From the Editor’s Desk

October 16, 2026

It’s Thursday 11.00pm and I’ve just arrived home from a delightful evening at the annual BPW Axles German Evening festival. As with past years, it was jam-packed with people from across the trucking industry, some fully embracing the spirit of the occasion by donning traditional Dirndl dresses and Lederhosen. The Oompah band was once again belting out its traditional German folk music, although not punctuated as much as in past years by chants of “Zicke Zacke, Zicke Zacke” to which the crowd would raise their glasses and roar “Hoi, Hoi, Hoi!” before taking another generous swig. And yes, BPW took the responsible route by having Ubers available for those who needed a safe ride home. Good on them!

I’ve often wondered what that Zicke Zacke chant actually means, so I asked a German? I was told it was a toast to fellowship. How appropriate because that’s exactly what this evening was all about – fellowship. BPW Axles, through its products and services, touches a wide spectrum of the road transport industry. And while there were competing transporters, trailer manufacturers, suppliers and others gathered under one roof, the spirit of the evening was not one of rivalry but of unity – of camaraderie, of fellowship. It is this that makes this annual event so special.

The world is dominated by conflict and struggle – most of it politically inspired – but not so tonight. Tonight, people who compete for business during the working day sat shoulder to shoulder, laughing, chatting, sharing stories and raising their mugs together. The pressures of business, the challenges of keeping trucks moving, the frustrations of operating in an increasingly difficult economic environment – all were pushed into the background. And I couldn’t help thinking how much more of this we need.

Let’s face it, these are tough times for South Africa’s road transport industry. Costs continue to rise, margins are being squeezed, infrastructure challenges persist and uncertainty seems to lurk around every corner. For many operators, simply keeping their businesses afloat has become a daily battle. Yet, here was a room filled with people who, despite their individual challenges and competitive differences, were united by a shared industry, a shared passion for trucking. And therein lies a lesson worth taking home long after the music has stopped and the beer mugs have been emptied.

We sometimes forget that, while competition is a healthy and necessary part of business, it need not divide us. We can compete for customers and contracts while still recognising that we are all part of an industry whose collective strength is far greater than the sum of its individual parts. There are challenges facing this industry that no single truck manufacturer, transporter, trailer manufacturer, supplier or service provider can solve alone. They require a collective voice, a willingness to work together and perhaps most importantly, a recognition that we have far more in common than we sometimes care to admit.

And that, to me, is the real value of an evening such as this. Yes, it’s about having fun. Yes, it’s about letting your hair down, enjoying good food, good music and, in this case, some enthusiastic beer drinking. But it’s also about strengthening the human connections that underpin an industry. It’s about reminding us that behind every company name, every corporate logo and every competitive business strategy are people. People who share the same concerns, the same frustrations, the same hopes and, very often, the same dreams for the future of this industry. And when those people come together in a spirit of goodwill, something special happens. Barriers fall. Conversations flow. Friendships are renewed. New relationships are formed. And, perhaps without anyone consciously realising it, the bonds that hold an industry together grow a little stronger.

I don’t want to overstate the significance of such a festive evening. One gathering isn’t going to fix our roads, lower the price of diesel or remove the many obstacles facing transport operators. But it can remind us of something we should never lose sight of. Unity is a powerful force. And an industry that stands together is far better equipped to face adversity than one that stands divided.

So, well done to Susan Pretorius, managing director of BPW Axles and her team for once again bringing people together. You did more than host a great party. You provided a timely reminder of the value of fellowship at a time when the world – and our industry – could certainly do with more of. As I drove home, I found myself reflecting on that German chant. Perhaps there’s a message in those raised beer mugs that deserves to travel far beyond the walls of the venue. We don’t all have to sing from the same hymn sheet. But when it comes to the future of our industry, we should at least recognise that we’re all in the same choir.

Zicke Zacke, Zicke Zacke! Hoi, Hoi, Hoi! Goodnight.

Patrick O’Leary
Managing Editor, FleetWatch