I attended the high-level dialogue where the CGCSA, HEINEKEN Beverages, SANTACO, and the Road Traffic Management Corporation laid out concrete plans to address alcohol-related harm and road incidents during the festive season.

The timing is critical. December consistently sees increased traffic volumes and elevated crash rates across South Africa, with last year’s festive season recording thousands of serious road incidents nationwide. The dialogue brought together sectors that directly influence road behaviour, from retail and alcohol manufacturing to taxi transport and law enforcement.

Concrete commitments for December 2025

The partners outlined specific areas where they’ll coordinate efforts over the coming weeks. Consumer education on responsible drinking will expand across retail stores and brand platforms, whilst the taxi industry commits to improved fatigue management and safer rank practices on peak travel days.

The RTMC will increase enforcement visibility along high-risk routes identified through crash and fatalities data. Retailers will strengthen compliance measures to prevent underage and irresponsible alcohol purchases. All sectors will push consistent messaging promoting “Don’t Drink and Drive. Get Home Safely.”

Zinhle Tyikwe, CEO of the Consumer Goods Council, emphasised the retail sector’s reach during the session. “Retailers engage millions of South Africans every day, especially during the festive season. As the CGCSA, we are committed to ensuring that retail spaces promote responsible purchasing behaviour and support national road safety efforts.”

Transport sector addresses peak-period pressures

SANTACO President Motlhabane Abnar Tsebe, although absent from the dialogue, highlighted December’s unique challenges for the taxi industry through an official statement. “December is one of the busiest periods for the taxi industry, and the safety of our passengers remains our highest priority. This dialogue provided a valuable platform to align with partners on fatigue management, driver conduct and safer taxi ranks.”

The taxi sector’s involvement is particularly significant given its role in moving millions of South Africans during the festive period.

Driver fatigue and overcrowding at ranks have been persistent concerns, and SANTACO’s commitment to address these issues through the dialogue represents a direct acknowledgement of the sector’s responsibility.

Enforcement and behaviour change

Refilwe Mongale, Acting CEO of the RTMC, who also was absent, stressed that enforcement alone won’t solve the problem. “The festive season requires heightened vigilance on our roads, especially high-risk areas. Through partnerships like today’s dialogue, the RTMC can strengthen enforcement visibility and deepen behaviour-change communication. It begins with me; it begins with you and all of us! Let us ensure a safe festive season and cross alive to 2026.”

The RTMC’s data-driven approach to enforcement positioning means resources will focus on routes where festive season crashes have historically occurred, rather than random deployment.
Industry takes shared responsibility.

Millicent Maroga, Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN Beverages, made clear that alcohol manufacturers recognise their role in the broader safety ecosystem. “Road safety cannot be solved by one sector alone. Today’s dialogue reflects our shared commitment to encouraging responsible consumption, promoting safer behaviour, and supporting the national call to ‘Don’t Drink and Drive. Get Home Safely.'”

The 25th Limited Edition trucks are offered in three model variants: the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2652LS/33 RE, Mercedes-Benz Actros 2654LS/33 RE, and the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2663LS/33 Euro 5. What distinguishes these special editions from the standard models is the incorporation of traditional flagship equipment, previously exclusive to the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2663LS/33. These enhancements encompass aesthetics, driver comfort, and safety features.

Externally, the 25th Limited Edition trucks showcase a distinctive coat of high-quality MercedesBenz silver grey paint, delivering a premium finish that elevates the vehicle’s overall aesthetic appeal. To add a touch of sophistication and complete the premium look, these trucks feature a backlit Mercedes illuminating star and include the Interior Chrome package.

Elevating the driver’s experience, the 25th Limited Edition trucks redefine seating comfort by replacing the standard Fold-Up, Co Fold-Up Passenger’s Seat with a Comfort Passenger’s Suspension Seat. This upgraded seat features ergonomically favorable sitting posture armrests. Additionally, the trucks replace the standard 12.7 cm (Thin Film Transistor) TFT display instrument cluster with a stunning 12.3-inch Interactive Multimedia Cockpit. This multi-touch display brings driving and vehicle information to the driver’s fingertips in a clear, graphic format, enabling them to stay connected and effortlessly in control.

Prioritizing safety, the 25th Limited Edition trucks are equipped with a seat occupancy detection sensor on the co-driver’s side. For long-haul journeys, where an ideal sleeping climate is essential, the units are fitted with the Premium Comfort Mattress. This not only ensures the driver’s rest is as comfortable as their drive itself but also promotes safer, well-rested drivers on the road.

