Capital Equipment News October 2017

TRANSPORT

FAW TRUCKS TIP BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

A fleet of FAW trucks is performing beyond expectations for a Limpopo-based business, prompting the owner to consider placing an order of five more units.

A n astute businessman by any measure; modest in nature but highly enterprising – that’s a fitting description of Mahlaka Lukas Makuwa, owner and MD of Mafate Business Enterprises, primarily a mining supply company based in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Mafate supplies readymix and premix concrete, shortcrete, sand, stones and plaster mix to mines and contractors in the Sekhukhune district, including Steelpoort, Burgersdorp, Jane Furse and Phalaborwa. Makuwa started his successful career and businesses from an unlikely background. He first obtained a degree in IT at Tshwane University of Technology and went on to work fulltime as an IT technician at Eskom for a number of years. His vision, however, was to develop his own community and this drove him to grab an opportunity to bid for and obtain the canteen contracts for Vantec Mine and later Tubatse Ferrochrome Mine. It was from here that he saw further opportunities working with the mines, first contracted to remove stones to crush and sell on to other businesses in the area; and later setting up a batch plant for readymix supply to the Lion mining plant. More recently he started supplying asphalt to Lion Mine II. Today, Mafate Enterprises is the holding company of a number of other businesses, including a laundry and cleaning business, as well as a Supaquick tyre franchise. The hold- ing company also owns 50% of ML Phadima Construction & Projects, which loads and hauls chrome slag, does dust suppression and grades roads at the Lion smelter belong- ing to Xstrata Alloys. Enter FAW His newest ‘partner’ helping him achieve his overall vision is FAW trucks, which he took on a trial basis in September 2014. Convinced that FAW had the trucks best suited to his operations and needs, he started purchasing various models into his fleet since then. Today Makuwa runs nine FAW vehicles – including four tippers of varying capacities, as well as two mixers with 6 m³ and 8 m³ capacities. He monitors his transport operations on a cost-per-hour basis and ensures, wherever possible, that they run at

Mahlaka Lukas Makuwa, owner and MD of Mafate Business Enterprises, has been so impressed by his fleet of FAW trucks that he plans to buy five more tippers.

long hours, overseeing all the enterprises, but I have reliable supervisors in place as well. I routinely (everyday) check in with each business and if anything needs changing I rectify and correct the process,” he says. “Regarding new business, I keep my ears to the ground and I don’t hesitate if I believe something presents a worthwhile opportunity to explore.” More purchases “FAW trucks are reliable and I can trust them to do their job. That’s why I have planned to purchase another five 10 m³ tippers for my asphalt operations,” he says. “My drivers keep log sheets which are monitored for efficiencies. As everyone knows concrete is a perishable material, I certainly don’t like dumping a load because of wrong timing.” Loading the FAW to legal capacity and up to 35 t on shorter stretches, Makuwa commends the trucks’ torque and power. “Lastly, but more importantly, the support and service – on-site or whenever needed – from FAW Pretoria West and specifically Pieter Gerber, is unmatched. He’s always prepared to go the extra mile for me. That’s another reason I trust the FAW brand of trucks. Pieter and FAW work as hard as I do,” concludes Makuwa. b

full capacity. The models in the Mafate fleet comprise three FAW 35.340FC 8 m³ mixers, two FAW 33.330FC 6 m³ mixers, two 35.340FD 15 m³ tippers, and one each of the FAW 33.340FD 18 m³ and 20 m³ tippers. “I like the FAW trucks because they are strong, no-nonsense trucks. They are tough and work hard, just like me,” jokes Makuwa. Big break Makuwa’s first big break came when he landed his first three-year contract with a Glencore owned mine, with a specially structured deal – including ring-fencing and surety of R4,8 million to buy capital equipment. His first contract was to move ferrochrome with an articulated dump truck. Careful planning and a very ‘hands- on’ approach ensured that he subsequently landed another three-year contract, fol- lowed by a third four-year contract. With the concrete batch plant in full swing, Makuwa and his employees continued the company’s stellar performance, landing contracts which included supplying the Lion Mine’s building Phase II, a Maraisburg Mine project, the Burgersfort Shopping Mall and Magareng Mine projects. His secret to success is that he believes in keeping his finger on the pulse. “I work

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