sales
and to keep the Toyota car parc in better
condition. More on this in the next issue
of ABR.

58 September 2009
 Lubrication
Castrol launches new formulation
GTX Anti-Sludge
August 4th saw an impressive launch at the Sandton Convention Centre, when
Castrol unveiled its new formulation GTX Anti-Sludge.
T
he launch consisted of an historical
overview presented by “Boet ‘n
Swaer”, with some assistance from
the nephew of “Mogae Kung Fu”, from a
very well reconstructed set of their
Horingboom Oasis, and done in their
inimitable style. Each decade was celebrat-
ed by a musical interlude from that era,
and this was a great introduction to the lat-
est “Can of the Best”. The original GTX
was introduced in the UK in 1968 as a
successor to New Formula Castrol, in a
period when new lubricants had to keep
pace with massive advances in engine and
transmission technologies, primarily driv-
en by the need for improved fuel economy
and emission concerns. GTX arrived in
South Africa in 1972 and was an overnight
success and to this day it remains South
Africa’s top selling engine oil, as well as
many other countries. Over the years, the
GTX brand has evolved with continuous
improvements to the formulation and the
introduction of packaging innovations,
and it is estimated that more than 12 bil-
lion litres of Castrol GTX have been sold
worldwide since its introduction, and that
globally sales are now in excess of 400 mil-
lion litres annually. The three big markets
are the USA, Canada and South Africa,
with Mexico, Brazil, Australia, India,
Germany, China, the UK and Saudi
Arabia also being no slouches in the
turnover stakes. The slogans have also
evolved, with “Can of the Best” having
moved aside for the current international
slogan “It’s more than just oil – it’s liquid
engineering”. The latest formulation is tes-
timony to this slogan, with BP Lubricants
September 2009
Update
Africa’s technology manager, Rob Bowen,
enthusing, “The formulation of the latest
Castrol GTX Anti-Sludge engine lubricat-
ing oil is the most important technological
development of this popular brand in the
last 15 years. Importantly it provides
added value to the consumer that will be
welcomed in these tough economic times.
The oil’s specification has been improved
to lift it from the API SG level on the
lubricant grading system of the American 2009 marks the 24th consecutive year of
Petroleum Institute (API) to the higher support for the John Force in the Funny
performance API SL level. Car category of the NRA in the US,
making it one of the longest running
In addition, the Castrol development team sponsorships in global motor sport. This
at BP Lubricants’ Centre of Excellence at drag racing sponsorship is also one of the
Pangbourne, in England, have produced a biggest GTX promotions in the world.
lubricant that exceeds the API SL industry
the formation of sludge. It not only short-
standard requirements by 25% and this is
ens engine life, but also increases fuel and
where we get the additional anti-sludge
oil consumption. Similar driving and high
benefit.” Sludge is a thick, dark substance
temperature weather conditions prevail in
that can build up in sumps and oil gal-
many other mega-cities in the world, such
leries, leading to high rates of wear,
as those found in Brazil, the United States
increased fuel consumption, reduced oil
and Asia, so Castrol is introducing GTX
pressure and, in extreme cases, engine
Anti-Sludge to these markets as well as
seizure. Independent research into engine
those in Africa, where dust and harsh road
failure has ascribed a high percentage of
conditions exacerbate the sludge build up
these incidents to high levels of sludge in
situation.” BP Lubricants Africa’s retail
the lubrication system. Once sludge builds
offer development manager, Charlette
up in an engine it is difficult, if not impos-
Roetz, equates the fight against sludge for-
sible, to remove without dismantling and
mation in engine lubricating oil to the bat-
cleaning it thoroughly. Bowen adds, “The
tle against the formation of cholesterol in
ageing vehicle parc, together with the vary-
the arteries and veins of human beings,
ing fuel quality found in South Africa and
“We are using the taglines ‘Sludge is
the rest of Africa and the stop-start driving
engine cholesterol’ and ‘Boost your
and lengthy periods of idling prevalent
engine’s immune system’ in our promo-
today in many cities in South Africa, due
tional leaflets and advertising to underline
to road construction and heavy traffic flow
this similarity. Our sign-off line is
patterns are the ideal ‘breeding ground’ for
‘Superior sludge protection with Castrol
GTX’”. Supplies of the latest Castrol GTX
are already available in automotive parts
outlets and many supermarkets. They are
easily identified with the words “Fight
sludge, the engine cholesterol” at the top
of the label on the container. The label
also highlights Castrol’s six-year commit-
ment to world soccer as a sponsor of the
FIFA World Cup in 2010 and 2014; an
involvement that the company says is
proving very beneficial in its ongoing
brand building strategy and as a way of
reaching new markets.
59
 Insights

Cooperatives – it’s time has come

The official definition of a cooperative is “An autonomous association of persons unit-
ed voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspira-
tions through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.”
Cooperatives have tended to fly under the radar, but things are changing, and the
international significance of cooperatives is underlined by the fact that the United
Nations has designated the 4th July as the International Day of Cooperatives.

S
imply put, a cooperative is a group Geneva, Switzerland from the 16th to the To gain further perspective on the global
of people working towards a com- 20th November, 2009, and the theme for phenomenon of cooperatives, ABR gives
mon goal, and it is easy to identify a this assembly shall be “Global Crisis – our readers the message from Ban Ki-
cooperative, through its characteristics. A Cooperative Opportunity”, and more moon, Secretary-General of the United
cooperative is based on democracy – every details on this assembly may be obtained Nations, issued on 4th July 2009 to com-
member participates in making decisions at ww.ica.coop/al-ica/. memorate the International Day of
that control the business, and everyone Cooperatives.
has one vote. A cooperative is generally
not run for a profit, but must be financial-
ly viable. All members benefit from any
surpluses, and the essence of a cooperative
is its “moral incentive”. The sound funda-
mentals underpinning cooperatives is
borne out by the fact that worldwide 800
million people are members of coopera-
tives, and that over 100 million people are
employed by these cooperatives. Many
successful cooperatives grew from humble
beginnings, and one such shining example
is Capricorn Society Limited, which was
founded in 1975 in Western Australia to
assist automotive repair and service busi-
nesses. Now, more than 30 years on, it is
an Australian corporation trading interna-
tionally. Still operating under the 7
International Principles of Co-operation,
Capricorn has grown to over 12,000 auto-
motive businesses as members ... paint &
panel shops, mechanical workshops, auto
electrical, auto transmission workshops,
mobile mechanical services, tyre and sus-
pension stores and more, that purchase
the equivalent of around 5.3 billion Rand
in parts and services every year from more
than 1,300 preferred suppliers in
Australia, New Zealand and the Republic
of South Africa. Capricorn Society
Limited is a member of the International
Cooperative Alliance (ICA), which was
founded in 1895, and has 233 member
organisations from 87 countries. The next
ICA General Assembly takes place in

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

60 September 2009
 Industry Update

Staying Alive
Dr Frank Lewis of Bruma, Johannesburg, has a PhD in Political Philosophy, which
must make him a fascinating dinner companion. Born and bred in South Africa, he has
also studied and worked in the United States, and thus he has first hand experience
and some firm opinions on both American and South African politics. For the purpose
of this article, it is not Dr. Lewis’ political observations that interested ABR, but
rather what sits under the bonnet of his 1990 BMW 318i – an Exide battery that
could one day take pride of place in First National Battery’s museum located at its
factory in Benoni, Gauteng.