Maretha Gerber, Vice President: Sales & Marketing Daimler Truck Southern Africa, expressed her sentiments on the launch: “The Mercedes-Benz Actros has been our flagship truck for the past 25 years, and concluding its silver jubilee with the launch of the 25th Limited Edition trucks is truly special for us. I hope that our customers will not only enjoy the look of these trucks but also find its unique features beneficial when it comes to driver and passenger comfort and safety. While the past laid a solid foundation for our brand, we are excited about the future as we are moving further into sustainable transport solutions, to redefine the new standard of road freight transportation.”

As society embraces the sharing economy, a quest for convenience and sustainability is reshaping transportation norms. Jaguar’s car-sharing pilot aims to offer an on-demand taste of luxury and all-electric living, a vision the brand is committed to expanding as it evolves beyond its traditional offerings.

In collaboration with luxury serviced apartment group MODA Living, Jaguar has chosen two upscale apartment complexes, Angel Gardens in Manchester and New York Square in Leeds, as its pilot locations. Residents in these buildings can effortlessly book an I-PACE for up to 48 hours using the dedicated Jaguar booking platform. Furthermore, each site’s 24-hour concierge team will facilitate key handovers and offer support. The booking covers insurance, charging costs, valeting, and maintenance.

The Jaguar I-PACE, since its debut, has received over 90 global awards, including the remarkable triple victory at the 2019 World Car of the Year Awards. Winning World Car Design of the Year, World Green Car, and World Car of the Year, the I-PACE has solidified its position as the benchmark all-electric performance SUV. Jaguar’s innovative mobility scheme promises to bring this award-winning luxury to the doorsteps of urban residents, ushering in a new era of convenient and sustainable transportation.

Insights garnered from using Tracker’s vehicle tracking data and analytics from Lightstone indicate that most South Africans are doing their bit to “flatten the curve”. Nationally, South African vehicle activity had already dropped by up to 20% before the lockdown, relative to the corresponding day in early March. Vehicle activity has subsequently plummeted by 75% since the implementation of the lockdown.

The significant decline in vehicle movement during the first three days of confinement followed a slight increase in passenger vehicle activity in the two days prior. This increase in vehicle movement is likely due to citizens shopping in preparation for being confined to their homes with many having been paid on the 25th, as observed by the reports of lengthy queues and sold out stock at stores in the days before lockdown.

Drilling down to a town level in the two most compliant provinces, Sandton in Gauteng and Durbanville, Franschhoek and Noordhoek in the Western Cape show a greater than 90% reduction in vehicle movement. Conversely, the least stay at home compliance is observed in Khayelitsha and Guguletu in the Western Cape with a reduction in vehicle activity of less than 50%. Towns like Blue Downs in the Western Cape and Soweto and Katlehong in Gauteng have also only reduced their vehicle activity by between 60% and 70%.

As we write this, we’re glad to report Cathay Pacific goes above and beyond to make the journey a pleasant experience in any class of service in a way that makes us look forward to getting on the plane. With that, and the warm towel and welcome bubbles handed on arrival in our seats, we’ve listed our 10 Reasons Why We’re Loving them right now.

1. The Inflight Entertainment

Cathay Pacific recently released a statement stating that customers that fly on any of their aircrafts have four-times the entertainment available to discover and enjoy every time they fly. We tested this out, and it’s true. The entertainment system features touchscreens, a selection of more than 150 films and TV shows and digital magazines to ensure that there’s no shortage on entertainment. The audio channel contains an interesting collection of Western album – a bit of classic rock, modern gospel, cheesy pop – plus the likes of K-pop and Cantopop.

2. Live TV

Only available on the Airbus A350 aircraft, newly available live coverage of the latest sports events was available to us to ensure we never missed any of the breath-taking moments from the Rugby World Cup Semi-finals. If that isn’t exhilarating enough, passengers can also catch all the unforgettable highs and lows from the UEFA Champions League as they happen even while in the air.

3. Leg Room

This was an unanimous decision from our editorial team to move leg room to the top 5 things we love about Cathay Pacific. Usually when flying Economy with other airlines we’d have to search and even pay extra for an extra legroom seat. This was not the case with Cathay Pacific, when we flew economy on our Hong Kong to Incheon three-hour flight, we discovered that the legroom and seating configuration was less daunting that we expected. I am about 1.9m tall and it was more than adequate for this haul.

