Dedicated runners strapped on their running shoes and took to the forest for the Knysna Full and Half Marathons, Daryl Impey delighted locals by becoming the first African cyclist to wear the prestigious yellow jersey at the Tour De France (during its centenary year no less), Andy Murray broke the Wimbledon Men’s Single Title drought for Britain and Vodacom Super Rugby had its share of thrills and spills.

The Tracker Heroes have been hard at work here at Tracker, too. The Tracker CSI team and a group of Tracker volunteers partnered with the Imbumba Foundation on a Sanitary Towel Drive and the team made the long drive to Tzaneen in Limpopo to hand over much-needed sanitary towels to more than 100 pupils at Mmalahla Higher Primary School. This drive was as much about lending a helping hand as it was about helping teenage girls reclaim their dignity.

Tracker volunteers also made significant donations towards the Rally to Read campaign in Malelana, Mpumalanga. Rally to Read aims to reach the most remote rural schools in all nine provinces and address their most basic need – educational resources. The Tracker team delivered books to two schools, where they were greeted by excited and grateful students who were eager to show off their reading schools to the impressed team members.

The Tracker/SAPS Bursary Programme has long been a proud investment for us at Tracker, and a way to say thank you to those brave men and women of the SAPS who give their lives to defend this country. We’d like to congratulate the following Bursary graduates; Siphesihle Mathibela who completed her Honours in Film Production from AFDA Johannesburg, Renee Els who studied B-Ed at North – West University, Bongeka Nxele who now holds a Bachelor Degree in LLB from the University of Zululand, Neliswa Khanyile for completing her Diploma in Travel and Tourism from Durban University of Technology, Dimakatso Maswanganyi for obtaining a diploma in Travel and Tourism from Damelin College, Senzo Khumalo for completing his Diploma in Industrial Engineering from Durban University of Technology and lastly, Banyana Kokota who completed her Honours in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Monash University. They’ve certainly done us proud!

July sees us celebrating all things French (we’re thinking champagne, cheese, macaroons and sexy accents) for Bastille Day on the 14^th. We’d also like to take this opportunity to wish our Muslim clients a Blessed Ramadan.

Without doubt the most important date this month is Mandela Day. With the nation holding its breath and watching anxiously for news on our beloved Madiba, we urge everyone to pledge their support for Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18. We’d also like to send our prayers and best wishes to this great man who made a nation … he will always be our Hero.

We’re asking everyone to step up and help make this Mandela Day a special one for the children of Mohau Centre of Hope for Children in Atteredgville (West of Pretoria). Their urgent wish-list includes Vaseline, bath soap, shampoo, roll-on deodorant for girls and boys, black shoe polish, tinned fish, tinned tuna, tinned beef and tomato and onion mix, along with other food and cleaning materials.

For us at Tracker, June is a special month. With events like World Environment Day (June 5), World Blood Donor Day (June 14) and Youth Day (June 16) taking place, it seems that June is all about taking back tomorrow.

Ensuring we leave the legacy of a healthy planet is vital, so finding eco-friendly driving solutions is important. Visit our website for hints and tips on doing your bit to save the planet, or sign up for Tracker-supported initiatives like Living Water and Africa Food For Thought.

June Youth Development month and Youth Day is a holiday that is particularly close to our hearts. For us, celebrating the youth of today means we celebrate the future tomorrow, and to the youngsters who carry this country’s dreams on their shoulders, we salute you. June 16 is also Father’s Day, so make sure you say thanks to the father-figure in your life.

The second leg of the Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge takes place at Van Gaalen’s Cheese Farm on June 30. Teams will be taking on the fast yet challenging 45km track before enjoying an afternoon of fun and luxury with the family. A short 15km race and a children’s challenge is also on offer, along with great lucky draw prizes!

Before you jump on your bike though, make sure you’re a safe cyclist. Inspect your bike for road-worthiness and check your tyres and brakes. Stay alert and be aware of other vehicles on the road – wearing a headset makes it difficult to hear traffic and audible warnings. Be predictable, signal your moves, hold your line and avoid swerving or riding in the middle of the road. Being in control means having at least one hand on the handlebars at all times. Wear neon or reflective clothing and make sure your bike has a light and reflectors if you are riding at night. Your bicycle helmet can save your life, so make sure it fits correctly and replace it if it has been subjected to any kind of hard impact.

June’s a busy month, so let’s get ready to enjoy it!