F
rank Lewis’ depth of study around political phi-
losophy has been broad, and the branch of phi-
losophy that has particularly intrigued him is
that of Epistemology. Initially, ABR thought that
epistemology was the study of heavy drinking,
but it actually concerns the nature and scope of
knowledge – what knowledge is, how knowledge is acquired,
what do we know, how do we know what we know, and why
do we know what we know. All very esoteric for the layman,
but something that keeps Frank awake at night as he ponders
the pis in epistemology. It reminds ABR of the dyslexic agnos-
tic insomniac who stayed awake all night wondering if there
was a dog. But back to the enlightening and electrifying sub-
ject of batteries. Knowledge of batteries is not high on Frank’s
priority list, but what he does know is that in 1997 he pur-
chased an Exide battery from a Battery Centre in Fordsburg,
and that this self same battery is still going strong in his 1990
BMW 318i, a vehicle that is now used primarily by his wife.
His epistemological background does not help him know why
the battery is still going strong, because the general consensus
amongst battery experts is that if a battery gives you anything
more than five to six years, you should be very happy, as you’ve
beaten the average by a healthy margin. What Frank didn’t
know, but now knows, is that the longevity record for a car
battery in South Africa is currently held by a six volt Beetle
battery that did its manufacturer proud by lasting for some
17 years. The manufacturer in question is, yes, you’ve guessed Dr. Frank Lewis is happy to discover that the Smart Test battery tester still
it, First National Battery. Louis Laubscher, Managing Director gives his 12 year old Exide battery the thumbs up for performance.
of First National Battery (FNB), the company that manufac-
tures Exide batteries in its East London plant, says that FNB
has a distinctive record, having begun its life in the
self same East London in 1931 under the guiding wing of
Mr. J F Jackson, and that FNB is now the leading manufactur-
er and distributor of lead acid batteries for use in automotive
and industrial applications in South Africa. Louis has prom-
ised Dr. Lewis that whenever his beloved and dutiful battery
eventually gives up the ghost that a new Exide battery will be
waiting for him, gratis. But Louis hopes that this will take at
least another five years, so that this battery can find a welcom-
ing resting place at FNB’s museum in Benoni. Louis Laubscher
shares his name with King Louis XIV, the Sun King, who is
widely credited as keeping the French monarchy alive during
the tumultuous late seventeenth and early eighteenth cen-
turies, which is entirely appropriate and epistemologically fas-
cinating, as he has feverishly cranked up his hopes that the bat-
tery keeps on going and “staying alive”.
This Exide battery has been happily doing its thing under the bonnet of a
BMW 318i for 12 years, and is going for the South African record.

September 2009 63
 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.

The Heroes of the Automotive

Aftermarket # 2
In the August 2009 issue of ABR, we discussed the massive role that the independ-
ent aftermarket plays in keeping cars on the road, and more importantly, the role it
plays in keeping those cars on the road in a roadworthy condition. This function is
particularly significant for vehicles getting on in years, as the majority of South
Africa’s car parc consists of vehicles in the five years and older bracket, and these
vehicles are no longer under warranty and/or manufacturers’ maintenance plans. The
younger cars (those under five years of age) are almost exclusively the preserve of
franchise dealerships.
vast range of parts required to be stocked,

A
s mentioned in our previous arti-
cles, franchise dealerships are con-
trolled through franchise agree-
ments by the OEMs, but legally they fall
under the terms and conditions of the
Motor Industry Bargaining Council legis-
lation. They thus have a schizophrenic
existence, in more ways than one. They are
required through their franchise agree-
ments to observe infrastructural require-
ments, and to uphold stringent standards
in many areas, which is not unique to the
motor industry. Franchise agreements are
by their very nature restrictive and stifling,
and additional costs have to be borne,
mainly to meet the laudable goal of
upholding standards. This is imperative
when the good name of a manufacturer’s
brand is at stake, but it does tend to clip a
dealership’s wings, and must cause frustra-
tion for a dealer who would love to do
more for the consumer, and even more
frustration when the consumer is driving
an older car and cannot afford the higher
prices of proprietary branded parts. The
irony of this situation is that dealers do
make use of suppliers out of the “approval”
net, such as sub-contract work on tyres,
exhausts, tow bars, windscreens, etc., but
are not allowed to purchase non-approved
parts. They would love to be aftermarket
heroes to all and sundry, but are simply not many times a vehicle under warranty is off
able to fulfil this role, because of their fran- the road for weeks (and even months) on
chise commitments. In Europe and other end. The customer in frustration, and dare
parts of the developed world, this situation we say it, even the franchise dealer, is
does not pertain to such an extent, because forced to seek alternatives. These alterna-
anti-competitive practises are more con- tives are nine times out of ten perfectly
strained due to strong legislation and the acceptable replacement parts, and as good
enforcement thereof. The unfortunate as the original, but do not fit the bill under
consequence in South Africa is that the the fine print stipulations. Once again,
consumer who wishes to maintain his hats off to the companies such as
vehicle at the dealership of his choice, pays Grandmark International, who are playing
a high price to keep his/her vehicle on the the critical role of keeping our economy
road, and this may be a contributing rea- moving – and meeting the four important
son for such a high percentage of unroad- criteria of technology, quality, safety, and
worthy vehicles on our roads. This is an value for money. A diamond dialogue,
unintended consequence from the under- indeed.
standable desire to protect one’s turf.
When the Consumer Protection Bill
comes into effect, the situation may
change somewhat, but it still too early to
say to what extent this will happen.
To fill this vacuum, the independent after-
market has stepped into the breech, with
quality parts, warranty support, technical
back-up, and vitally, value for money. This
is even happening with cars that are still in
their maintenance plan periods, because
with the proliferation of models and the

64 September 2009
 Q&A

by Roger McCleery

Roger McCleery asks the questions

See how many of these 20 Questions you can answer.

