Trucking Wellness, which falls under the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI), recently reached a milestone with the opening of its 21^st truck stop wellness clinic around the country. So, it’s number 21 in 25 years of its existence – a magnificent achievement. The clinic is situated at the new Sasol N17 Truck Stop near Secunda.

Celebrating this milestone was a full contingent of management from the NBCRFLI led by National Secretary Musa Ndlovu who officially opened the clinic. Also there was Tertius Wessels, project manager for Trucking Wellness along with other managerial, nursing and support staff.

While this clinic is permanently stationed inside the building, on display at the opening was also one of the Mobile Clinics used by Trucking Wellness to visit truck depots for driver wellness checks.

Trucking Wellness started its clinics in converted containers, many of which are still in operation doing the job admirably. It has now moved to a hybrid situation where the clinics are housed in both containers and buildings. If premises allow for an in-house clinic, that’s where the clinic will be. If not, the clinics will operate from converted containers.

The important thing is that Trucking Wellness will always be there to support the industry as it grows – as it has done for the past 25 years. This organisation is world class and has rendered superb and vital services not only to the truck drivers of South Africa but also to surrounding communities – and will continue to do so.

The clinic at the Sasol N17 Truck Stop will initially be open from around 16h00 to 22h00 and has fully qualified nursing staff on-hand to provide medical checks, treatment, counselling and recommendations.

For Nelson Mandela Day in 2025, Trucking Wellness clinics engaged clients in a “Health Pledge Handprint Wall” activity to promote wellness and celebrate taking charge of one’s health. After completing an HIV test, clients placed a painted handprint on a wall sheet, wrote a personal health pledge, and signed their name. Each participant received a Nutri-Go Power Drinking Meal as a token of appreciation. Clinics captured the day’s energy through photos and videos, which were shared on social media and the team.

The 2025 Nelson Mandela Day Pledge Your Health campaign was a resounding success across all Roadside Wellness Clinics.

Highlights included:

• A “Handprint Wall” activity that drew enthusiastic participation from clients and staff alike
• Villiers Clinic staff added a playful touch by dressing in tutus to engage clients
• Komatipoort Clinic used mixed paint colours to symbolize the Rainbow Nation — a beautiful tribute to Madiba’s legacy

Photos and videos received from participating clinics clearly demonstrated the day’s positive impact and engagement.

On 25 & 26 July, the North West Department of Health in collaboration with our Zeerust Trucking Wellness Clinic, and other key stakeholders, brought health and hope to the community through a vibrant Closing 1.1 million treatment Gap Campaign.

Activities included 6km health walks, netball & soccer matches and free wellness screenings by Trucking Wellness. From fitness to fun, and screenings to support, the two-day event was a resounding success – promoting healthy living and stronger community connections.

As issued by the Department of Health:

*TSHELA KA ITEKANELO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND 1.1 MILLION CLOSE THE GAP TREATMENT CAMPAIGN ROLLED OUT IN NGAKA MODIRI MOLEMA DISTRICT*

Saturday, 26 July 2025

*Lehurutshe* – The North West Department of Health today concluded a successful two-day rollout of the Tshela Ka Itekanelo Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Campaign and the 1.1 Million Close the Gap Treatment Campaign in Dinokana village, Zeerust, under Ngaka Modiri Molema District. These initiatives form part of a province-wide drive to promote healthy living, responsible behaviour among the youth, safe sexual practices, and the fight against substance and alcohol abuse—while encouraging all citizens to know their HIV status.

Health MEC Sello Lehari led the 5-kilometre fun walk alongside councillors from the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, traditional leaders from Bogosi boo-Rra Moiloa, the acting Deputy Director-General Mosela Mokhutswane-Kaudi, executive management teams, district managers, hospital boards and CEOs, as well as hundreds of community members from across the district.

The event kicked off with a 5KM fun walk, followed by health education sessions and on-site services at the local sports ground. These included HIV testing and counselling, screenings for non-communicable diseases, and general health consultations. The day also featured engaging physical activities such as aerobics, netball, and soccer matches.

These campaigns are a collaborative effort involving the Department of Health, other government departments, municipalities, civil society organisations, key partners, and communities.

