Transport industry stalwart, Kevin Martin, who passed away last Friday evening at the age of 64, will be remembered for his devil-may-care commitment when it came to fighting for freight efficiencies, whether for his own company or for the industry
.A born-and-bred Durbanite, he founded Freightliner Transport some 24 years ago. His partner for 25 years, Sharon Jameson, said he had taken a brief break to join two of his older brothers, both renowned auctioneers, but returned to the industry he once told FTW “was in his blood”.
The youngest of five boys, Martin never liked taking orders from others and decided to seek his own fortune, subsequently starting Freightliner with two other partners.Operations director Hussain Bux, who has worked for Freightliner for 22 years, described Martin as “hell on wheels.“But he was also very fair.
“He didn’t take shortcuts when it came to business and did everything by the book. It was black or white – and when it came to the way we treated clients, he made sure that we did the best we could.” A keen bowls player who loved nothing more than spending good time with his mates, Martin would often donate his prizes back to charity, Bux said.
“He was good to his staff and when we needed extra money, he never hesitated to help.”Naturally taken to muck-raking, especially when it came to rocking the boat of officialdom, Martin loved talking to journalists who frequently battled to get him off the line.“He sometimes would spend so much time on the phone talking to a reporter,” Jameson said,
“I thought they had a recording on the other end saying, ‘yes, yes, mmm, I ag ree’.”Once he took an entire day off to motor around Durban’s harbour precinct area, making sure FTW formulated a firm idea of issues compromising port-to-road efficiencies.One such matter, the potential privatisation of a bypass route that has servitude obligations to the entire project cargo sector, has since been kept open. Had it not been for Martin’s involvement with the story, and Jameson’s Renault which he borrowed to drive FTW around rough terrain despite her car not being a 4X4, the bypass issue could have gone the other way – with severe implications for the carriage of abnormal freight.Martin also worked tirelessly against the Department of Transport’s restriction against high cube containers.
The intended ban, which in essence will result in the containers being taken off South African roads, catapulted Martin into high-level deliberations which, towards the end of last year, included a closed-door session with President Cyril Ramaphosa and transport minister Fikile Mbalula.It was one of the few times that Martin, known for his colourful expressions, probably couldn’t apply straight-talking tactics, referring to officials in ways that are best left unsaid.A former chairman of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders and past president of the Harbour Carriers' Association, Martin had a serious aneurism the Friday before he passed away.Although there was hope for recovery after he was admitted to hospital, he never regained consciousness.Jameson was by his side when he died last Friday evening.“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief and support ever since he died,” she said. “I never knew he was so loved.”