Posts Tagged ‘South Africa’

Many people choose to spend their December holidays in Mozambique, Botswana or Namibia and all those other beautiful secluded places just to the North of our borders.  For good reasons too: After a relatively accessible drive in your 4×4, most of these destinations offer a perfect getaway from the stress of the office and a long year of work.

But there are some very important things to do and check before you leave on that holiday:

1. Make sure your 4×4 is properly maintained, and serviced. The last thing you want to do is get stuck with a breakdown before you reach your destination. Ensure that your 4×4 recovery equipment is in good working order.
2. See your Doctor to get that Malaria tablet prescription (if you’re going to a malaria area). On the subject of health – also make sure you have all the necessary emergency medicines and a proper First Aid kit.
3. Make sure your 4×4 complies with the regulations of the country you will be visiting. Things like the triangles, ZA stickers, insurance documents as well as the registration papers of the vehicle are going to be checked at the border.
4. Get your GPS’s maps updated – a GPS without up to date maps is no good!
5. Make sure your insurance company is aware which countries you will be visiting, and get a border letter from them. If your 4×4 is still financed you will need to get authorisation from the finance company as well.
6. Some countries require you to buy a once off liability (3rd party) insurance. This can be purchased beforehand and should save you some time getting through the border.
7. And of course: You need to make sure you have the proper 4×4 insurance when travelling outside SA’s borders!

Why you need proper 4×4 insurance when travelling outside South Africa:

Towing Costs: Did you know that very few insurance companies cover towing and recovery costs outside of South Africa? Let’s say you have an accident (heaven forbid) en route to your holiday destination, 200 km from the border.  That is going to cost you several thousand Rand, if your insurance company does not cover the towing costs.  Our recommended products not only cover the cost of towing to a repairer in SA, but also the cost of recovering your vehicle back to South Africa.

Repatriation: Imagine the cost of getting back to South Africa after an accident? Our products cover repatriation of the driver and passengers back to South Africa, not only after an accident, but also after a breakdown!

Cover outside South Africa: Most ‘normal’ insurers cover your vehicle for use in South Africa, and some of the surrounding countries. Only our recommended products provide cover all the way up to Kenya.

Emergency medical evacuation: Our recommended products also include airborne emergency medical evacuation. So in the case of injury or illness you will be swiftly returned to South Africa so that you can get treatment in a proper hospital.

Breakdown of winching equipment: If you’re going far off the beaten track, you’re sure to have a winch to help recover your 4×4 when you get stuck.  Now, imagine the winch breaks?  Your average motor insurer will never pay that claim — but our products cover that too!

So, before you pack your bags and leave for that annual holiday in your 4×4, speak to your insurer and make sure that they cover you for ALL of the above points.   If not, you need to speak to us!

Some more questions to ask your 4×4 insurance company:

• Do I have cover for damage to the engine caused by water?
• Do you charge an additional excess if I damage my 4×4 while driving off-road?
• Am I limited to any specific driver, or do I have cover if my friend drives too?
• Is there a 24/7 emergency number that I can contact in case I have an accident, breakdown or injury while outside South Africa?

Finally, once you are all packed and ready to go: lock the house behind you, relax, it’s time for that holiday… drive safely.

PS: Remember to pack the sunscreen – it’s hot in Africa!

“We are rolling it out next year, we are sure it’s going to happen in the next calendar year,” said RTMC acting chief executive Collins Letsoalo.

An announcement on when the demerit system would kick in would be made next year as Aarto rolled out.  The RTMC began an “education campaign” on October 1 at the OR Tambo International Airport, he said.

The Aarto legislation would implement a point demerit system in which motorists would be penalised or lose their driver’s licences after a certain number of traffic offences.  Aarto pilot projects had been running in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

Problems during in the pilot stage

Letsoalo said system problems and gaps in the legislative process were identified during the pilot projects.

“But in the main it has gone well, we are perfecting that as we go forward,” he said.

In June the RTMC announced that the implementation of the Aarto system would be delayed to ensure the legislation was effective when it was implemented.

Problems with communication and educating the public on their rights, duties and obligations had also been identified during the pilot implementation of the legislation in Tshwane and Johannesburg.

Other issues of concern were training people to use the system and effective performance of the system when uploading infringement information.

Aarto was to have been introduced in Ekurhuleni, Ethekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay and the City of Cape Town on July 1. At the time, the corporation said the delay would be around two or three months. — Sapa.

This report originally published by the Mail & Guardian Online