*TSHELA KA ITEKANELO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN*

Part of the Department’s flagship programmes, Tshela Ka Itekanelo was launched in Moretele on 17 April 2025. It seeks to embed healthy lifestyle practices across communities and supports the national agenda to improve public health outcomes through five pillars:

1.    Promotion of good nutrition

2.    Regular physical activity

3.    Tobacco control

4.    Combatting alcohol and substance abuse

5.    Promotion of safe sexual practices

The campaign also focuses on reducing obesity and encouraging physical activity, especially among youth.

*1.1 MILLION CLOSE THE GAP TREATMENT CAMPAIGN*

This campaign aims to close the treatment gap by ensuring that 1.1 million people across the country are initiated or re-initiated on HIV treatment by December 2025. It also promotes testing and awareness of TB, hypertension, and diabetes.

“As a province, we are on the right track—we currently rank third in the country, and we are intensifying our efforts to close the treatment gap. I am pleased with the turnout and how people are embracing this important programme. Alcohol and substance abuse, excessive smoking, poor dietary habits, and unsafe sexual practices are behaviours we are urging communities to abandon,” said MEC Lehari.

He further commended the participation of local residents, saying:

“We have been to every district, and we will intensify this campaign to ensure meaningful impact. We are especially grateful for the collaboration from our traditional leaders,” he added.

Chief Director for Strategic Health Programmes, Ms Grace Tsele, who oversees both campaigns, expressed optimism about the province’s progress:

“We are encouraged by the positive response from communities. Our goal is to find and support over 11,000 individuals who either do not know their status or have defaulted on treatment.”

These campaigns will continue to be rolled out across the province, with each district scaling up efforts to maximise reach and impact.

 

On 19 April 2024, Pool Transport officially became the 10th Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) key account customer to complete the DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme under the guidance of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI)’s Trucking Wellness Project.

The DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme is an exclusive value-added benefit for DTSA’s key account customers that started in 2013. The programme incorporates all employees, but with a unique approach on driver health to minimize the impact of disease and ill health on the customer’s financial, operational, human resource and total cost of ownership.

Over the past 11 years, the program has continuously evolved, enhancing content to meet emerging customer needs. This year Pool Transport was a catalyst to align the DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Programme with RTMS accreditation, developing the first fatigue management policy and assisting in the development of a medical certification process for truck drivers.

Dirkie van Zyl, the Managing Director of Pool Transport had the following to say about the completion of the programme: “The wellness of our drivers is a priority and joint responsibility of the company and employees to fulfil our duty to directly contribute to the safety of our roads. Pool Transport is committed to foster a culture of wellness and empowerment through our organisation. We extend our sincere gratitude to DTSA for their support, commitment, and investment in the health and wellness of our employees. We would further like to thank Trucking Wellness and the NBCRFLI for their contribution to this ongoing wellness initiative in the transport industry of South Africa, and more specifically for Pool Transport.”

Tertius Wessels, Managing Director of Corridor Empowerment Project, Managing Trucking Wellness for the NBCRFLI adds: “Our 15-year partnership with Daimler Truck Southern Africa led to much closer relationships with transport companies, such as Pool Transport.  It allows for increased understanding and use of Trucking Wellness and other NBCRFLI wellness services, whilst implementing programmes with true shared value for all stakeholders.”

Trucking Wellness had the honour of being invited to the Truck Driver Symposium hosted by the SaferStops Association and National Department of Transport at Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg from March 6th to March 8th, 2024.

During this prestigious event, Trucking Wellness conducted comprehensive Health Screenings and our dedicated team engaged with attendees, including NBCRFLI Agents and representatives, to address all industry-related matters and provide assistance where needed.

Highlighting our participation was a dynamic panel discussion featuring distinguished guests such as the Minister of Transport, the National Secretary, Mr. Ndlovu of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry , and representatives from The Road Freight Association, alongside other influential industry stakeholders.

At the symposium, we delved into crucial topics impacting truck drivers and the transportation sector, from road safety to healthcare accessibility. These discussions involved key decision-makers and actual drivers who frequent our clinics, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by our community.

Trucking Wellness an initiative of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry remains steadfast in our commitment to advocate for the well-being of truck drivers as well as the surrounding community, continuing to provide the support and services they rightfully deserve.

Join us on our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of truck drivers everywhere!