South African industries across the board uttered a collective sigh of relief yesterday (17 October) when the week-long Transnet strike was finally resolved.
The strike brought ports to a standstill and severely affected imports and exports. This was particularly acute at Durban, serving Toyota and other major exporters, and Gqeberha, which serves Volkswagen and other major exporters.
On Monday, Transnet reached a three-year wage deal agreement with the United National Transport Union (UNTU), which represents more than 50% of unionised staff. It is expected that the other unions will follow suit, and news reports already indicate that many workers are returning to their stations.
The deal includes a 6% increase in year one, a 5.5% increase in year two, and a 6% increase in year three, as well as medical aid and housing allowance increases.
Some analysts were surprised by the fact that the union, which until recently demanded a 12% wage increase, settled for a below-inflation deal.
The deal will apply to all workers in the sector (including non-unionised employees) with effect from 1 October.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have introduced a whole new vocabulary into motoring. Instead of simply talking about litres of fuel, cylinders and kilometres per tank, motorists are now confronted with kW, kWh, AC, DC, WLTP, regenerative braking and a host of other terms.
Young South African motorists are increasingly opting for more affordable and practical vehicles as the cost of living puts pressure on household budgets, while still maintaining comprehensive insurance cover.
The row over BMW’s Spider-Man promotion is not really about superheroes. It is about trust, control and the creeping feeling that modern cars are becoming digital platforms first and private possessions second.
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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Young South African motorists are increasingly opting for more affordable and practical vehicles as the cost of living puts pressure on household budgets, while still maintaining comprehensive insurance cover.
The row over BMW’s Spider-Man promotion is not really about superheroes. It is about trust, control and the creeping feeling that modern cars are becoming digital platforms first and private possessions second.
With forecasts of snow, icy rain and stormy weather across the country, motorists are urged to drive carefully and adapt their driving style to suit the conditions.
