What would our life be like without truck drivers? The past week of unrest and riots mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, have shown us what this could be like: no bread, other food or milk would be delivered to us, hospitals would run short of vital medication and supplies, petrol stations would run out of fuel, and banks and ATMs would run out of cash. And these are just some of the short-term implications. After a month of no truck drivers on the road, our clean water supply would be gone and our entire manufacturing sector would shut down due to lack of components, leaving hundreds of thousands of workers jobless.
But despite the vital role that truck drivers play in our lives and economy, they perform a largely thankless job – which is why IVECO SA the Road Freight Association (RFA) have partnered on an initiative that appreciates, recognises and celebrates truck drivers. “The #ThankYouTrucker competition has been inundated with nominations for truck drivers around the country, who do demanding, incredible, but often unacknowledged work,” says Martin Liebenberg, Commercial Manager of IVECO SA. “It was a tough choice, but our five finalists are all worthy of taking top honours. It is now up to the voting public to decide who should walk away with the R50 000 prize.”
The finalists are as follows:
- Audrey Chiloane – Zosi Group (Gauteng)
- Ayanda Mvelase – Crossroads Distribution (KwaZulu-Natal)
- Nimrod Maseko – Maphanga Logistics (Mpumalanga)
- Matthew Moonsamy – Imperial Contract Logistics (KwaZulu-Natal)
- Chris Smit – DRK Logistics (Gauteng)
How to Vote
Vote for your favourite drivers at www.thankyoutrucker.co.za. Voting closes on 24 July.
An initiative of IVECO SA and the Road Freight Association, #ThankYouTrucker is looking for the most extraordinary freight driver, a remarkable individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty. This driver is helpful, trustworthy, dependable, caring and passionate about his/her career in trucking.
