I just spoke to the salesman at autohouse VW in windhoek he has just arrived with 4 brand new caravelle VW busses for namdeb they are not standard all of them are 4x4 have uprated suspension and bigger tyres they also have the standard namdeb yellow light on top as well as the speed limiter!I just sat in one brand new 884km on the clock now why does namdeb need a 4x4 bus to transport its staff around,if they are on holiday?
What does one cost?
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Hi Jeremy ~
Thanks for your message as it is always good to be able to explain to folks, like yourself, how a mining business works.
Before I go on I must say that I don't know anything about the vehicles you have referred to and, thus, my reponse is provided within this context.
Namdeb, as you know, runs a sizeable fleet of, both, earthmoving machines and light vehicles, all of which have finite lives in terms of roadworthiness, serviceability and maintenance costs. As any engineer will testify, every vehicle has an "economic" life. As a result, Namdeb has a constant schedule to replace redundant or obsolete vehicles and machinery. The keyword here, over and above cost, is employee safety. We just cannot afford to transport our employees in vehicles which are anything but totally roadworthy.
The fact that Namdeb is planning a production shutdown period is totally irrelevant as the money for this investment would have been applied for, approved and committed in 2008 - if not before. There is a process involved in applying for such equipment and there is usually a lead time involved, particularly for vehicles with a customised requirement (such as Namdeb's paint specifications, seat-belt configurations and so on and so forth).
The nature of these vehicles suggest to me that there are going to be used at one of our remoter locations, possibly Pocket Beaches (Bogenfels) or the Orange River Mines, hence the suspension design and so on. Our Mine Managers and Engineers don't just sit around with their feet up on a table sommer ordering whatever they fancy!! I have no doubt that they will have been ordered and modified with specific sites in mind.
I would also like to make the point that Namdeb is taking a break in its production activities to save cash, not in order to close down! It would be extremely reckless of management to cancel orders for equipment where the expenditure has already been incurred, or to allow our levels of equipment to deteriorate to the point where they unsafe or inefficient.
Hey Jeremy,you got it all wrong,these vehicles are not for Namdeb employees, they are for all the squatters in town who also have to take leave sometime,maybe its their transport image16 laughpoint :culo1: to the North.
So Adriaan, you seem to know a lot, was the 4x4 donated by Namdeb to the Squatters then???
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The upside down pyramid of Namdeb prevails
Spoke to the rep last night they go for anything between 410 000 - 430 000 a piece!
@Pete I totally understand the need for the 4x4 suspension and the new vehicles now thanks for the explanation.
I wonder if the Gm will let me use one of them to go camping? daman pls sorriso2
Here are a couple pics I took this morning
One more I forgot to add
I would also like to make the point that Namdeb is taking a break in its production activities to save cash, not in order to close down! It would be extremely reckless of management to cancel orders for equipment where the expenditure has already been incurred, or to allow our levels of equipment to deteriorate to the point where they unsafe or inefficient. ( A quote from Pete's Post)
Could this maybe be a good sign......... idontknow........I'm just trying to be positive.
Glad some sanity prevails, thanks for all the info Pete. From having travelled on the road quite often (daily) to Rosh Pinah and a few times on the pockets road, especially when it is wet, it is not funny and very dangerous with thin normal tyres and I am especially grateful for my thick takkie tyres. I agree that health and safety should come first and if Namdrb is transporting staff from Daberas to Sendlingsdrift deposit or to pockets then why not keep them safe and at least a little comfortable. I am sure that money was paid last year already on last years budget. At least from this delivery 4 drivers got money for driving the vehicles, Brukerosh Bush lodge got money for accomodation and food, Oh and to pay the manager Jeremy. So all in alot of people benefitted for 2008 expenditure. So this is great for the economy albeit from 2008!
What is positive is that at least they not ploughing on ahead going for full production when there is a severely dropped demand .. and yes to continue to run means huge operating costs costs and those costs could well mean the difference between using up all operating cash reserves ,, then one would have to close down .. ??
We just took an unpopular decision to hold back wage negotiations for 1 month to see how the year is shaping up ... not a nice thing to do but in the light of current economic situation better be conservative in outlook than making hasty decisions that will hurt one later.. what short memories some people have ...
I totally agree on the benifit to the economy from this little buy! The salesman told me they were only ordered 3 months ago.That takes us to January 2009! He said that if these models prove to be successful there is a posibility of another 14 being bought by Namdeb.The 4x4 Toyota condor has been discuontinued and namdeb now needs a replacement crew transporting 4x4 bus.
I dont want to tread on peoples toes here but to me It seems that these vehicles are a little over specked.For what they are needed for.I think that the money being spent on them should have been used for other more important issues.Like who knows what but there must be something better to spend almost N$1,6 million on.
Master Dixon, hopefully your eyesite is better than your information.
