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Two days and two nights in the Kalahari with two dozen hard-core truck operators and a fleet of turbo-diesel Mitsubishi Triton 4x4 bakkies, going head-to-head in a dusty battle for top honours in Sarel van der Merwe's annual desert shindig can shed more than a little light on what makes our independent truck transport industry tick. But it takes a bit of scratching beneath the surface, a bit of bush craft.
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Diesel, dust and determination, not to mention 'dors' - The spirit of Africa Trophy is an annual 4-month event attracting SA's top amateur 4x4 racers. |
Diesel and dust
The Freightliner/Fuso customers who have come to duke it out in the 4x4 bakkies are all quintessential 'diesel in the veins' trucking entrepreneurs. "These guys were raised with trucks," says Freightliner's Burgert Kloppers. "They understand how trucks work, how to fix them and how to drive them. They buy Freightliners because they're powerful and can clock in excess of a million kilometres before they're ready to retire."
Gathered in a boma alongside the Orange River at sunset for dinner and a briefing on the following day's events, one can't help feeling a distinct sense of unity among the contestants, like they're from the same mould, so to speak. For many, this is not their first Trophy and as the evening progresses, trucking stories are traded, punctuated by expletives and more than a few good laughs.
Come sunrise, the convoy of Tritons (numbered one to 15) led by Oom Sarel makes its way out to the circuit, some 15 km from the base camp in the dunes and plains of the Kalahari west of Upington. Each vehicle is equipped with a GPS unit and a two-way radio.
"The first exercise is a speed test," says a voice over the two-way radio. "Please stick to your designated place in the convoy."
All eyes are on the first bakkie as it disappears in a dust cloud.
"Bakkie number one...one point zero six..." crackles Sarel over the air, relaying bakkie #1's time to all the contestants. Suddenly, the atmosphere gears up a few notches...it's gotten serious out there, and down there, like butterflies in the guts serious.
"Ready number four...Three, two, one, GO!"
The foot goes down hard on the accelerator and the turbo kicks in, propelling the Triton over bumps, through thick sand. The steering wheel whips left and right as tight turns between marker-poles are negotiated...as fast as possible. The suspension on the Triton is remarkable.
"Number four ...one point zero nine..." crackles Sarel again.
While each team (driver and navigator) has its turn at the intimidating dune climbs, stopwatch-assisted time trials and more speed tests, waiting teams climb out their vehicles to compare notes, jot down scores and psyche each other out.
It's unmistakeable -a thick atmosphere of competition permeates the convoy, making the adventure that much more exciting, and that much more exhausting. By the end of the day, everyone's ready for a quick bite and an early night, but not before a couple of impromptu comedy sketches from Steve Smit of Cool Cat Carriers and race marshal, Twakkie.
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Just like commercial trucking, getting to the top is harder than it looks
Master of the dunes, the legend that is Sarel van der Merwe.
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Duncan Prince and Eddie
Caromba
Respecting the 'code' - cleaning up after playing |
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Rare earth lessons
Next morning, with three clues as to what fuels trucking's spirit, namely competition, straight talk and a sense of humour, we hit the desert for day two of the Trophy. More dunes to climb without getting bogged down in deep sand. Lessons to learn on how to safely reverse down a dune after getting stuck a metre before the summit. "Keep your front wheels dead straight and don't look back," is Sarel's advice.
The queues before each challenge allow further contemplation on what constitutes trucking's spirit. Being part of this convoy is somewhat representative of commercial transport; the waiting in line at loading docks, the idling diesel engines, the ability of drivers and assistants to sit patiently, observing the protocols queues dictate. Of the relationship between haste, speed and knowing your limitations. Okay then...more clues...patience, courtesy and self-knowledge.
The dramatic landscape mesmerises...a breeze cools the cab...it whispers something...what's that? Listen closely..."trucking is like the desert, a unique ecosystem with an unwritten code...founded on competition, collaboration and cooperation. Running foul of this code means running the risk of extinction, of killing the entire ecosystem."
Digest these words...commercial truck transport has an unwritten code? Certainly, says Charl Kruger of Van der Vyver Transport: "there's a tacit understanding between us operators, one that governs our sector of the industry which is refrigerated transport. It supports the semi-symbiotic relationship that characterises our industry. It's a business and survival mechanism, determining the rates we set, the work we subcontract to our competitors and the vehicles we loan to them when demand increases. Any operator who does not comply with this code destabilises the industry considerably."
Look out at the sand, the grass, the trees...there's a whole lot more going on out there than meets the eye...insects, birds, animals, flora found nowhere else in the world...inextricably linked, busy moving through life, existing in support of a greater design...Is this not a metaphor for South African trucking?
"Bakkies three and four...ready to race!...Three, two, one, GO!"
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The convoy team salutes Oom Sarel
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Grabbing glory
It's been a hard-fought battle and the convoy winds its way back to base-camp. After washing their vehicles, teams gather in the boma again for the prize giving. Cool Cat Steve is top of the podium with Wessel Swanepoel from Aspen Logistics second and Heinrich van Zuydam of Van Zuydam Logistics third. All contestants receive a bag of Freightliner goodies and the booby prize, awarded to this deeply humbled journalist, is a high-powered torch which fittingly casts the closing illuminating beam on the burning question...
"The spirit of trucking, like the Spirit of Africa, is about respect, for the people who compete with you, for the vehicles you drive, for the earth you ride on. When you're in it for the long haul, competitors are really colleagues, partners in a bigger scheme of things. While we may win the Trophy, there are many more races to run and without your rivals running with you, there simply would be no prizes to win..."
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