| October 25, 2008 |
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 Trucking to a cool R25 000 prize Luyolo Mkentane WEEKEND POST REPORTER mkentanel@avusa.co.za THERE is so much more to enjoy when you slow things down – perhaps by living life in the slow lane. This proved true for a Port Elizabeth truck driver – who drives from Port Elizabeth to East London at 80km/h every day – after winning R25000 in a national drivers‘ competition which was held over four days in Port Elizabeth last week. Jacques Schreiber, 30, from Lorraine, is the overall winner of this year‘s annual National Driver of the Year. Schreiber, who works for freight company Road Wing, said he had been trucking for almost six years now. The competition took place at Kings Beach and culminated in a gala event at the Feather Market Centre on Wednesday night last week. The main objectives of the competition – adopted by the African Ministers Conference in 2006 – was to enhance the millennium development goal of reducing road fatalities by 2014. Schreiber said the heavy and delivery vehicle competition was organised by the Road Traffic Management Corporation in partnership with Debis Fleet Management. The event had six categories: rigid truck with four-wheel trailer; bus and coach; articulated truck; novice (for drivers under 25); light delivery vehicle and a women bus driver slot. Schreiber won R10000 in the articulate truck with four-wheel trailer category and R15000 as the overall winner, bagging R25000 in total. Asked what he‘ll spend his money on, Schreiber, who starts his day at 2am or 3am transporting materials to Daimler Chrysler‘s car plant in East London, said he had not decided. “Maybe I will use it when I go on holiday in January. But at the moment it must stay in my bank account,” he chucked. “There is also a possibility that I might go overseas next year to compete in an international event affiliated to this competition.” The national competition is held in different provinces annually and next year it would go to Limpopo. Asked what he liked about his job, Schreiber said: “I like the fact that I meet new people every day. Also, there is no manager in the truck – you‘re your own manager!”
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ANC must act to stop the threats THE prospects of next year’s general election being as peaceful as those that have preceded post-1994 are becoming increasingly less likely as tensions continue to mount within the warring factions of the ANC. This should be a cause for grave concern within the ruling party yet there has been no sign that meaningful action will be taken to rebuke supporters who threaten violence or worse on political foes. This week at a meeting in Gauteng called by ANC rebel and former cabinet minister Mosiuoa Lekota, rival supporters of Jacob Zuma carried inflammatory placards and chanted “kill Lekota” while those who had come to hear what he had to say were assaulted by thugs carrying pro-Zuma placards.... 
World-class eatery fit for a king Brian Hayward ONE would expect a good restaurant or two when visiting the picturesque wine-making town of Paarl, but finding a world-class eatery overlooking the beautiful Western Cape mountains was as much a surprise as it was a journey of culinary opulence.... 
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Make lemonade, advises Ford boss Bob Kernohan BUSINESS EDITOR PUTTING a positive spin on the critically stalled domestic and international motor industry is no easy task, but Ford South Africa president and chief executive Hal Feder came close this week.... 
Queen tribute rocks A PORT Elizabeth Opera House filled with music lovers keen to catch a glimpse of four lads from Down Under putting on their world-renowned tribute to rock group Queen, is testament to the fact that the band‘s music has spanned the generation gap.... |