1. Who presents the TV Motoring Programme “Ignition” on DSTV 265?

2. In which year was the South African Motoring magazine “Car” first published?

3. Name two South African made sports cars that used the Ford Prefect 1172 side valve engine.

4. Who invented the rev counter and odometer?

5. Who first broke the sound barrier on land for the first time and in what year?

6. What other motor car company did Rolls Royce acquire in the 30’s?

7. What country hosted the first car Grand Prix?

8. Who is the Sales and Marketing Director of Mercedes Benz in South Africa?

9. Which Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) won six South African Formula 1 titles?

10. Who lost his leg driving in the ‘Le Mans’ film with Steve McQueen?

11. Which British motor man was England’s equivalent of Henry Ford and Ferdinand Porsche making “cars for the people”?

12. What was the first Aston Martin called?

13. Eight top managers including Formula 1 fundi, Carlo Chiti, all left Ferrari at the same time - November 1961. Why?

14. What led to the 70 kmh speed limit being imposed on the roads in the UK?

15. What car was famous on the cover of Harry Potter books and in the movies?

16. Name three companies that made up American Motors.

17. Which famous former GM Director was caught brokering a $24m cocaine deal?

18. What famous hill in KZN was used for a motor sport hill climb?

19. What Toyota model took over from the Camry in 2006?

20. Why was the 22 km Nurburgring built in 1925?

Answers on page 82
66 September 2009
 Wilde
by Fingal Wilde
M
y gut feel, later to be
confirmed by obser-
vation, was kindled
early on, when I
realised that I was
living in an imper-
fect democracy, with only the minority
allowed the vote. It was during my high
school years, when I was press ganged into
forming a guard of honour for Sir de
Villiers Graaff, that I starting to develop a
distaste for all things political, and when
full blown democracy finally arrived in
1994, I had gone beyond the point of no
return, and whilst I did participate in the
process, it was not with the enthusiasm
that I thought it would generate.
I have thought long and hard as to why this
was so, and I have come to the conclusion
that subconsciously I had already decided
that you get good and bad on both sides
and that the bad tend to gravitate to high-
er office, primarily because of what and
who they are. And the worse they are, the
more they seem to love the trappings of
power, with bodyguards, official motor
vehicles, and grand parties, parades, blue
light brigades and ceremonial balderdash
the order of the day, and what should be a
glaring beacon of warning to the hoi polloi.
Take Adolf Hitler, for example. I used to
watch news reels of him strutting his stuff,
and his vitriolic and animated tirades at
huge rallies should have switched off all but
the most base of people, but it didn’t. They
followed him in droves and look where it
got them. A gentler and weirder version is
the monarchy in Britain. The first time I
visited the UK in June 1988, I had the mis-
fortune to have a host who was a royal nut,
68
Things
Let Them
Ride Bicycles
in both senses. He forced me to stand in a
light drizzle for three hours, just so that we
could watch the Queen and her sidekicks
go past in all their ceremonial glory, in
gilded horse drawn carriages and waving
haughtily at the silly peasants who got
drenched in the process. Since it was the
Queen’s official birthday, we were “treated”
to the whole line of interbred sponges,
from the Queen Mother, to the Queen and
Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Prince
Charles, Princess Diana, and the whole
gamut of trough feeders, and not one of
them ever having done a decent day’s work.
A special cheer went up for Princess Diana,
and little did the cheering throngs know
what drama was still to unfold in the royal
bedroom. I’ve also realised that if Princess
Diana had stuck to horse drawn transport,
she would be alive today. But no, she had
to go for that big black powerful beast –
not Dodi; the Mercedes which took her
into the Alma tunnel one night and never
emerged from the other side, thanks to a
well sozzled chauffeur. Getting back to the
point, on that miserable day in London, I
apparently offended my host by showing
more interest in the prodigious amount of
horse droppings than the goofy teethed
parade.
Do not for once imagine that this is a
European disease. We at the southern point
of Africa behave similarly, I’m afraid. I
recall the official opening of the
Constitutional Court, and the level of adu-
lation showered onto ex President Mbeki
(remember him?). I also recall a BMW
function when Africa’s and the world’s
favourite son Nelson Mandela signed some
special edition BMW’s, and I saw a woman
journalist from Germany being manhan-
dled by some thugs masquerading as body-
guards, just because she got too close to the
Messiah. My gallantry took over, and I
came within a whisker of being arrested for
merely defending a maiden’s honour. I also
recall sitting in the business class lounge at
the PE airport (named after H.F. Verwoerd
at the time, a nasty little habit that the new
regime has borrowed with gusto) in the
1980’s and wondering why Jeremy Cronin
was sitting there sipping his first class
whisky and reading a bourgeoisie newspa-
per, whilst the peasants thought he was
slumming it in economy class and reading
the Communist Manifesto. I think that the
least ostentatious politician southern Africa
has ever had was Ian Smith. Yes, I know
that he presided over a “fascist and racist”
government, but I have also realised that he
was a product of his time and a victim of
circumstance, and he followed what he
naively thought was his destiny. But I have
been told that he drove a small car and that
when he walked down the streets of
Salisbury or Bulawayo, that he did not
need or did not want bodyguards. That
delightful fellow Mugabe should try this –
I don’t think he’ll get one hundred yards in
one piece.
It would be nice if our politicians could fol-
low Ian Smith’s example, and to serve the
people rather than themselves, but alas, it
appears that when the latest lot was sworn
in, their first thought was not the people,
but what big black BMW or Mercedes-
Benz they could buy, and what sound sys-
tem upgrade was available. I have a serious
problem with this, and so should the elec-
torate. I know that my article will not
change the situation, but at least I have got
it off my chest. And now you can under-
stand why I respect Borat and Brüno far
more than our politicians.
September 2009

The Yin and the Yang
by Adrian Burford
of Chevrolet
Chevrolet probably has one of the most interesting histories and in 99 years it has
gone from being a quintessentially American brand (albeit named after a Swiss of
French descent) to being a largely Korean-based company making affordable cars for
General Motors’s world market.
H
ow did it happen? We’re
about to tell you, but the
bottom line is that
Chevrolet’s future – and in a
way that of the new General Motors – was
unknowingly secured thanks to them tak-
ing a majority share in Daewoo Motors
from the giant Korean conglomerate at
the beginning of this decade in the wake
of the late 1990s financial meltdown
which saw Daewoo collapse under huge
debt. In less than 10 years it has all come
full circle and GM’s 50.9 percent stake in
GM Daewoo looks likely to be a key fac-
tor in the future of the holding company.
Race driver Louis-Joseph Chevrolet and
early motor industry entrepreneur Billy
Durant were co-founders of the Chevrolet
Motor Car Company in 1911. Durant
had founded GM via Buick and
Oldsmobile three years earlier but was
forced out of the company. Undettered,
he set up Chevrolet and their 490 - intro-
duced in the middle of 1915 as an alterna-
tive to Ford’s Model T - put Chevrolet on
the map and eventually led Durant back
to the GM fold. It became part of GM in
1917 and was soon the corporation’s best-
selling brand.
In the early 1960s, Chevrolet broke some
kind of production record almost on a
weekly basis and talking of records, while
Chevrolet wasn’t first with a V8 engine,
they arguably perfected it. The small-
block Chevy bent eight was introduced in
1955 and continued to evolve into the last
decade of the century. It is deservedly con-
sidered to be one of the greatest power-
plants of all time and more than 65-mil-
lion have been built in 10 displacements.
Chevrolet was first seen on SA’s roads in
September 2009
Burford on Brands
1919 and in those early years there was a
good chance that every sixth car coming
the other way would be wearing a bowtie
(and every third one would be a GM
product). Because Chevrolet was
American and therefore left-hand-drive, it
came to pass in the 1960s that most of the
cars so branded in South Africa were
sourced from either Europe or Australia.
The larger cars – Kommando and
Constantia – were Auzzie Holdens in dis-
guise while the Firenza was based on the
Vauxhall Viva.
The ultimate Firenza was the home-grown
Can-Am, powered by a 5,7-litre Chevrolet
V8 and born almost exclusively out of a
need to build a production-based race car.
And of course those with long memories
will remember the Nomad - not to be
confused with the Bel Air station wagon
of the same name - which makes a strong
case for itself as SA’s first ever SUV. And
then there was the Ranger, a brand which
was neither fish nor fowl but briefly
cashed in on our patriotism by being sold
as ‘South Africa’s own car’.
The 1970s was the era of "braaivleis,
rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet", which
was a local twist of an American advertis-
ing jingle. It helped to make the Chevrolet
2500/3800/4100 range a best-seller in an
era where car marketing targeted white
males almost exclusively. A mix of Opel
Rekord and locally-made Chevrolet
engines, the range was significant in that it
sounded the death-knell of the latter
brand and the rise of the former. By 1982
Chevrolet was no longer officially avail-
able and Commodores and Senators
became Opels briefly before disappearing
completely, and you couldn’t buy a car
with a bowtie here until 2002, when the
Lumina was launched.
This was ultimately the result of the
GM/Daewoo connection which goes back
to 1972, when The General started assem-
bling vehicles in South Korea as part of a
joint venture with Shinjin Motor, a rela-
tionship which has ultimately evolved into
GM Daewoo – from where the majority
of our Chevrolets are now sourced. Today
South Africans still buy Chevrolet Sparks
which can trace their lineage directly to
the Daewoo Matiz while the likes of Aveo
and Optra are very much the product of
Eastern rather than Western thinking.
It would seem the new Chevrolet is bed-
ding itself down quite well in the psyche
of 21st century South Africans though.
While other brands in the local GM stable
are clearly downsizing (there’s not much
left of Opel, truth be told) the thrust is
very clearly behind Chevvy’s mix of
affordability, reliability, and space.
The acid test will come in the form of the
Cruze, which is currently being launched
into the highly-competitive C-segment,
with the Corolla buyer firmly in its sights.
Spiritually at any rate, it could represent
the start of a new era of "braaivleis, rugby,
sunny skies and Chevrolet".
69
 Corporate Conscience

