Driving dreams

The team from Charmont Media has been at it again, bouncing around the Randpark Golf Course for the annual Edutrans Golf Day in the pursuit of skills development. This year’s event also proved to be the biggest and best yet

The 2014 Edutrans Golf Day, held on March 27, proved that the local motoring and transport industry is 100 percent behind the drive to make career dreams come true. Encouraging school-leaving youngsters to don their driving gloves, or get grease under their fingernails, and join the industry in some way or another, is the aim of Edutrans – and its annual Golf Day fundraiser left us in no doubt that the future looks bright.

“This was by far the biggest golf day we have hosted in the eight years since the event’s inception,” says Tina Monteiro, FOCUS publisher and organiser of the Edutrans Golf Day. “We had a staggering 32 four-ball teams, from all corners of the motoring industry, enter and show their support for the Edutrans initiative. The support from our industry has been overwhelming this year!”

The Edutrans career guide – the first edition of which was printed in 2012 – will be printed in its second edition later this year. Over 70 000 copies will be distributed at high schools around the country; giving school-leavers, who are deciding on a career path, professional insight into jobs, learnerships and bursaries relevant to the motoring and transport industries.

It is the success of events such as the Edutrans Golf Day that makes this possible, as Charleen Clarke, FOCUS editor, elaborates: “I am absolutely thrilled that our colleagues and friends recognise the importance of this initiative. We all love this industry. We want to see it grow and prosper when future generations ‘take the wheel’, we want them to love it as much as we do.”

And “loving it” was indeed the response from the players on the day. This was in no small part thanks to the generous sponsors that made the day possible. Max T and Bridgestone, for example, held a putting competition at the beginning of the day, to help players get their concentration levels up and get their “eye in”.

Scania took things a step further at one of its sponsored holes, with a “marshmallow drive” competition. Yip, you guessed it, they had players hilariously splattering marshmallows from the tee-box in a bid to get the greatest distance. Wayne Desmore, from the Scania team, showed the most marshmallow-mashing skill …

The regular prizes of nearest to the pin (ladies’ and men’s) were won by Leanne Steyn, from the ladies invitation team, and Grant Carstensen, from Hollard. Steyn again won the ladies longest drive. Darren Padayachee from team Peugeot took the booby prize for the longest day and Isuzu’s Anton du Plessis held the lucky raffle ticket for a mid-week getaway for six, sponsored by the Dream Vacation Club.

There was another select group of talented youngsters who also won on the day – in more ways than one … Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) generously donated its team Freightliner and team Fuso four-ball entries to eight deserving, talented youngsters, through the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB). Six of the players (two of whom are still in school) are from the Gary Player School of Excellence. They were accompanied by two coaches who dedicate their time to helping these students.

Playing like true Professional Golf Association pros (Andy Ostle, SAGDB Central Gauteng manager, proudly points out that there have been numerous, previously disadvantaged players to come through the programme and turn pro) the Freightliner team of Tshepo Mokoena, Ben Moloi, Nhlanhleni Dlamini, and Evance Vukeya came first for the day on a count-out, with a convincing 93 points. Dlamini also won the men’s longest drive. Second place went to team Fuso, of Michael Khumalo; Kgomotso Kgopa; Sbonelo Didiza and Elence Fukeya, which also tallied in at 93 points.

To put the cherry on the top, the teams were chauffeur-driven, to and from the event, in a new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

“The guys cannot stop saying how much they loved the day,” says Ostle. “We are so appreciative that FOCUS and Mercedes-Benz approached us to take part in this fantastic initiative. Skills development is something the SAGDB is equally passionate about.”

And with support like this, the Edutrans project can only grow from strength to strength and tackle skills development head-on.

FOCUS would like to express its sincerest thanks to Randpark Golf Club and Jeff Hawkes, who gave his time as MC, as well as all the day’s sponsors, including: Afrit, Alcoa, Bandag, BMW, BPW Axles, Bridgestone and Max T Solutions, Cargo Carriers, DAF, Elite Fibre, ELT, Ford, Frightliner, Fuso, GEA, GRW, Hino, Hollard, Imperial Logistics, International, Isuzu, Iveco, Irizar, Kanu Commercial, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, One Comm Insurance, Peugeot, Scania, Standard Bank, UD, Unitrans, Volvo, Wabco and ZF.