Castrol’s ‘Protect the Journey’ goes well beyond lubricants

Posted on: October 28, 2026

South Africa’s road freight industry may be a cauldron of competition but it’s also a community where collaboration and knowledge sharing can benefit society at large. Road safety is a case in point. Responsible fleet operations that focus on driver proficiency and well-being alongside proper vehicle maintenance contribute to safer journeys for all. This Transport Month, Castrol Southern Africa is strengthening its engagement with the transport sector, bringing fleet operators, drivers and other stakeholders together around a shared commitment to making our roads safer.

Samuel Monyane, head of Commercial Lubricants at Castrol Southern Africa, says the initiative reflects the company’s “Protect the Journey” philosophy and its ambition to contribute to the well-being of the people behind the wheel.

Building partnerships for safer roads
This October, Castrol has been running activations at truck stops across the country and engaging with transport companies, including Value Logistics, Unitrans and SK Trucking.

The primary aim of Castrol’s Protect the Journey campaign is to raise awareness of the role lubricants play in vehicle reliability while encouraging a broader understanding of road safety.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, Castrol plays a role in education, effectively going beyond the supply of quality lubricants that keep trucks on the road,” says Monyane. “We join hands with stakeholders like operators, owners and wellness clinics to make sure that driver wellness and safety remain top priorities.”

Putting drivers at the centre
Castrol’s truck-stop activations have included collaboration with wellness organisations like Trucking Wellness and transport operators running their own driver health programmes.

The most important part is ensuring everyone gets home
safely

These engagements focus on practical issues such as fatigue, adequate rest, nutrition and mental wellbeing, recognising that driver fitness and vehicle condition are equally important to safe operations.

“The core theme of Protect the Journey is road safety,” Monyane explains. “While fleet profitability is a Castrol priority, our activations focus on the key person – the truck operator.”

The campaign also demonstrates to fleet owners how responsible maintenance and the use of appropriate lubricants support vehicle performance and operational returns, while helping to reduce risks on the road.

A commitment beyond Transport Month
For Castrol, the Protect the Journey initiative is not intended to end when Transport Month does. The company plans to build on its existing partnerships and continue engaging with fleet operators to extend its safety message across the industry.

“Our ambition is definitely to continue these engagements,” Monyane says. “The relationships that we have already created within a broad spectrum of stakeholders are partnerships we want to continue developing.”

Through its Protect the Journey philosophy, Castrol is demonstrating that its role extends well beyond supplying lubricants, oils and greases. By supporting vehicle reliability, promoting driver well-being and encouraging collaboration across the transport sector, the company is working to make every journey safer.

Ultimately, as Monyane puts it: “That is the most important part – ensuring that everyone gets home safely.”

To find out more on this initiative, Patrick O’Leary, Editor of FleetWatch, interviewed Samuel Monyane, head of Commercial Lubricants at Castrol Southern Africa….