Author:focus-on-transport

UD Trucks: Celebrating Women Driving Transformation August 24, 2026 Sanelisiwe Ngcobo has built a career defined by insight, purpose and people, proving that powerful leadership in transport is as much about understanding customers as it is about shaping brands for lasting success. In South Africa’s commercial vehicle industry, where engineering and operational performance often dominate the conversation, Sanelisiwe Ngcobo has carved out a distinctive leadership role. As marketing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa, she has helped place customers, people […]

Can better transport put more women to work? August 18, 2026 For thousands of young South Africans, unemployment is not only about finding work. CHARLEEN CLARKE writes that transport costs and safety can determine whether they can even reach an interview in the first place… South Africa’s unemployment crisis is usually discussed in terms of economic growth, skills and job creation. Yet there is another barrier that receives far less attention: the cost and practicality of simply getting to work. […]

Volvo Trucks: Diversity drives progress, advancing the transport industry August 24, 2026 This August during Women’s Month, Volvo Trucks (part of the Volvo Group) celebrates the strength, vision and leadership of women from across the local transport industry. Consciously or subconsciously, gender defines how we see ourselves and each other. It is a fact that in most countries and industries, there are fewer women than men in the fields of engineering and other technical fields. Whilst transport contributes about 6.5% […]

Boxing clever: 70 years of the shipping container August 24, 2026 What does a frustrated trucking entrepreneur in post-Depression USA have to do with the 70th anniversary of containerised shipping in 2026? Everything, as JULIA TEW discovered while researching the box that “made the world smaller and the world economy bigger”. Every day, thousands of ships arrive at seaports around the world, transporting nearly 90% of the world’s non-bulk dry cargo in steel containers. It’s almost impossible to imagine global […]

Could AI turn back the clock on gender equality? August 21, 2026 Artificial intelligence is transforming supply chains, but unchecked gender bias could undermine hard-won progress for women, influencing recruitment, career pathways and leadership opportunities across the profession in South Africa. Artificial intelligence’s tendency to “hallucinate” – in other words, confidently inventing facts, citing non-existent sources or producing inaccurate answers – frequently makes headlines. But another potential flaw poses a different kind of risk: gender bias. Supply chain industry body […]

FOCUS joins new transport-specific Women Wellbeing Working Group August 21, 2026 The European Wellbeing Initiative (Ewellin), powered by the European Secure Parking Organisation (ESPORG), successfully launched the Women Wellbeing Working Group in July. Charleen Clarke, editorial director of FOCUS, is honoured to have been invited to join. Led by Ewellin head Druselia Betea, this new platform brings together pioneering organisations to address barriers for women in professional road transport and build a more attractive, safe and inclusive sector.  The inaugural meeting […]

Advancing women’s leadership in transport, logistics and supply chain August 21, 2026 The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport South Africa (CILTSA) will host its fourth Women in Logistics, Transport and Supply Chain Empowerment Conference on 18 September. The event (WECON 2026) will be held at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg under the theme “Resilience Reimagined: Leading Through Disruption”. It is aimed at professionals across transport, logistics, procurement, warehousing, distribution and supply chain, as well […]

Telematics without CAN: Powerstar’s smart solution for Euro 2 trucks August 19, 2026 What if a Euro 2 truck could think like a far more sophisticated machine? CHARLEEN CLARKE discovers that Powerstar’s PowerTech is doing exactly that – bringing real-time intelligence to everyday fleet operations today. Vehicle tracking has become almost routine in South African road transport. Knowing where a truck is, however, is only one small part of knowing what is happening to it. Powerstar believes the next step […]

Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrates a South African milestone August 11, 2026 A landmark 150,000th truck has rolled off Daimler Truck Southern Africa’s East London line, celebrating six decades of local manufacturing, skills, investment and enduring customer trust across the region. Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) has celebrated a major manufacturing achievement with the completion and handover of its 150,000th locally assembled truck at its East London plant. The milestone vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2645LS/33, was delivered to TT Group Holding, a […]

Afrit levels the playing field at Truck Test 2026 August 7, 2026 As the official trailer partner of Truck Test 2026, Afrit plays a pivotal role in ensuring that South Africa’s most ambitious truck comparison event delivers credible, independent results that operators can trust. Afrit, one of Southern Africa’s leading trailer manufacturers, has been confirmed as the official trailer partner of Truck Test 2026 – the largest and most significant extra-heavy commercial vehicle (XHCV) comparison event ever staged in South […]