In the hurly-burly of last week’s horrendous events in South Africa, Freight News dropped a bit of a ball on Friday afternoon when we neglected to include a post about the fifth finalist in the Iveco SA and Road Freight Association’s #ThankYouTrucker competition.
It’s not too late though.
Rather late than never, and last but definitely not least of the five finalists, is Matthew Moonsamy of Imperial Contract Logistics in KwaZulu-Natal.
Of all the contestants, Matthew has perhaps been behind the wheel the longest, namely since 1987, for Imperial that is.
That’s dedication for you, right there – 34 years of trucking for one company.
Says his employer: “Over the years, he has evolved from a double diff driver to a superlink driver.”
Not only has he excelled in his primary capacity as a trucker, but he has also gone the proverbial extra mile.
“During 2020 when our depot was hit hard with Covid cases, Matthew was tasked to report for duty early every Monday morning, to issue vehicle keys and take control of the early country departures.
“He managed this added duty with no complaints and seeking no additional recognition. With the experience Matthew has gained, he also assists us with planning by providing us with an oversight of the issues experienced on today’s roads.”
Well done Matthew.
You’re living proof that in South Africa, especially, where truck drivers often find themselves in frontline hostility positions, the citizens of this country should never take our truckers for granted.
Well done to the other four finalists as well: Audrey Chiloane of the Zosi Group in Gauteng; from the same province, Chris Smit of DRK Logistics; Nimrod Maseko of Maphanga Logistics in Mpumalanga; and Ayanda Mvelasa, like Moonsamy, also from KZN, but working for Crossroads Distribution.
Voting in the #ThankYouTrucker competition is open until July 24.