Sunday June 30 will see competitors taking to the fast flowing dingle tracks and open roads of Van Gaalen’s Cheese Farm, a popular MTB spot guaranteed to provide technical challenges while testing speed and endurance. Teams of four will face a fast 45km course, starting at 9am.Only 60 teams (240 riders) will be given a spot. Entry costs R3500 all inclusive per team of four and includes goodie bags, buffet lunch for you and your immediate family, complimentary beer, wine, bubbly and soft drinks, a complimentary bike wash from Bridgestone and loads of lucky draw prizes including a Trek bike.

A short 15km race at 9:15 am is open to anyone not on a team but keen to enjoy some bike time and a 3km kiddies assisted ride for cyclists under 12 starts at 9:30am. The Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge is a fun-filled day out with the family, some mountain biking to get your pulse racing and Platinum style spoils afterwards … trust us, you don’t want to miss out! For more information please visit www.leveragecorporation.co.za.

Firstly, we’d like to thank all the teams who joined us on Sunday March 24 for the inaugural Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge Series (watch highlights of the race http://youtu.be/Jnqj-FVPRH4), presented by The Leverage Corporation. Held at the luxurious Kloofzicht Lodge in Muldersdrift, it was the first of the races in the three-part series. Riders were treated to Platinum Style riding, luxurious facilities and spoils after the ride. Congratulations to the Europcar SA Team who took overall honours in the men’s and mixed categories. We look forward to seeing you at the 2nd race on 30 June at Van Gaalen Cheese Farm.

May 12 is Mother’s Day and we salute all the moms out there. If you have the time, why not take a leaf out of Lynne Cumings book? Last year this big-hearted Capetonian donated 150 cakes to an old age home in memory of her own late mother. This year, she’s been challenged to provide 800 cakes to old age homes in the area. You can help her by contacting her at lbj@mweb.co.za or 082 686 8324. Read the full story at http://www.facebook.com/leadsa/posts/548045988581584.

May 15 is the first day of Shavu’ot and we wish all our Jewish friends Chag Sameach. According to the list of UN Observances, May 3 is World Press Freedom Day, an important day to remember in this day and age, particularly considering our own notorious Secrecy Bill waiting in the wings.

For petrol heads and those involved in the automotive industry, May 8 to 11 sees Automechanika Johannesburg taking place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. Targeting trade visitors from Sub-Saharan Africa, exhibitors from across the globe will be displaying products from automotive parts and car washes to workshop equipment, IT products and accessories.  For more information or to register as a visitor, visit http://www.automechanikasa.co.za.

On that note, we hope you have a great month and don’t forget to keep visiting www.tracker.co.za for news, updates and new products from Tracker.

It’s up to you to save the earth. How, you ask? By helping to bring about the changes that will protect this little green planet we call home. Join more than one billion people in over 192 countries who are celebrating Earth Day today, and pledge to make a difference.

Being aware of your carbon footprint (check out Tracker’s Green Initiatives at tracker.co.za to learn about Ecodrive and get some handy green driving tips) is a great place to start protecting your environment. Help take back tomorrow and ensure a sustainable future by pledging to recycle – everything from paper and plastic to that old printer you need to replace can be safely and responsibly recycled if you do a little research (visit yesrecycling.co.za and treevolution.co.za for more information).

Don’t forget to dispose of your old energy efficient light bulbs and lithium batteries in the specially marked boxes at your local Woolworths store. Log on to earthday.org to learn more about the way climate change is affecting the earth and to find more ways of making a difference. We’ll say it again. It’s up to you to save the earth. (Oh, and check out today’s Google Doodle, it’s a goodie!)

2013 is racing along, particularly here at Tracker and we’ve a lot to look forward to this month. On April 25^th we’ll be having our Men in the Making Day. This year, Tracker and the SABC in partnership with Metro FM will host 60 boys from the Magaliesburg State School. 90 returning corporates and government departments and 40 new participants will be hosting boys from disadvantaged communities across the country as we strive to ignite the dreams of these young boys who will one day be the future of South Africa. Providing inspiration, mentorship and a meaningful, long-lasting relationship is what Men in the Making is all about, and we can’t wait for this year’s special day to kick off our 2013 programme.

On the business side we have several new partnerships in the pipeline and, as always, we’re working hard to provide even more innovative products. We may be the leader in stolen vehicle recovery in South Africa, but thanks to our telematics and tracking technology, we’ve got so much more to offer. Keep your eye out for products designed to help and assist you in times of trouble, smart ways to reduce your insurance premiums and more.