Meanwhile, the configuration of Premium Economy seating as experienced on our Johannesburg to Hong Kong haul is 2-3-2, as opposed to 2-4-2 in economy, with 21 seats in total. The seat is like old-school business class, with a full leg-rest (front row only) and a good recline. With a complimentary blanket and pillow, you can be sure to get some shut eye without the aid of sleeping pills or booze. For technicalities, the distance from the armrest to the exact same point on the seat in front or behind it is 96cm.

4. The Fine Dining Experience

We were spoilt for choice and at some point, had to stop ourselves from overindulging (it’s not a bad thing!). As our morning flight took off just in time for lunch, we had a choice of three main courses you could mistake from the business class menu. I order the pan-fried fish with tomato, seasonal vegetables and white rice, and it’s a meal I could happily have ordered from any restaurant menu. There’s a choice between Australian wine or international spirits if that’s your vibe, to help things along. Gordon’s Gin and tonic went down smoothly. A lighter meal was offered late in the flight.

5. Betsy Beer for The Win

Cathay Pacific recently relaunched Betsy Beer, its very own locally brewed craft beer, with a new look and a new flavour. We sampled it on our haul to Hong Kong International. Upon the first sip, it’s not hard to miss its citrus-forward flavours in your mouth, it’s a smooth pale ale that won’t overwhelm the newcomers to craft beer. Betsy is created in partnership with local Hong Kong brewery Gweilo Beer and is available to all passengers on long-haul flights in all cabins.

6. Friendly Staff

As is the Cathay Pacific standard, you can expect professional, efficient service. The cabin crew pays immaculate attention to detail regardless of which class you’re flying with regular – but not too regular – checks from attendants to see if snacks or drinks are wanted. All of this makes the airline the number one choice for any type of traveller.

7. The Pier Business Lounge

We have never been fans of any layover or connect, regardless of the length. That’s until we were introduced to the Cathay Pacific lounges at Hong Kong International. These lounges are another thing altogether, so good in fact that we even look forward to a having a long layover between flights here. We had access to The Pier, a 3,306 square meter First and Business Class Lounge near gate 65 as we waited for our connect to Incheon taking off at gate 69. The use of high-quality and natural materials gives a sense of generosity and permanence; Cherrywood, limestone and bronze, are soothing and sophisticated.

There’s a vast Food hall with self-serve or freshly made cooked-to-order dishes and the coffee cart that’s the most important thing for some passengers, greets you as you enter.

8. Self-Care In The Lounge

For the fast paced, we discovered a room in the lounge that is a place of pure relaxation filled with low upholstered loungers and footstools. Filtered light casts a shadowy glow, creating a transcendental atmosphere that’ll transports you to a different place – one where you can escape the noise and hubbub of the airport or doze for a short while after your shower. Better yet, there’s also a dedicated yoga and meditation space available. Divided into two zones – it features a space for gentle yoga with guided videos led by Pure Yoga teachers and The Mind Sanctuary, where travellers can meditate and focus the mind.

9. Baggage Care

When checking in, ground staff clearly mark your luggage as priority even when boarding Premium Economy. Cathay’s Premium Economy allows checked baggage up to 35kg, or 5kg increased baggage allowance for you souvenirs. Two pieces were allowed as opposed to the one piece for economy, while carry-on is one bag up to 7kg.

10. Convenient Check-In

Our journey was made smooth and easy with dedicated check-in counters at OR Tambo International, and priority boarding at the take-off gate and when connecting.

Cathay Pacific flies daily flights out of Johannesburg to Hong Kong international Airport. The flights connect passengers to over 200 destinations around the world including popular Asian destinations like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, China and many more.

This momentous occasion was celebrated during an exclusive event which was held at O.R. Tambo International airport to mark the return of the airline to South Africa is a significant step in recognising the importance of the relationship between Tanzania and South Africa as they continue extending the wings of Kilimanjaro over Africa and beyond. The investment, trade and tourism opportunities presented by expanding its network will certainly add value to both countries as they strive to offer affordable and improved connections between Tanzania and South Africa. Air Tanzania is determined to connect South Africa to Tanzania by offering the least connecting time and affordable tickets.

Air Tanzania flights between JNB-DAR will commence with four frequencies on days Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.