Author:charleen-clarke

It’s official: DAF makes the world’s best trucks December 3, 2025 DAF’s New Generation XD and XF Electric trucks have won the 2026 International Truck of the Year award –  the highest honour that can be bestowed on any truck. What does this mean for DAF in South Africa? That was one of many questions CHARLEEN CLARKE put to Mark Gavin, sales director of DAF Trucks at Babcock. Last month, Harald Seidel, president of DAF Trucks, accepted the industry’s most […]

Is diesel dead? November 4, 2025 Busworld Europe 2025 – the world’s largest bus and coach exhibition – left little doubt about the direction in which the global bus industry is heading. CHARLEEN CLARKE says the message was clear: the bus of the future is electric, connected and digitally managed. This year’s Busworld – which sprawled across more than 82,000m2 of exhibition space – attracted over 550 exhibitors from 40 countries. A total of 45,427 visitors from 101 countries (including […]

How to move SA forward through transport July 2, 2025 South Africa stands on the brink of a transport transformation that could unlock far-reaching economic and social progress, writes CHARLEEN CLARKE. Stakeholders must act boldly, invest decisively, and build a transport system that does more than move people and goods – it must move the nation forward. This is the rallying call from Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander, who delivered the plenary address “Transport in a Future City – South Africa’s […]

Rail reform: breakthrough or false dawn? September 25, 2025 The Department of Transport’s announcement that 11 private freight operators have been granted access to 41 rail routes has been widely welcomed. It is an event that Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has hailed as a turning point in South Africa’s long-delayed rail reform journey. CHARLEEN CLARKE reports, however, that while many stakeholders see this as a moment of genuine hope, others remain sceptical as to whether it represents the silver bullet […]

SA port reform: rivalry required August 1, 2025 South Africa’s port system is holding back growth – not for lack of investment, but for lack of competition. CHARLEEN CLARKE reports that economist Dr Ryan Hawthorne says it’s time for real reform. South Africa’s ports play a vital role in supporting trade, investment, and economic growth. Yet despite their strategic importance, they remain among the least efficient in the world – a situation that contributes to high costs, delays, and declining […]

Could Transport Month move from PR to progress? September 8, 2025 “I have a dream.” Martin Luther King Jr famously said that on 28 August 1963. Fast forward to 2025, and CHARLEEN CLARKE also has a dream – that Transport Month could actually achieve something. Every October, South Africa observes Transport Month – a tradition dating back to 2005. The month is intended to raise awareness about road safety, highlight infrastructure development, and promote public transport. Yet too often, it […]

MAN eTGX and eTGS: quiet confidence, big ambition September 16, 2025 MAN’s new heavy-duty electric trucks have arrived with a tailwind. The eTGX recently won the world’s first major comparison test for heavy-duty electric trucks (conducted by Trucker magazine). But these are the obvious questions: are these trucks any good, and do they truly deserve that first place? CHARLEEN CLARKE went to Munich to find out. Back in 2018, we were invited to Austria by MAN. The occasion? Amidst much […]