:: Company Profiles ::

Moosa's Enterprises is a transportation company currently operating in the heart of Cape Town's newly developed industrial area, namely Montaque Gardens. We operate a fleet of over ninety trucks, thirty semi-trailers, and ten refrigerated trailers.
Over the years we have diversified our service whereby we offer a service in the transportation of full container loads (FCL),
low cargo loads (LCL), refrigerated cargo (fish products, etc.),
and recently acquired the right (by SARS) to transport bonded cargo.
Our premises are immaculate, spotless and well suited and maintained to the professioinal service that is offered...
Our clients are always welcome to visit us for a friendly chat.
Our fleet comprises mostly of the latest machinery and technology offered by house hold names in the industry (Mercedez Benz, Isuzu, Man). Our regular fleet maintenance is handled in-house by our mechanic, or by localized dealers in order to ensure that the chances of a truck breaking down during deliveries is minimized...thus cargo is on time, most of the time.

Due to the fact that most of the refrigerated cargo we transport is exported to Europe and the USA, we have implemented a strict sanitation programme (Designed by the European Bureau of Standards) in order to ensure that the cargo transported is protected in every way. Our vehicles are sanitized weekly using only the best and approved sanitation products on the market.
We have an ongoing refurbishing programme in place, whereby our vehicles are improved according to HACCP controls, thus ensuring that our trucks are always in a reliable and roadworthy condition...our trucks are our advertisment.
At Moosa's Enterprises our clients are assured that their cargo is protected at all times. Our vehicles are fitted with a vehicle satellite tracking device, thus minimizing it's chances of falling prey to the ever increasing truck hijacking.
In addition we have a Goods-in-Transit policy, whereby our clients goods is insured against theft, damage etc.

We employ a staff approximately fifty, who are highly professional and well trained in their field of trade.

I&J..."more than just the heart of a meal"

What started out as a contract for driving ice to their factory at the V & A Waterfront, has mushroomed to a contract of being their nominated transporter to transport their products to al their local factories (Table Bay Harbour, Paarden Eiland, WoodStock, Bellville and Diep River) and cold rooms (Auckland Clod Rooms etc.). In addition we transport their products to various other destinations up the West Coast and all in infamous Garden Route.
We are also responsible for the transportation of their fishmeal and the timeous delivery of their export containers to the Table Bay Harbour. For the past 30 years we have enjoyed prosperous and fruitful relationships, where they have become "more than just the heart of a meal".
Over the past year, we have been nominated transporters of companies such as Pick 'n Pay, National Panasonic, Boardmans, Nasionale Pers, and other major corporations.

We at Moosa's Enterprises firmly belive that the secret to our success is definitely our hands on approach and our accessibility in dealing with our clients. Our attention to detail has ensured that we are a recognized feature on the roads and in the transportation industry. Our personalized services ensures that our customers are able to contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... no job is ever too big or a challenge too difficult for us to handle. We strive to ensure that our service leaves our clients satisfied and eager to utilize our service when the needs arise.

A article that was taken from the Fleetwatch Magazine reads as follows :

A young man, Essop Sulaiman (ES) Moosa lived in District Six and worked a stall on the Grand Parade selling samoosas and fruit. This was in 1970 - four years after the government had declared District Six a white area under the Group Areas Act. Some 60 000 people were in the process of being forcibly removed to the Cape Flats and their homes bulldozed to the ground. ES, like his remaining neighbours, was living on borrowed time.

Having received some money from the government for his demolished home, he had managed to buy a small piece of land. However, he still needed to build a house which he estimated would cost him an additional R12 000. Having been a hard worker and a loyal employee, he approached his boss for help. The answer was not only a refusal to loan him the money but - typical of the times - his boss told him he was becoming far too clever and promptly fired him.

Desperate, he turned to his sister for advice. She helped him out in the best way possible, assisting him to buy a second-hand Bedford and telling him to go find work for it.
After managing to get small jobs for Berry & Donaldson, he approached a company called Commercial Transport which was working in and around District Six and soon started sub-contracting to them as well.

First steady work
Construction of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station brought ES his first relatively steady work. Still subcontracting to Commercial Transport, this had managed to obtain part of the transport tender for Koeberg, his work consisted of collecting machinery at Cape Town airport and delivering it to the construction site, some 50 kilometres away.

His son, Ismail, only five-years old at the time, used to travel with his dad. "We carried big machines for such a little truck," he recalls. "My dad used to tell me that the truck was our only income and that we could not afford to have even one flat tyre. We looked after that truck very well."
Still driving his original truck, ES was then approached by OK Bazaars to transport their fresh produce from the market to certain of their stores. This necessitated him buying his second truck and when OK later asked him to take on more work; he decided to approach some of his friends who had their own vehicles to sub-contract to him.