I am Me
Saturday 8th August 2009 was an auspicious
day for the women of South Hills, as
Sparepro consolidated its Outreach Pro-
gramme, utilising National Women’s Day as the
fulcrum to make a difference in people’s lives.
The 2008 function focused on “Change from this gift had an uplifting
Within”, and the 2009 function took it one sentiment
step further with the theme “I am Me”

P
atrick Latouche, General Manager comes easily. She also reminded everyone
Sparepro, the driving force and that to struggle develops character, and
guiding light behind Sparepro’s cor- that the important thing is to respect
porate conscience ventures, used the func- yourself, respect others, and to always
tion to recommit the company to assisting remember that you reap what you sow.
the surrounding community, and defined She ended by encouraging the young
the previous year’s efforts as “seeds on the women to make a difference – if one helps
ground” which, despite some setbacks, are two, and those two help another two, and
now bearing fruit. Speaking from the so on, the world will be a great place. It
heart, he appealed to the 12 Sparepro was with this inspiring advice that twelve
sophomores to use this opportunity to young women went on their ways, to
change their lives for the better, but to school, jobs, life skills training, and on the Pastor Gloria
never forget where they came from, as one path to making a difference.
day they will also have the opportunity to
help others, and in so doing, to make the
world a better place. He also told the
sophomores that whilst Sparepro can take
them to the water, it was up to them to
drink. The term sophomore was chosen
because this is Sparepro’s second year of
helping young women. Jennifer van Wyk,
HR/Client Liaison Sparepro, echoed
Patrick’s sentiments, saying that whilst last
year’s endeavours were not 100% success-
ful, there were successes, and that the 12 sophomores and the Sparepro Outreach Committee
Sparepro was not giving up on their com-
munity and will continue to help. She Rajan Govinden of Brago Logistics. Brago
appealed to the young women to ask Logistics is one of the companies that will be
taking on a sophomore for on the job training
themselves five life questions:

