NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
The impossible possible:
Spar National Driver competition
By John Ackermann
‘M
aking the impossible possible’
was the theme of the Spar 2017
National Driver competition.
With so much negativity in the political
arena, lower business confidence, and
sluggish economy, Spar challenged the
competitors, staff, and sponsors to achieve
the impossible in 6.5 hours on Saturday, 2
September 2017.
Twelve teams set out from the regional
distribution centre (DC) in Philippi, Western
Cape, on a journey that would take them
in different directions, each with a set
of instructions, a camera, snacks, and
refreshments. Team members, unknown
to each other, elected a photographer,
navigator, timekeeper, and recorder, and
then raced against time to find clues at
each stop and complete as many tasks
as possible.
The mode of transport changed from
luxury coach, to a powerboat at Hout Bay,
a helicopter ride, riding pillion on a Harley
Davison motorcycle, a ride on the Cobra
thrill ride at the Ratanga Junction Theme
Park, the zip line in the Acrobranch Tree-
Top Adventure Park, and wine tasting at
Groot Constantia.
RACE AGAINST TIME
Each stop was limited to 45 minutes with
as many clues to find and obstacles
to negotiate. A popular stop was to
photograph the team in the large frame
at the V & A Waterfront with Table
Mountain in the background. In-between
stops, there was time for snacks and
refreshments in the bus.
“When setting off at 11:00, no one
imagined it was possible to do so much in
only six and a half hours, find clues, and
overcome obstacles that often tested
our fitness. The passion and enthusiasm
of the team members were amazing
and proved that together we can do
anything,” was echoed by many at the
grand prize-giving event.
The adventure journey took place
after the 2017 National Driver competition
held on the Friday and early Saturday
morning, the third to be hosted by the
Western Cape DC. At the prize-giving
and glittering dinner, Larry Virtue, Solly
Engelbrecht, and the Western Cape
team were thanked for organising
such a spectacular programme and a
competition long to be remembered.
Live bands and the MC kept the crowd entertained all evening.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Spar has 600 truck drivers as well as 700
reach truck and pallet truck operators,
who compete annually for the top
position in each of the categories of
heavy-duty driver, rigid trucks, forklifts,
and pallet trucks. Regional competitions
are held in each of the six divisions, and
the top three in each attend the national
competition, hosted by a different division
each year.
“Our drivers perform an amazing task
each day and are entrusted with high-
value capital equipment. Safety is of prime
importance, not only to themselves, but to
all the other road users who often do not
appreciate the enormity of their task. An
articulated vehicle has a mass of 46 tonnes
compared to the maybe one-and-a-half
tonnes of a passenger car. To stop that
mass in case of an emergency requires
very special skills. Our drivers also adhere to
tight time schedules and their dedication
in achieving this is highly regarded,” was
said by Charles Davison, national transport
manager, at the prize-giving.
From left: Solly Engelbrecht, Larry Virtue, Terence Plato, Bulelani
Raqowa, and Wesley Falconer.
From left: Mark Christians (Elite Fibre) and the PECSSER (Carrier Transicold) team: D anie
Coetzer, Scharon Stacey, Clive Ackeer, and Sam Sewpersad.
Together with the strong support of the many sponsors, the impossible was
made possible.
The prize-giving — with music, a hilarious
MC, never-ending servings of mouth-
watering food, and tables set for a ball
— was attended by over 120 people in
glamorous attire and black tie.
The celebration also had a nostalgic
flavour. After 20 years of service with Spar,
Larry Virtue, transport manager, officially
retired on 31 August 2017. Group logistics
executive, Trevor Currie, paid tribute to
Virtue and recalled that when he first
interviewed him, he doubted whether
he would make the grade. “Time soon
expelled my doubts and Larry has been
an absolute star and popular with all the
staff. We wish him and his wife well on his
retirement, although he will still be around
for some time.”
Spar Western Cape managing director,
Mario Santana, thanked the many sponsors
who made the impossible possible and
had joined together to celebrate possibly
the best time in their life. “To the staff and
management team that made the 2017
National Driver competition the best ever,
my heartfelt thank you.” CLA
COLD LINK AFRICA • November | December 2017
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
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