Freight sector veteran Gerd von Mansberg, former ATC country head, has been described as a “true gentleman” who positively touched the lives of everyone he interacted with during his long business journey.
Von Mansberg died suddenly from a medical condition on December 26, and his son Dieter says the family has been overwhelmed with warm tributes that have poured in from his friends in the industry.
“The support and condolences, the phone calls and messages that have come in since his passing, have shown us the indelible mark he left in people’s lives and how he affected them so deeply. He was respected and loved by everyone because he never had a bad thing to say about anyone and always just wanted you to do and have the best that life has to give,” he said.
A veteran in the freight sector, Gerd started his working life at the Citrus Exchange in 1975 before getting his first freight job with Mainline Carriers in 1979. He was extremely involved in the import and export of perishables for most of his career, and was a shareholder at Perishable Cargo Agents for many years.
He purchased The Cargo Connection from the Reunert group in 1996 before selling the firm to ATC in Europe in 2017. Gerd was the first person to import Kiwi fruit from New Zealand to South Africa and he was also the first to import Persimmons from Israel. He also had his hand on the pulse of what was happening in the retail sector on the African continent as local supermarket chains sought to expand their footprints.
Dieter, who for a period worked with his dad, along with his brother Arne, at The Cargo Connection described the kind of boss he was to his staff.
“There are, in my opinion, two kinds of bosses. The micromanager type, or not. Gerd asked for a job to be done to the best of your ability. The key was that he knew everyone’s ability due to good homework done before interview time,” he said.
“That allowed us to flourish under him and show our own entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving abilities. One just has to look at current careers of ex-employees to fathom his positive leadership style,” he said.
He recalled that Gerd, as a father, had taught him “through his actions, that hard work and a good moral compass are the keys to a successful career and life”.
“I do not have enough pages or ink to explain the massive effect he had on people, his family and myself,” Dieter added.
Owner of Dynalog, Kobus Rossouw, who was a young loadmaster at DHL when he met Gerd in 1998, said he was shocked to hear of his death.
“Not long after we met, I was made an offer to work for him at The Cargo Connection, a GSA that represented various airlines in South Africa. We became more than just work colleagues, Gerd and The Cargo Connection team became my second family,” Rossouw said.
He worked in the business with Gerd for five years.
“Gerd was a legend of his time; he had remarkable relationships with his airlines, and had a strong presence within the airfreight community,” Rossouw said.
“He taught me a lot about the industry. He always treated us as family, never as co-workers. Whenever we had any problems, be it personal or professional, Gerd would always treat the situation as if it were his own,” he said.
He never missed a birthday and always stayed in touch.
“His passing from our industry is sad and will leave a sense of void to most of us that have known him. May he rest in peace, but his memory is sure to live forever,” Rossouw said.
Gerd’s interests outside of work included his “big love” for cars, his family, golf, and 4x4 outings - as well as his involvement with the SA Defence Force’s reserve force.
Former Freight & Trading Weekly (FTW) editor Joy Orlek described Gerd as “one of the industry’s true gentlemen”.
“Journalists at FTW (the predecessor of Freight News) frequently drew on his treasure trove of knowledge, knowing that we could always rely on him to provide insightful comment on all things airfreight, insights gained during a career which spanned many decades,” she said.
“While he retired several years ago, he has certainly left his mark on the industry.”
Gerd is survived by his two sons and his wife of 51 years, Marina.