Each move he made was with consultation and assistance from his sister, who sadly passed away last November. "Through all the years my dad spoke to her about everything. He still misses her every day," says Ismail.
With Koeberg completed and his contract with Commercial Transport at an end, ES next made contact with Pescanova Freight. Working for them, he slowly increased his fleet to five trucks over the next 10 years.

Starting at the Bottom
At 17-years-old, Ismail left school to start work for his father.
It would be a long time, however, before he saw the inside of an office for his father believed in exposing him to
all aspects of the business. He thus started as a labourer.

"I had an extremely long apprenticeship," he recalls with a smile. "I worked on the back of a truck as a labourer for three years, obtained my license and spent the next two years as a driver. My next step was into the office where my father allowed me to answer the phone and handle minor queries."
One of Pescanova's clients was Sea Harvest, for whom ES worked in the harbour transporting imported fishmeal. While loading one day, someone from I&J approached him to ask if he would like to run block-ice for them. There was apparently one route where they were experiencing unacceptable delays. ES's response was that he was quite busy and would prefer to approach them when he felt ready to expand. I&J were having none of it though and insisted that he present himself and his truck the following day for a test run.

Bright and early the next morning, he completed a load from the harbour to Bellville and back - three hours faster than any of I&J's own trucks were averaging. This was the start of a business relationship that has remained solid up to today.

Initially only taking on the more problematic of I&J's routes, the fleet was increased as and when new routes opened up. It was a slow process of growth which I&J discharge foreman, James Baatjies, who has been dealing with Moosa's Enterprises for the past 25 years, recalls well.

"I remember Ismail as a child, driving nights with his dad. They would work for us until about 3.OOam and then go off to do their OK Bazaars work. ES was one man who was not born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He worked hard for that spoon."

Core business
Vehicles got larger and refrigerated vehicles were bought to handle export orders. Drop sides - used to transport wet fish-were replaced by tautliners. Then I&J took a decision to concentrate on its core business - fish - and contract out the transport. While still giving their remaining vehicles priority in terms of work, they indicated their intention to leave the bulk of the transport to Moosa's Enterprises.

"We chose them because what stood out for us was their service," says Baatjies. "If we needed ice for a ship at any time, we knew we could rely on them to get the work done."
By now, Ismail was completely involved in running the company, his father taking more of a back seat. "In 1999, I&J called us in to take everything over, doing all distribution from their cold rooms, depots and factories. We took over about 18 of their existing vehicles with 10~35 trailers and had them refurbished."

They were not just handed the contract on a plate though. As Baatjies explains: "We went out to tender and it was awarded on both price and service. In both respects, Moosa's Enterprises were way ahead."

This enabled the company to move from cramped premises in Paarden Eiland to a custom built Site in Montague Gardens, which is immaculate. The yard is spotless and an overall impression of order, neatness and efficiency pervades throughout.
Even more immaculate is the fleet of 90 trucks and 30 semi-trailers. "They wash and sanitize the entire fleet every week," says Baatjies. "Drivers also spend every spare moment cleaning their vehicles." Painted white, with prominent blue and red sign writing, it is easy to spot a Moosa's vehicle by mere virtue of the fact that it is usually the cleanest one on the road.

Never any discrimination
And what of being a "Black" company in the old South Africa? "Sure we had plenty of problems," recalls Ismail. "We couldn't get transport permits, which is why we had to subcontract. The one thing I must say though is that in our dealings with companies like I&J, there was never any discrimination. In fact, our relationship with I&J is such that we are regarded as part of them, as they are of us. And never - not once in all the years - were we ever treated any differently. They have always involved us in the decisions that could affect us."

Do they see opportunities opening up for them via the general swing towards companies which practice affirmative action? "We have not tried to cash-in on the fact that we are not a white-owned company. We prefer to get our business based on the way we operate."
Most of their business is local with the furthest long-haul route being to Port Elizabeth. Fleet maintenance is handled in-house or through the local dealers. Over the years, the company has purchased mainly Mercedes-Benz trucks although, through their purchase of I&J vehicles, they do have a number of other makes in the fleet. There is an on-going refurbishing programme.

While they place a high value on the caliber of their drivers, apart from their permanent staff, they also make use of contract drivers from labour brokers. While admittedly costing more, Ismail says there are certain advantages for their particular operation.

Although ES is theoretically retired from the business, according to Ismail his father is still very active. “He still has the energy of a 30-year old. He always makes sure that he is on hand if I am out of the office and will think nothing of getting stuck into cleaning vehicles or having the offices painted if he thinks necessary.”