Why South Africans just can't get enough of a bakkie

SHO’T left, tjom, chakalaka, boerewors, braai, chesanyama, vuvuzela, braai broodjie, brandewyn, bra, boet, broer, bakkie.

- Willem van de Putte [e-mail]

You don’t get more South African than that, and when you are standing around a braai fire, the discussion inevitably turns to South Africa’s favourite vehicle - the bakkie — because they’re embedded in our cultural heritage.

Test of time

And while the death march slowly plays for saloon cars as everyone clamours to get behind the wheel of an SUV or Crossover, the bakkie continues to stand the test of time.

In a country like South Africa with its vast distances, rural areas with gravel roads and the need to transport goods and people, bakkies will always be the first choice.

If you've travelled to isolated rural areas with their limited infrastructure, bakkies play a vital role in serving the community in several ways.

When you think about emergency services cars, many of them use a bakkie modified in a variety of ways to serve their particular need.

Bakkies also showcase our sense of adventure — whether travelling to far-flung places kitted as an overlander, towing caravans, boats, trailers, off-road caravans and trailers or motor-cycles — we're always on a mission to satisfy our leisure activities.

Workhorse to luxury vehicle

Originally used as workhorses in the agricultural and mining industries, we've come a long way since single cabs with bench seats, column shifts, hard leaf suspension and no seat belts.

Modern bakkies have become comfortable transport with fantastic suspension, good looks and dynamic handling, and are loaded with the most modern technology.

Fundamentally, the brief hasn’t changed, with the load bay still an integral part of its DNA.

Back in the day, the Ford Cortina Big Six bakkie was all the rage, bringing relative sedan comfort to the interior and handling with some decent performance.

My grandfather was in the construction industry, and apart from the Toyota Dyna commercial truck, his daily drive between sites was a Toyota Stout.