With all this activity taking place, we’re looking forward to Freedom Day on April 27. This is one of our favourite holidays at Tracker as we celebrate the first democratic election held in our country in 1994. We also love Workers’ Day on May 1 because yes, we’re workers too, and because it celebrates the trade unions, the Communist Party and other labour movements that struggled against apartheid. Traditionally May Day signified the industrial sector’s struggle to win an eight-hour day, and we think that’s worth celebrating!

Fleet owners and commercial vehicle transport companies can use the Link 510 to report fuel consumption, over-revving and fuel levels by utilising a truck’s standard Fleet Management System (FMS) interface. This allows detection of fuel drops and refills and triggers automatic notifications to help managers detect incidences of fuel theft, which has become a growing concern for businesses across the world.

Tracker Business, the sole distributor of TomTom Business in Southern Africa, offers fleet management technology to help manage the risk of scarce resources such as fuel, human capital, time and money more effectively.

“The latest LINK device, developed by our partners, TomTom Business Solutions, highlights our commitment to constant innovation, providing easily implemented products which offer a significant boost to businesses’ bottom line. We provide solutions to help fleet owners Track their drivers and their vehicles, Control their expenses and maximise their profits,” says Michael Van Wyngaardt, Tracker Business Director.

He further said, “The soaring cost of fuel has made it the number one concern for many fleet operators and the LINK 510 builds on Tracker Business and TomTom’s existing product portfolio to give fleet operators even greater power to improve efficiency, monitor driver behaviour and deliver cost savings. We believe that every company that uses vehicles for business will become more profitable by putting the LINK 510 at the heart of their vehicles.”

The slimline device can be quickly installed into any vehicle and works alongside Tracker Business and TomTom’s online fleet management system WEBFLEET® to provide detailed reports on all aspects of vehicle utilization and driver behaviour and has a proven track record in delivering businesses significant efficiency gains and increased billable time of their mobile workforce. Used with a PRO navigation device* it also offers job dispatch, ETA communication and working time management functionality.

Custom features to enhance security and remote vehicle monitoring are made available through integration with the digital inputs and output of the LINK 510.“Tracker Business is proud to partner with TomTom to bring the best and most efficient solutions to our customers,” concludes Van Wyngaardt.

“Our tracking expertise, telematics technology and location-based services proved invaluable last year as we kept track of top cyclists and celebrities. Thanks to our tracking technology, we were also able to assist with the speedy dispatch of emergency services directly to a specific location, meaning helps gets exactly where it needs to go in the shortest time possible,” says Bronwynn Tippett, Marketing Manager and spokesperson for Tracker.

The Tracker technology tracks and monitors the vehicles that are on the course, and lets the people managing the emergency services know where their emergency response vehicles are and the quickest route so they know whom to send to what incident when. Tracker uses its Execufleet product in order to manage both the vehicle operations and joint operations.

Not only will Tracker be present using their technology in the Joint Operations Centre but they will also be assisting to provide TV maps for viewers to follow lead cyclists and celebrities on the route – including Sir Richard Branson and Helen Zille. The media centre will rely on their maps to follow celebrities for interviews & photographs so that the radio, print and digital media can keep South Africans up to date. In essence, Tracker has the Argus covered. To follow online you can access the Tracker and mapIT maps on the Argus website, or Tracker.co.za, or on http://cycletour.mapit.co.za/.

Tracker considers the safety of the cyclists participating in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour to be imperative. “This race is an incredibly challenging one, covering an impressive distance over equally impressive terrain. We don’t want the participants to have to worry about their safety, or about what will happen if they get injured and it’s a long wait until help comes. We are proud to be able to offer our expertise and technology to help make the tour safer for everyone,” adds Tippett.

Since Tracker’s inception in South Africa in 1996, the company has recovered 60 221 stolen and hijacked vehicles. This has resulted in over 11 122 arrests – the most, on either score, of any vehicle tracking company on the continent.

Tracker endeavours to ‘Take Back Tomorrow’ for all South Africans, and as the leading tracking company in South Africa, Tracker considers it vital to conduct ourselves with the utmost honour and reliability.
“Our five values of Connectedness, Integrity, Agility, Responsibility and Service Excellence provide the foundation for all our business activities, and it is a culture which all Tracker staff embrace. This year, as we did last year, we will take on the responsibility of helping to keep cyclists in the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour connected and safe,” concludes Tippett.
Ends
For more information about Tracker, please visit www.tracker.co.za, or call our Head Office at 0860 60 50 40.