1. The drivers that bought the vehicles down are employed by a company called Etembo Vehicles which is part of the Imperial Group. The jerseys they were wearing had the logos on!
2. Those vehicles have not been bought by Namdeb they have been leased thought the Imperial group scheme, which is saving the company in excess of N$650 000 per month.
3. Safety is paramount to the company and to its employees. We cannot afford to loose an employee or to loose a vehicle. I am sure you remember the trauma you felt when your mom rolled her car driving to OMD and when your dad hit that kid just out side Garies? And the inconveniance to get the vehicles repaired?
4. Namdeb is not buying another 14 nor is it leasing another 14. And even if it was so what it is saving money by not using huge buses to transport 14 workers in a 52 seater bus.
5.Whilst constructive ctritisism is appreciaited, remember trust a car salesman? Never............... He would sell his mother if he could. I am sure your marketing skills could be put to more use than having a dig at Namdeb, after all ever one is trying to be positive and make things work. I am sure if you phoned the right people first and found out the right info before putting it on the forum it might just be better. Just phone 239111 and ask for the Logistics Manager, he will answer all your questions in full. Kind regards Bradley.
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Thanks buddy!
Master Braddley, hopefully your eyesite is better than your information.
1. The drivers that bought the vehicles down are employed by the Imperial Group.However the salesman is employed by VW commercial vehicles non of the imperial staff wore jerseys and upon signing for the vehicles the namdeb drivers each recieved a VW cap.At no stage did any driver wear a Imperial jearsey!!!!!
2. Those vehicles have not been bought by Namdeb they have been leased thought the Imperial group scheme, which is saving the company in excess of N$650 000 per month.Ok I agree this is a good option however maybe they should have lease them from a company who owns atleast a table with two chairs!!
3. Safety is paramount however accidents happen and my parent have absolutely nothing to do with this!
4. According to the salesman they are and if you are replacing the busses replace them with standard road going vehicles not overspecked 4x4 busses.
5.After growing up in Oranjemund I am not having a dig at namdeb I appreciate what they have done for me and my family.You should send me an e-mail explaining what exactly they are going to use these busses for you after all have the use of a coputer and telephone all paid for by NAMDEB.
Kind regards
Jeremy
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Master Dick Son sorry Jeremy Dixon
Has your Coputer lost its spell check?
Use my own computer, my own phone I know the policies and procedures unlike some..... and don't stick my nose in where I don't need to and the company concerned has been checked out more than you know you shouln't believe every thing you hear around the bar in Rosh Pinah, belive me after all unless you know the facts don't repeat the crap. Not every one is as gullible as you are,but you are forgiven but never mind this is what makes life interesting. Any way with friends like Paula who needs anything more :culo1:. Besides which i was reminding you about the safety of cars and small tyres and trauma surrounding accidents not having a dig at your folks. Why oh why are you being so defensive? Feeling slightly guilty?
Regards BRADLEY not BRADDLEY.....
Excuse me...but how old are the 2 of you........????????????
My thought exactly Diana! yellocard
The two of them better watch it, and Bradley, don't bring me into your cat fight! image14
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Now now children...........
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Just waiting for Paula's long arm to reach out and slap the back of some heads.
I do not slap children Clive!
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Jeremy, you will see Paula gets the last word. iknow
I always stumble upon these spats ... and yes have got caught up in a couple ...actually make interesting reading ... cat3
Want to dance Sandy..... cat3
3d smiles(281) bighug to everyone, even the naughty children!!
Now lets dance rather.... cat3 cat3 pole-small weeeeeeeee!!!!!
oh, my gosh, I nearly put my back out!!!
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Well just after a year down the line low and behold one of the new vehicles is sitting as Diesel Electric in Rosh Pinah, not sure what is problem is but I also noticed a large amount of rust on the front bonnet lid.
If only everyone looked after their companies assets so well.
So who do you work for Jeremy..?????
Have you ever tried taking a 52 seater bus through sand? It don't go there so grand...!!!
Namdeb does not allow people to be tansported on site inthe back of an open vehicle. Even canopies have proven to fail the roll-over test jeopardising passenger safety. Thus we utilise 4x4 minibusses VW or whoever else's to get our people to the job. Remember the mine is in the desert, so there's sand a plenty.
We still have a Toyota Condor at our workshop for taking our folk to site, and most of our work involves off road in loose sandy conditions. When that "bus" dies / expires it will need to be replaced... by a Porsche Cayenne... (we wish).
I say the mine should either bring back them there tanks or the camels....
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Mmm see this bone still being gnawed at , the common sense part of transport overrides . and the best for the job ... wear and tear inevitable ,, We have the same stuff bubbling to the surface when we buy a new high speed bagmaker even when times are tight , fact is it runs reliably at 3-4 times the speed of some of the skedonks we have in the factory , in effect printing money as it produces -- compared to the skedonks which loses money when producing a keenly priced fiinished product ,