1. Where do I come from?

2. Who am I?
3. Why am I here?
4. What is my potential?
5. Where am I going?
She also passed on some advice from Vani
Chetty, Director of Sparepro and the
women’s mentor, to focus on the three C’s:
Concentration, Consistency, and
Cooperation. Pastor Gloria, the guest
speaker, spoke of the choices one has in
life, and the very important choice of not
letting life’s circumstances affect your
future. She pointed out that to be happy is
hard work, and that nothing of value
70
the Dinokaneng Singers
Dinokaneng was established to help HIV pos-
itive sufferers, and knocked on many doors for
help. The door that opened was Sparepro.
Sparepro assisted Dinokaneng with access to
the Department of Welfare, and provided
offices and equipment. Jackie of Dinokaneng
acknowledged this help with a certificate pre-
sented to Patrick Latouche, General Manager,
and Vani Chetty, Director.
September 2009
 Hogg’s
South Africa’s Prime
Exports
If Andrew Strauss was a mincing cricketer from Australia, he would be called a Waltzing
Matilda, but he is ours. Born in South Africa, so we are laying claim to him. He may be
playing for England, in fact leading them, but I still consider him as on loan to one of
the less talented cricketing nations. We’ve doing this for years, you know. John Vorster
started the rot, by letting Basil d’Oliviera slip through our fingers.
T
his was the start of the exo-
dus, and most left because of
that most unwanted of inter-
ference by those without the
talent or ability to actually
play cricket at a high level – politicians and
administrators. Just look at the unedifying
behaviour of the CSA top brass because
the Gauteng guys wanted a peek at a con-
tract (which sounds like a reasonable
request to me). This will create a further
exodus, just mark my words. But back to
our prime exports, mainly to England. We
lent Kepler Wessels to Australia, but the
majority of our exports have gone to
England. The list is long, and without
much thought many come to mind; Tony
Greig, Ian Greig, Alan Lamb, Chris Smith,
Kevin Pietersen, and of course, our cap-
tain, our captain Andrew Strauss. Now it is
Jonathon Trott’s turn. We do trot them
out. The one thing these fellows with tof-
fees in their mouths can do, is talk. It is
thus, as a celebration of cricket and our
prime exports, that I give you a speech sent
to me on the internet. The speech is by
one Stephen Fry, at a benefit dinner for
Andrew Strauss on the 16th July 2009.
Here it is, in all its glory, totally unedited.
I think that any cricket lover will enjoy
this.
“Thank you ladies and gentlemen, thank
you very much indeed. It is an honour to
stand before so many cricketing heroes from
England and from Australia and at this,
my favourite time of year. The time when
that magical summer sound comes to our
ears and gladdens our old hearts, the wel-
come sound of leather on Graham Swann.
I have been asked to say a few words - well
more than a few. "You've twenty minutes
to fill," I was firmly told by the organisers.
20 minutes. Not sure how I'll use all that
time up. Perhaps in about ten minutes or
so Andrew Strauss would be kind enough
to send on a physio, that should kill a bit of
time.
72
Wash - by Gilbert Hogg
Now, many of you will be wondering by
what right I presume to stand and speak in
front of this assembly of all that is high and
fine and grand and noble and talented in
the world of cricket, and to speak too in
this very temple of all that is historic,
majestic and ever so slightly preposterous
and silly in that world? I certainly can't lay
claim to any great cricketing achievements.
I can't bat, I can't field, I bowl off the
wrong foot. That sounds like a euphemism
for something else, doesn't it? "They say he
bowls off the wrong foot, know what I
mean? He enters stage left. Let me put it
this way, he poles from the Cambridge end
of the punt." Actually as a matter of fact,
although it is true in every sense that I have
always bowled off the wrong foot. I have
decided, since Sunday, to go into the het-
erosexual breeding business. My first three
sons will be called Collingwood Fry,
Anderson Fry and Monty Fry. That's if
their mother can ever get them out, of
course. But back to the original question
you so intelligently, if rhetorically, asked. If
I can't play, what can I do? I can umpire,
I suppose, after a fashion. A fashion that
went out years ago around the time of those
two peerless umpires, perhaps some of you
are old enough to remember them, Jack
Crapp and Arthur Fagg. I remember them.
I remember them every morning, as a mat-
ter of fact: Crapp and Fagg. Though now,
sadly, the law says we can no longer do it in
public places. And I believe that may even
apply to smoking too. Anyway. We were on
the subject of why I'm speaking to you. I
don't play. I'm not even a cricketing com-
mentator, journalist or writer. I suppose
the only right I have to be amongst you, the
cricketing élite, might derive from my
being said to represent, here in the Long
Room, all those who have spent their lives
loving the game at a safe distance from the
square. It is love for the game that brings
me here. In the forty-five years that I have
followed cricket, I have seen it threatened
from all sides by the horrors of modern life.
The game has been an old-fashioned blush-
ing maiden laid siege by coarse and vulgar
suitors. A courtship pattern of defence,
acceptance, capitulation and finally
absorption has followed. When I started
watching, A. R. Lewis played for and cap-
tained England as an amateur. The game
could never recover surely, from being
forced, against the will of many of those
who ran this place, being forced to become
solely a professional sport? I am just old
enough to remember too the Basil
D'Oliveira affair in all its unsavoury nas-
tiness: the filth of racism and internation-
al politics was beginning to stain the pure
white of the flannels. The one-day-game
appeared, shyly at first. The balance of bat
and ball, essential for cricket to make any
sense as a sporting spectacle, became threat-
ened, everyone agreed, by the covering of
wickets which would privilege batsman,
and then that necessary equipoise was
threatened the other way by the arrival of
extreme pace and the pitiless bouncer. The
look and style of cricketers was apparently
forever compromised by helmets and elastic
waisted trouserings hideous to behold.
Cane and canvas pads were replaced by
wipe clean nylon fastened by Velcro. Kerry
Packer arrived and sowed his own blend of
discord. The continuing rise and mutation
of one day cricket caused panic from
Windermere to Woking as white balls and
coloured pyjamas threatened the sanity of
Telegraph readers everywhere. Rogue South
African tours caused alarm and frenzy.
Pitch invasions marked an end of the days
when schoolboys could lie on their tummies
by the boundary-rope filling in a green
scoring book, until they got bored which
they inevitably did, all except the speccy
swatty ones who were laughed at and are
now running the world. The rest of us were
too busy asking the man in the Public
Announcement tent to put out a message
for our lost friends Ivor Harden, Hugh
Janus, Seymour Cox and Mike Hunt. One
turbulent decade began with John Snow
September 2009

getting barracked and bombarded with
tinnies and ended with batsmen getting
bounced and sledged. Cameras and micro-
phones got closer and closer to the action to
overhear the insults and demystify the
bowling actions. The art of spin had disap-
peared, for ever, some believed. Cricketers’
wives wrote books about the overseas tours.
Reverse swing seemed to arrive out of
nowhere: "Not only does he bowl off the
wrong foot. They say he swings it the other
way." Ball tampering became a matter of
dinner party chat from Keswick to
Canterbury. Clever 3-D images were
painted on the grass round about the long
stop area advertising power generation
companies no one had ever heard of.
Advertising was not only to be seen on the
grass, but on the clothes, Vodafone and
Castlemaine were stitched bigger and
brighter on the shirts than the three lions
and the wallabies and that mysterious sil-
ver feather that Kiwis seem so unaccount-
ably fond of. The county game was rent
asunder into leagues and divisions that no
one really understands; the politics and
governance of cricket, with its contracts
and coaches, its bloated fixture lists and
auctions of broadcasting rights caused
hand-wringing too, though many would
rather it were neck-wringing. Meanwhile,
drugs, drinking binges, embarrassing text
messages and other scandals continued to
erupt like acne on a teenager. South Africa
returned to the fold as other countries
entered the club of test playing nations.
Kenya, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Two of
those speccy boys who used to score at the
sidelines got their revenge; their names
were Mr Lewis and Mr Duckworth.
To the dictionary of acronyms and initials
were added ODI, T-20 and IPL.
Power plays and baseball style pinch-hitters
were swept in.
The old lady of cricket was getting a right
duffing up.
Yet, amazingly, none of these changes, pro-
fessionalism, the covered wickets, helmets,
day-night games, confirmed the dire prog-
nostications of those who believed each one
might hammer a stump into cricket's frag-
ile heart. For this same period of my crick-
et watching life saw some of the greatest
matches in the game's history. The 1981
and 2005 Ashes series, the Tied Test; a new
aggression and boldness of stroke play that
no one could disapprove of. Scoring rates
went up and great batsmen emerged: Lara,
Tendulkar and Ponting amongst many
others. And miraculously, to keep the game
September 2009
Hogg’s
balanced, Warne and Murali showed that
far from being dead, spin bowling was
supremely alive; even providing a new ball
in the form of the doozra. Huge crowds
and rising popularity in fresh territories
confirmed cricket's health. Levels of fitness
and standards of fielding rocketed. And all
the while, the game's greatest expression,
the 5 Day Test Match, led the way, provid-
ing the greatest entertainment, the most
excitement and the deepest commitment
from the players. All those mournful pre-
dictions had come to nothing. The greatest
of games had triumphed again.
But now, now, in the age of the internet,
just as the great, great players of the past
ten years have one by one started to play
their farewell matches and leave the field
for ever, hideous new forces have been at
work. The newly emerged South Africa
became mired in scandal, intrigue and
misery as the new disease of spread-betting
lived up to its name and spread, spread like
cholera through a slum. Grotesque emails
from professional umpires hit the head-
lines; allegations of systematic cheating and
match-fixing have become commonplace, a
dismal and lamentably organised Shop
Window for international cricket, its 2007
World Cup seemed to lay the game low: an
incomprehensible and dreadful tragedy in
the death of Bob Woolmer its ghastly and
unforgettable legacy. As if that weren't
enough we were more recently treated to the
embarrassing spectacle of cricket's governors
cosying up to a Texan fraudster with a hel-
icopter and a bigger mouth than wallet.
A new kind of bitterness has entered some
quarters of the game as ex-players become
commentators, columnists and journalists
and begin to turn on their erstwhile team-
mates, dispraising the current players,
pouring scorn on their technique and dep-
recating their tactical nous. We have video
of course and can see that these pundits
know what they were talking about: histor-
ical archive reveals that Boycott, Botham,
Gower, Atherton, Willis, and Hussein were
never out playing a false shot, never shuf-
fled across, never missed a captaincy trick,
never dropped a catch, never posted a field-
er in the wrong place and never bowled off
line or off length in the entire course of
their careers.
The benefits and the drawbacks of broad-
cast technology bewilder us. Hotspots and
Hawkeye, referrals and replays, umpires
have never been more pressured and
exposed and greater more seismically struc-
tural questions have never been asked
about the meaning and spirit of the game.
Wash
The rewards are greater, the stakes are
higher, the price of failure more public and
humiliating.
So a hundred years on from cricket's
Golden Age of C. B. Fry here is another
Fry, searching for a way to toast a game
that appears to have become, well, toast.
We could choose to believe that and retreat
into memories of an apparently innocent
and gilded past. We could wash our hands
of it all, or we could choose to continue to
believe in the game. Not necessarily in its
administrators, nor even its players, though
most of them in all divisions of the game
are proud and gifted. We could choose to
have faith in cricket. I for one do truly
believe that the game itself, as first played
by shepherds in the south of England, the
game that spread to every corner of the
world, the supreme bat and ball competi-
tion, the greatest game ever devised, will
continue to provide unimagined pleasures,
that true drama will once more come cen-
tre stage, booting into the wings the tragedy
and farce we have witnessed over the past
decade in particular. There will be new
scandals of course: that you can depend
upon.
Undreamt of debacles, imbroglios, furores,
brouhahas, crimes, rows, walk-outs and
embarrassments are waiting around the
corner, quietly slipping the horseshoe into
the boxing-glove and preparing to give the
goddess Cricketina a sock in the jaw. But
new geniuses, new historic last ball climax-
es, new unimaginable heights of athletic,
tactical and aesthetic pleasure await us too.
It is up to the players to believe in the game
and the cricketing administrators to believe
in the players.
But most of all it is up to us to keep the
faith and be unashamed, be proud of our
love of cricket. Here, in the very place that
is so often called cricket's Mecca , cathedral
and temple, is the place for us all to pledge
that faith.
I do so happily as I raise a glass in toast, on
behalf of cricket lovers everywhere to
Andrew Strauss in his Benefit Year and his
wonderful Team, to Ricky Ponting and his
fine tourists and to cricket itself.
For, to misappropriate Benjamin Franklin,
Cricket is proof that God loves us and
wants us to be happy. So then: raise your
glasses, to Strauss , England , Australia
and cricket.” Editor’s note: He could have
added South Africa.
73
 LIFE GOES ON

