Things have gone south at Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer, the once-thriving transport company based in Randfontein, which has now officially gone under business rescue. A leaked internal memo seen by SA Trucker confirms what many employees have feared for weeks: the company is in deep financial trouble.
Despite repeated requests for comment, management has remained silent. However, sources inside the company have painted a bleak picture of what’s really happening behind the scenes.
“According to him [the boss], he said all his money was frozen by the banks, but he didn’t tell us why,” one insider told SA Trucker. “All the trucks were parked at the depot in Randfontein since 25 March. Then last week Monday, the auction guys came and took about *65 trucks.”
Another employee said the bulk of the repossessed fleet were Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks, all of which were financed by the banks. “Only a few Nissan UDs are still running, but the rest are gone. It’s almost two months now, we’ve been sitting at home with no pay, just receiving SMSes from the company.”
Other stories about Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer business rescue
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- 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
One such SMS came in the form of a message from the Business Rescue Team, seen by SA Trucker. It asks drivers to confirm availability to resume work on 1 June 2025, provided the business rescue plan is approved by creditors.
But here’s the worrying part: while staff are being asked to hold on and pray for a miracle, some of the trucks are already on auction, suggesting that creditors might not be buying into the rescue plan. And without trucks, there’s not much left to rescue in a transport business.
Adding to the mystery, multiple sources claim the company’s owner, Hendrik van Wyk, is now living in Australia. SA Trucker reached out to him directly for comment, but he has not responded.
What does this mean for the workers?
With most of the fleet gone and operations halted, over *181 workers are left in limbo — no work, no income, and no answers. Some have gone without pay for nearly two months, only on empty promises and delayed updates.
If the business rescue plan fails, which it likely will, given the auctions, employees may be looking at retrenchments with little to no severance pay, depending on how the liquidation unfolds.
For now, the writing’s on the wall: things are not okay at Hendrik van Wyk Vervoer, and the company’s future, along with the livelihoods of its employees, hangs by a thread.
SA Trucker will continue to follow developments and report any updates.
*edited to reflect the correct number of repossessed trucks and also affected employees.
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