For further information, please contact Hema Ghela on 011 480 4012, or hema.g@arcaybm.com

March 21 is Human Rights Day, a particularly important day in South African history. Today, we use it to commemorate the launch of the South African Human Rights Commission, whose aim is to promote respect for and understanding of human rights, promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights for all, and to monitor and assess the observance of human rights in SA.

With basic human rights in mind, our commitment to our CSI initiatives continues and on March 7, the CSI team in partnership with the Imbumba Foundation will be sending several volunteers to Mmalahla Higher Primary School in Limpopo, about 40kms outside of Tzaneen. The team will be distributing sanitary towels to 100 girls in need of assistance – a very basic need that can make a very big difference in the life of a young woman.

It’s a good month for cricket fans as SA takes on Pakistan in a series of T20 and ODI matches throughout March. Go Proteas! On another sporting note, Tracker is proud to once again be involved with the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour on March 10, using our experience and technology to track top cyclists and celebrities whilst also aiding emergency services on the day.

We’re also really excited to announce the first of the three series Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge Series, to be held at Kloofzicht on March 24. Teams of four – men’s, ladies and mixed, will take on a 40 to 45km race route starting at 8am. The entry fee of R3 500 per team includes race entry, excellent goodie bags, lunch and entertainment for the whole family. There’s also a Mini Corporate Challenge and Kiddies Corporate Mountain Bike challenge for the younger riders. To enter online go to http://cycleevents.co.za/the-tracker-corporate-mtb-challenge-series-2013-event-1/

March also heralds the Autumnal Equinox, International Women’s Day on March 8, World Kidney Day on March 14 and, of course, the day when everybody is Irish, dyes their hair green, drinks Guinness and talks with a funny accent – St Patrick’s Day on March 17.  Enjoy the long weekend at the end of the month and celebrate Good Friday on 29 March, followed by Easter Sunday on March 31.

During March we’d like to wish all of our customers, clients and partners who celebrate Easter, Pesach and Holika Dahan a Happy Easter, Chag Pesach Sameach and Happy Holi.

By exposing them to business and thought leaders, positive role models and mentors, we hope to help them achieve these dreams. With 78 corporate partners already committed to opening their businesses and their hearts to these boys, we’re hoping to encourage new partners to join us in an on-going process to rebuild the confidence and guide the development of each of the lives we touch. Should you wish to be part of this project  please go to www.tracker.co.za and click on Corporate Social Investment in the navigation.

With World Cancer Day being held on February 4, it’s also a time for reflection and support. With this in mind, Tracker is encouraging all their staff members to participate in the Tracker CANSA Shavathon on February 28. We’re appealing to everyone to help raise funds for cancer services in our communities by shaving or spraying their hair, and to celebrate 10 years of support for, and solidarity with, cancer survivors.

The proceeds will be donated to CANSA, which is a community-driven and volunteer-based organisation that has been fighting cancer and helping to save lives for the past 80 years. Started in 1931 by a group of medical professionals concerned about the high incidence of cancer, CANSA has grown to become one of the leading cancer NGOs in the country with 74 offices around the country and more than 14 000 volunteers and 353 staff members.

On a lighter note, February 2 was Groundhog Day so any feelings of déjà vu can be easily explained away. Sadly, February 3 1959 is the Day the Music Died when talented musicians and icons of their time, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, died in a plane crash. For those with a yen to compete, get wet and sunburnt and paddle ‘til their arms fall off, the Dusi Canoe Marathon takes place from February 14 – 16. For the less-adventurous at heart there’s plenty of sport to catch on the TV. February 10 sees Nigeria taking on Burkina Faso in the AFCON final, and without our national side to shout for, there’s sadly no BaGhana BaGhana to cheer for either so pick your side for this battle of the titans. February 14 and 22 are big days for cricket fans as South Africa faces Pakistan.

For the dogs and dog-lovers out there, make sure you have a special treat on hand for February 23 as it its Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day, and who better to appreciate a dog biscuit than your faithful hound?

If history is your thing, or if you just enjoy living in a free and fair democracy, then sit back and think for a moment on the fact that on February 2 1990, F.W. de Klerk lifted the 30 year ban on the African National Congress. Nine days later, on February 11, Nelson Mandela was released from prison and the seeds of our rainbow nation were sewn.
We said that for a little month February packed a punch … and we weren’t kidding!