a Reality Check
Life goes on, and so do these articles. At the Ford media breakfast on
Tuesday, 4th August, 2009, it was Tony Twine, Senior Economist and
Director of Econometrix, in his review of the South Africa automotive
by Austin Gamble
industry and its prospects, who gave us a reality check.

I
ronically, or hopefully more accurate-
ly, a harbinger of better things to
come, I heard on the radio half an
hour before the breakfast that Ford
America’s July 2009 unit sales were 0,2%
up on July 2008 – the first monthly year
on year uptick for 19 months. Who cares
whether the “cash for clunkers” pro-
gramme had a big influence, it was still
good news, and I’m taking it as such. And
so should everyone, just to give us the
boost and momentum to take this further,
both in word and deed. Now for Tony
Twine’s reality check, which explains why
we are where we’re at, and why we still
have a way to go before we can burst into
song. Tony began his presentation by say-
ing that many economists are like magi-
cians, in that they deal in illusion. They do
not change reality, they simply conceal it.
markets come to a grinding halt, and pre- solution, and that we basically have to
This is why the current recession came so
cipitated a recession in the G7 countries, accept that any improvement will be grad-
suddenly on us; not because it just hap-
and the consequences continued, as the ual. But improvement is around the cor-
pened, but because it was a long time com-
dominoes began to fall. The declining ner, with Tony seeing the second quarter of
ing, and we were merely not ready for it,
demand for commodities meant negative 2009 as the bottoming out of the cycle,
because reality had been concealed by the
growth in developing countries, and unlike and he predicts that the third quarter of
vast majority of economic illusionists. The
other recessions, which at least had some 2009 will be the start of a slow and grad-
current financial crisis has long, deep
semblance of cyclical order, everyone fell ual recovery. Not a V shaped recovery,
roots, which we should have taken note of.
into the hole at once. more like a U shaped recovery, but still a
The Asian Tiger collapse eleven years ago,
recovery, albeit with a few false starts and a
the Y2K smoke and mirrors act at the turn The good news is that the medicine has bumpy ride with bad shock absorbers.
of the millennium, the consequences of been taken, and whilst the patient is still One of these bumps will actually be creat-
9/11 all should have been factored into our groggy and largely comatose, 2010 should ed by the motor manufacturers themselves.
crystal balls. It was how we reacted to these see it coming out of the coma and to rise Whilst vehicle sales in the first half of 2009
crises that really did us in. Governments unsteadily to its feet. From a global per- were adversely affected by the scrooge like
promoted easy credit, asset price rises kept spective, China and India appear to have behaviour of the banks, the second half
the inflation impact out of CPI and PPI shrugged off the big hits, and even little will not see demand met primarily because
measurements, and the bankers did their old South Africa has held its own in con- of the reduction of inventories. Thus,
Houdini act (temporarily, before reality struction, finance and services, with min- whilst the Econometrix model forecasts
kicked in) by bundling high risk clients ing and manufacture taking the strain. The NAAMSA unit sales at 380 000 units, the
with the better stuff. The illusion contin- unfortunate side effect is that these two actual figure will be more like 350 000
ued, through 2005, 2006, 2007, until in key areas are major employers of unskilled units. A sort of self-fulfilling prophecy!
2008 the house of cards came crashing labour, which has meant rising unemploy-
down. This precipitated the liquidity crisis, ment. But things are looking up, with the Lets’ put all this behind us, as we feverish-
as the banks, based on their discredited big bogey man being the household bank ly await 2010, 2011 and beyond. The
behaviour, reacted predictably and threw debt: disposable income ratio still at an all good times are just around the corner, and
the baby out with the bath water. They saw time high. We had similar scenarios on who knows what surprises are in store. As
risk everywhere and promptly stopped 1985 and 1998, but this time the amorti- Tony Twine says, 2010 will make a mock-
lending. This closing of the taps with an zation burden is acute. Thus Tony Twine ery of all forecasts – we haven’t been there
oversized wrench saw the credit driven says that lowering interest rates is not the before.

74 September 2009
 What’s the Buzz?

MISA LAUNCHES
WOMEN’S FORUM
The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA), a registered trade union
organising in the retail motor sector, has launched a Women’s’ Forum
to advance the interests of the female members in the retail motor
sector. The Forum was launched at a breakfast session on 4 August
2009 in partnership with Glenrand MIB and FEDUSA. Ruda
Landman was the keynote speaker and entertained and informed the
delegates with her presentation and the key message that within the
work environment everyone basically only needs to be treated with
respect. The Women’s Forum will not be a trade union within a trade
union and neither will it be an activist grouping at the cost of the other
MISA members.

