After working for ten years as a police detective, Ndumiso Ncube never forgot his childhood dream of becoming a truck owner. 

The Ballito resident said that when he was a child in Durban, he was fascinated by their truck driver neighbour.

“He used to come home driving brand new trucks, which he used to park in front of our gate. We would walk around them, fascinated about what we called a ‘big car’. I made a vow to one day own one,” said Ncube.

After matric, he joined the police force then, after 10 years, he started his own meter taxi business and saved enough to buy a small truck. 

“From there I had never looked back, I saved and bought a second-hand truck and got a contract to deliver coal in Mpumalanga. That gave me enough money to be able to buy a second truck and a trailer.”

He then moved the business, named the Manjula Group, to KwaZulu-Natal.

He delivers food and alcohol across the province and says that running a logistics business requires financial discipline.

“It is not a cheap business to run. You must know how to save because you are dealing with people’s business. You cannot afford to delay your client’s goods because it gives you a bad reputation and also affects your client’s business.

So you must be able to have enough money for rainy days. When a truck is broken down, fix it properly and fast. If you are not disciplined with your finances, you will have serious problems.”

Ncube said the other important part of running a trucking business was to keep your drivers happy and know their problems.

“You have got to care about your drivers and know the routes they take and how much diesel it costs if one travels from Durban to Ixopo, for example.

Those are the simple things that make you see if there were any challenges along the route and you can approach your driver and get it sorted out fast.”

Ncube is working on growing his business and is studying towards a law degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.