As business rescue proceedings unfold for Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer (HVWV), troubling questions are being raised not just about the company’s struggles, but about how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and fleet financiers influence the survival or collapse of logistics businesses in distress.
This is not about pointing fingers recklessly. It’s about confronting difficult industry dynamics that many truckers, operators, and creditors believe have gone unchallenged for too long.
Questions Raised – Answers Still Missing
SA Trucker has publicly posed several questions about the role of Daimler Truck Southern Africa in HVWV’s operations. At the time of publication, no formal response has been received.
In the absence of official answers, numerous truckers and insiders have contacted us with their own experiences – some involving Daimler, others involving different OEMs. While these accounts are anecdotal and unverified, they follow a consistent theme: mechanical downtime, contract losses, growing debt exposure, and OEM withdrawal when things go bad.
A Pattern of Product Struggles and Profit Cycles?
Some operators allege that problems with certain truck models date back to the Freightliner Argosy era, particularly involving the CAT C12 and Detroit Diesel engines. The supposed solution? Swap the vehicle, take a trade-in loss, and finance a newer unit – a cycle that, according to these truckers, only deepened their debt without resolving the reliability issues.
The more recent Mercedes-Benz Actros 2645 model has also drawn criticism. Operators claim persistent standing time and inadequate maintenance responses left entire fleets sidelined, even when maintenance plans were in place.
One business owner stated:
“When these trucks go down, you don’t just lose revenue. You lose contracts, your credibility, and sometimes your entire business.”
Some even mentioned mental health struggles and business failures, with a few referencing suicides – though SA Trucker has not independently verified any such link and urges sensitivity around these claims.
The Downtime Data
A document, believed to be a downtime report submitted by HVWV, outlines extensive truck standing time losses amounting to over R20 million between 2021 and 2023. SA Trucker has reviewed the report, which includes references to meetings with Daimler officials.
Importantly, the reported figure is based solely on the company’s fixed cost per truck – it does not account for lost turnover, cancelled contracts, or the devastating impact on driver income. The real financial damage could be significantly higher. What multiple should be applied to these figures remains an open and pressing question.
While Daimler has not confirmed the authenticity of the document, its existence aligns with concerns raised by several operators who have come forward in the wake of our reporting.
Yet, when HVWV entered business rescue, the response was swift: OEMs reportedly reclaimed trucks, slashed access, and protected their interests – legally, yes, but some say harshly.
Other stories about Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer business rescue
- Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer’s Fleet on Auction Block Amid Business Rescue Bid
- How Daimler Crushed Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer’s Rescue, and 181 Livelihoods
- Daimler Delays Response to Key Questions on OEM Role in Trucking Industry Failures
- Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer Rescue Update: Creditors to Decide the Future on 19 June
Legal Experts Weigh In
Insolvency lawyers we spoke to confirm that secured creditors like OEMs and banks have every right to recover their assets in a business rescue. But the law does not currently require them to account for the knock-on effects their actions – or products – might have on other stakeholders.
“The impact of failed or frequently grounded trucks on unsecured creditors like tyre suppliers, trailer financiers, and employees is rarely considered in court,” said one Pretoria-based attorney. “There’s a gap in accountability. Everyone talks about cessions and recoveries – no one talks about standing time caused by faulty machinery.”
Whose Responsibility Is Standing Time?
In light of these dynamics, some industry insiders are asking a daring but fair question:
Should OEMs be invoiced – by BRPs, liquidators, or directors – for standing time that can be directly traced to poor product performance or service delivery failures?
Because ultimately, someone pays for those parked trucks:
- Tyre suppliers,
- Fuel and parts vendors,
- Landlords and property financiers,
- And employees, who may never return to work.
The Bank Trigger Point
Operators also point to banks cutting off working capital lines the moment business rescue is declared – an action many say kills any chance of a turnaround.
Combined with fleet repossessions and frozen cashflow, this response can rapidly force a rescue into liquidation.
Which brings us to another hard question:
Is liquidation sometimes preferable – not for the company, but for those who’d rather see the details buried?
Open Invitation to OEMs, Funders & BRPs
SA Trucker is not claiming fraud or misconduct. We’re reporting growing concern – from truckers, creditors, insolvency experts, and industry veterans – that OEMs and financiers may wield too much unchecked influence over the outcomes of distressed businesses.
We reiterate our invitation to Daimler Truck Southern Africa, financiers, BRPs, and any OEMs involved to engage with us. We are committed to fair, balanced reporting, and we will publish their views in full and without distortion.
Because this isn’t just about HVWV anymore.
It’s about whether South Africa’s trucking industry is built to help struggling companies recover – or just built to recover the trucks.
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