The focus of the Forum is aligned with the MISA objectives as set out
in the Constitution, as approved by the Registrar of Labour Relations.
The Women’s Forum will focus on empowerment of women through
training, development and information sharing regarding preventative
healthcare, financial planning, raising awareness for a better
understanding of gender equality, obtaining a balance between work
and family life and aspects in the bargaining council main agreement
impacting on female members. As a trade union, MISA will obviously
take the needs of their female members into account when preparing
for the industry wide collective bargaining process scheduled to com-
mence early in 2010 and in future negotiations.

The ultimate goal of the Women’s Forum, through planned initiatives

and programmes, is to ensure that women in the retail motor sector are
empowered to be assertive, developed and trained to take charge of pro-
motion opportunities and also understand that they are responsible and
in control of their own destiny within a more just and decent society.

September 2009
 All Work
and No Play…………
This issue of ABR is a little bit wordy, so
we have decided to give our readers a
montage of the Bosch Golf Day, held at
the Centurion Country Club on Friday,
7th August 2009. The proceeds of the day
went to charity, so all the fun was for a
good cause. A picture tells a thousand
words, so here are many thousands of
words, in vibrant technicolour:

78
 Industry Update

Gabriel Wings Takes to the Skies

T
he Gabriel Wings Aerobatic draw whereby an elite handful got the
Team are once again in har- chance to experience aerobatics up
ness, and as part of the close and personal, with a private and
incentives offered by “hands-on” one on one demonstra-
Control Instruments Automotive, tion of aerial ballet, at the feet as it
their distributors are now hosting were of aerial masters. Cold but glori-
Grant Fraser from CI Auto Gerhard Braun, National their own Gabriel Wings Displays for ous weather greeted the guests on the
stands in front of the Sales Executive, Midas their valued customers. It was Parts 14th and 21st of August, which
award winning photo- Group, rallies his troops Incorporated Africa’s turn on 14th allowed for an enthralling spectacle,
graphs that he took himself
August 2009, and on 21st August and for a few brief moments time
2009 Imperial Auto Parts played host. stood still, as the skies were cleared by
the control tower, and the experience
Rand Airport was the scene of the of a lifetime took centre stage.
exploits, as the guests toasted the
action dished out by Team Leader
Scully Levin, and his intrepid band of
fellow travellers with their flying
machines, comprising Arnie
Meneghelli, Stu Lithgow and Ells
Arnold Muller of the appropriately named Aero City Levin. The champagne and orange
Tyres; Chad Tucker from Supa Quick Greenstone; pilot juice flowed, followed by a hearty
Stu Lithgow; and Paul Schadler of Hi-Q Wynberg, breakfast, and culminated in a lucky
before the flight
Imperial’s lucky guests were Rajen Nundlal of the
equally appropriate name of 727 Motor Spares; Gerald
Bezuidenhout of Replacement Parts; and Willie van
Rensburg of Supa Motor Spares. Here they are briefed
by Brian Emmenis of Capital Sounds, and the Voice of
South Africa’s Air Shows

Pieter van Deventer, Sales & Marketing Executive,

Imperial Auto Parts, spoke of when he earned his
Gabriel Wings
Pilot Arnie Meneghelli helps Johan Visser of De Graaf
Under-Car with his harness, as Christopher G.
Middelwick looks on anxiously

Gabriel have added a stunning black liveried Pitts

Special to their flying troupe

September 2009 79
 From the Cockpit

Hennie Groenewald turns it on with his
smooth driving style
Team Timken
Back to Form
The omens were there during practice, and
confirmed during qualifying. Practice makes
perfect, and this maxim was once again
proved at the Sasol Race Day 2009 at the
Zwartkops Racing Circuit on Saturday, 15th
August 2009, when during Round Six of the
WesBank Super Series V8 Championship,
Team Timken came out tops.

Richard Pinard displaying his never say die approach

Hennie Groenewald and Richard Pinard

happy after a one three in the second race

T
he Timken team was dominant
in 2008, but 2009 was proving
a challenge, with the other
teams having upped their game
from the previous season, and just turning
up for the race was no longer an option.
Team Timken were no longer the kings of
the hill, so they decided to really go for it
at Zwartkops, and prepared and practiced
extremely hard for four days in the week
before the event. Hennie Groenewald told
ABR that the team was very happy with
the preparation, and knew that they were
going to be competitive, but that the proof
of the pudding would be on race day.
Qualifying confirmed Hennie’s gut feel,
with Team Timken taking pole position
and third spot on the grid with some blis-
tering times around the tight track, and
Hennie cracking the one minute barrier
with a lap time of 59.918 seconds, and
Richard Pinard just being pipped to the
post for second position by Marc Auby, the
championship leader. The weather was
perfect for some great racing, and that is
what the crowd got. The team was hoping
for a one two in the first race, but unfortu-
nately Richard was taken out by Jaco
Correira who was attempting “an ambi-
tious overtaking manoeuvre” through the
hairpin, which forced Richard to retire
from the race. But Hennie kept the
Timken flag flying with a close to flawless
run from start to finish, apart from some
hairy moments caused by oil on the track
at the self same hairpin, and having to slow
down when the safety car was deployed.
With only half the job done, the team was
determined to do even better in the second
race, and having banked tyres during the
season, they had the benefit of new tyres
and thus came out smoking. This was con-
firmed by the Timken cars doing the two
fastest laps (1.02.024 for Hennie and
1.02.037 for Richard), and if not for a yel-
low flag on the first corner, and Richard
being gently nudged off the track on lap
seven, it could have been a one two. When
Richard was pushed off on lap seven and
had to drop back to sixth place, he had to
gather his composure and utilise the
remaining eight laps to make up, which he
did superbly, pushing Deon Auby all the
way on the final two laps, coming in a
credible third. This time, Hennie had to
win the hard way, starting seventh on the
grid (the inversion rule being cut from 5%
to 2,5% because of the tight track) and
working his way through the field to sec-
ond spot and then chasing leader Franco di
Matteo for a good few laps before Lady
Luck intervened with di Matteo suffering a
broken side shaft. With the championship
position extremely tenuous, Hennie said
that all his passing manoeuvres had to be
“careful and cautious”, as the Zwartkops
track is tight and does not take prisoners,
especially when it comes to cowboy
driving.
At the end of the day, it was not totally
mission achieved, but two wins for Hennie
and third for Richard in the second race is
nothing to be sneezed at. The guys are now
looking forward to Phakisa on the 5th
September, and are hoping to take the
Zwartkops momentum with them, and
though Hennie realises that it is almost an
impossible task to win the championship,
he is not going to die wondering. Both
Hennie and Richard agree that once again
preparation will be the key, and they assure
ABR that they will not be found wanting
in that department. Richard Pinard, in his
role as team spokesman, congratulated the
support staff on a job well done, and
thanked Timken for their generous
support to the team, and their tremendous
commitment to motorsport in South
Africa.

80 September 2009
 Fast Wheels
UNPREDICTABLE FORMULA 1 IN 2009
Who could have ever forecast the unpredictability we have seen in
Formula 1 this year? At the start of the season it was going to be a
repeat of the McLaren versus Ferrari slugging match. That is what we
all said. How wrong we were.
A
long came some new boys in the form of the Brawn GP
Team and thanks to the masses of their Formula 1 experi-
ence they cleaned up. Red Bull did the same with the
German, Sebastian Vettel, the new young face of Formula 1, start-
ing to win as well after a few races. Then his team-mate Mark
Weber from Australia after 8 years of trying, won at the
Nurburgring despite a drive-through penalty imposed by the stew-
ards. Comes another no-passing circuit in Hungary, and guess
what? McLaren and Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton and Kimi
Raikkonen, get stuck into each other and finish 1 / 2 with Weber
and the German, Nico Rosberg, in tow. A little bit late maybe for
Hamilton to defend the title he won in 2008 but evidence that
some teams have started to catch up. Some teams meaning
McLaren and Ferrari, Toyota who started the year well faded, and
have now started to score points again. Renault is getting better
thanks to the brilliance of Alonso. Force India even showed signs
of getting their act together. Toro Rosso haven’t shone anything
like their sister team Red Bull pair in their Adrian Newey designed
cars. Williams are always fast. Surprising is that after setting up
good times in practice, they haven’t won a race yet. BMW after a
good start as well in Aus have - even with their two super quick
drivers - fallen apart for some unknown reason.
That is what has been happening on the track. What about off it?
Renault have been penalised to miss Valencia after they lost a wheel
at the Hungaro Ring. They have appealed this decision. BMW is
departing the scene at the end of the year citing the current state
of the motor industry and lack of profits their reason for pulling
out. They will however still be involved in touring cars and super-
bike world championship competition. Massa after his horrific
accident and miraculous recovery, wants back in the driving seat of
his Ferrari but looks unlikely to return until much later or maybe
only at the beginning of 2010. In the meantime Ferrari, who pay
seven times World Champion, Michael Schumacher to act as a
consultant to the team, have asked him to drive their car for the
next three meetings – if his neck muscles can take the G-Forces of
a Formula 1 car. He hurt his neck in a superbike race accident.
Answers
1. Marius Roberts.
2. 1957.
3. The GSM Dart and Protea.
4. Curtis Veeder.
5. Stan Barrett in 1979 at 739.6 mph or 1182 kmh in a Rocket Car.
Did only one run, which didn’t count as a world record.
6. Bentley.
7. France.
8. Kostas Tsiknas.
9. John Love of Bulawayo.
10. David Piper.
82
by Roger McCleery
Yes, he can practice in a 2007 Ferrari with GT2 slick tyres (differ-
ent for Formula 1) said the teams, who voted this decision. The
main reason is that it could put some life back into the racing and
bring fading TV audiences up to acceptable numbers and swell the
gates. ‘No’ – says Frank Williams - who couldn’t give a toss about
the extra entertainment value Schumacher will bring to the sport.
‘It is unfair.’ Red Bull and Toro Rosso have also said ‘No practic-
ing in the current vehicle with the latest slicks’. Schumacher hasn’t
raced on slicks for years. In the meantime the greatest driver in
history is shedding weight and training to be race fit if his current
fitness is not enough. He is now racing karts. Who cares if
Schumacher finishes in front or down the pack? Just his very pres-
ence with his red helmet poking out of the cockpit of this red car
will be enough to bring the fans back just to see him drive.
Bernie Ecclestone’s Concord Agreement through to 2012 has been
signed after a few years of bartering. This means peace has started
to reign in Formula 1, thank goodness, amongst the teams, Fota
and the FIA. Max Mosley leaving his presidency of the FIA in
October, has also helped this decision as a “Revised Expenses
Capping” programme has been proposed. Driver-wise, rumour
says it looks like Kimi Raikkonen will depart the F1 scene for
world championship rallying. He was 16th in the rally in Finland
when he rolled his S2000 Fiat Abarth rally car. Makes sense. I
remember when the Fiat Group’s policy used to be Fiats for
Rallying, Alfa Romeo for saloon car racing and Ferrari for Formula
1. Maserati also now race their GT cars in a series.
The BMW driving duo of Heidfeld and Kubica would be great in
saloon car racing but the talk is that they will also try their hand at
rallying. Kubica is easier to accommodate for this decision as he
owns a powerful Mitsubishi EVO rally car. Vettel, they say, would-
n’t mind rallying as well in a Works Citroën at top level. The final
point this month is - please FIA – lock up all the Formula 1 Race
Stewards in a dark room without a TV set when a Formula 1 GP
is on the go. This will stop them handing out penalties which can’t
be reversed during the Grand Prix. They have spoilt so many
events over the years.
From page 66
11. Herbert Austin.
12. Martin Aston.
13. Ferrari’s wife used to walk around the factory abusing the managers.
14. A hundred car pile up which killed 3 people and injured 120.
15. Ford Anglia 105E.
16. Nash, Hudson and Kelvinator.
17. John de Lorean.
18. Polly Shorts in 1966.
19. Toyota Avensis.
20. To provide employment for the impoverished people in the Eiffel
Mountain region of Germany.
September 2009
 The Last Writes by Baron Claude Borlz

MY READERS HAVE DELIVERED

Kids Are Quick
TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North
America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered
America ?
CLASS: Maria.

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multi-

plication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell

'crocodile?' How to save on toilet paper
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you
asked me how I spell it. Hoe legendes begin
(I Love this kid)
In Engeland - Once upon a time...
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for In Amerika - Long, long ago...
water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O. In Suid Afrika - Onthou jy daai aand toe ons so gesuip was..
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
Koos
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have Koos en Mike sit in die kroeg. Dit is alombekend dat Koos die
today that we didn't have ten years ago. beste bedeeld is op die dorp.
WINNIE: Me!
Mike: Koos, ek hoor jy het die grootste meneer op die dorp.
TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty? Koos: Mike, jy moet nie alles glo wat jou vrou jou vertel nie.
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. ' Die dokter ondersoek Koos se toekomstige vrou. Toe
MILLIE: I is.. hy klaar is, roep hy Koos eenkant.
TEACHER: No, Millie........ Always say, 'I am.'
Dokter: Kyk, dit is 'n lelike ding waaroor ons ongelukkig nou
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the
moet praat.
alphabet.'
Koos: Ek weet dokter, maar sy het baie geld.
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down
his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie,
do you know why his father didn't punish him?
Vraag: Hoekom neem Kubaanse atlete nie
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand. aan roei-items deel nie?
Antwoord: Alle Kubane wat kan roei woon
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers reeds in Amerika.
before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
Mans
TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly Gee 'n man 'n vis, en hy het iets om te eet vir die dag. Leer 'n
the same as your brother's. Did you copy his? man om vis te vang, en hy sit heeldag in 'n boot en suip.
CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who

Mans
keeps on talking when people are no longer Wat noem jy 'n vrou wat 24 uur per dag weet waar haar man is?
interested?
'n Weduwee.
HAROLD: A teacher

September 2009 83