As we dust off the last of the World Cup mayhem from our coats and take a few minutes to reflect on the highs and lows of hosting such a tremendous tournament, Hertz celebrate the many accomplishments as a country, a company and as individuals. It’s been one hell of a ride, but we’ve come out the other end more knowledgeable, more motivated and above all, more proudly South African.
The entire country may have quietened down, the fans have all left and the stadia are deserted. The constant drone of vuvuzelas may be a distant memory (or nightmare, depending on your personal standings) but there are many positives to take away from the World Cup Mania. South Africa remains one of the most exciting countries to visit; our tourism and hospitality sectors have certainly got a thorough boost and overhaul over the last few months and the general attitude of the nation has changed. There’s a quiet air of confidence, a positivity that can’t really be captured in words and a feeling of unity that hasn’t been around for many years. South Africa – much like Hertz – has a rich history and a vitality that begs for some exploring.
It’s natural following any major event to do a little unpacking. Think of it as a spring clean (only in winter) – a time to take stock of business; look ahead at what’s coming and take our learnings from the past few months and proactively make allowances for the next big thing....whatever that may be.
During the manic follow up to the World Cup, we certainly weren’t dusting off our vuvuzelas and dry-cleaning our soccer kit. Hertz opened three new branches at Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International in Durban and Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg. This increased national footprint certainly helped out during June and July, and we’re looking forward to keeping up the momentum as we look ahead to summer time travel and repeat visits from our international guests. All the time spent indoors in front of the TV watching football can be offset with some local outdoor adventures! We’re pitting small town travel as the next big thing – so get out there and experience the true South African flavours of towns like Clarens, Ficksburg and Dullstroom. Don’t forget this year’s hottest adventure accessory – a much needed Garmin GPS to navigate small town roads and big town highways. Hertz offers this service as an add-on to your car rental at both Cape Town International and OR Tambo airports, so make sure you request one before you kick off your local travels. It’s an inexpensive rental option that could save you time, money and loads of frustration.
If you travel for business and not leisure, you are no doubt pleased that corporate travel seems to be back into the swing of things. No more crazed football fans scooping that last red eye ticket to Cape Town and no more tour buses jamming the fast lane while you’re trying to get to that all-important meeting.
So here’s to hoping your local travel journeys – whether for business or leisure - will be great experiences. It’s never just been about a simple trip from A to B as far as we’re concerned. Trips are about long lines, road-rage and tollbooths. A journey is about endless possibilities. Trips are about getting from here to there...a journey is about you – where you’re going and why you’re going there. And in the end, trips are about transportation - while a journey is about feeling transported. We aim to get you going so you can feel free. Experience life. And when you’re all done, return your Hertz keys fulfilled.
Hertz Car Rental is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies, enjoying nearly 100 years of heritage, excellence and innovation. Through constant customer service development and a desire to remain at the forefront of the car rental industry, Hertz remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences with each car rental. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. At Hertz, every transaction is treated as a journey of endless possibilities, with customer satisfaction remaining a key end result. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
Making use of a car rental service is often a lengthy, complicated process. More often that not, customers do not understand the various options available to them, the standard rules and regulations, or the applicable surcharges. Hertz gives you a thorough breakdown of what all the rental terms and processes are.
24 Hour Billing Period
Daily charges for car rental starts from the time the vehicle is rented. This means that should you wish to rent a vehicle from 9h00 on a Monday morning and return it on Wednesday at 12h30, that the total rental period equals three days, and not two, as many people perceive it to be
Who can rent a vehicle?
Anyone who is 23 years and older can rent a vehicle. This only applies to those who have held their drivers licence for at least 2 years. There is a surcharge levied for those under the stipulated age. However, the person who reserved the vehicle as the main driver, needs to sign the rental agreement and pay with their own credit card.
What payment options are there?
Payment must be made by means of a credit card, whether personal or company card. Hertz will keep a deposit which may be offset should the vehicle be lost or damaged. If the vehicle is returned without damage, the credit card will be refunded, less the invoiced amount.
Overdue Rentals
If you miss the return date for the vehicle, it automatically becomes listed as ‘overdue’. This potentially puts you at risk, as any waiver covering the vehicle becomes null and void. Should theft occur, or the vehicle be involved in an accident, you will be liable for all damages. Call central reservations or the termination branch and request an extension but you will need to adhere to the necessary requirements.
Additional Drivers
If an ‘undesignated’ driver makes use of your rental vehicle, the waiver covering theft or damage immediately becomes null and void. Should you wish to have additional drivers listed to drive the rental vehicle, you will need to pay an ‘additional drivers fee’. However, the person who reserved the vehicle as the main driver, needs to sign the rental agreement and pay with their own credit card.
Drivers Licence
It is standard law and practice for drivers to carry their drivers licence with them at all times that they are behind the wheel. Due to the risks that car rental operators are faced with, you will be required to present their drivers licence upon renting a vehicle.
Fuel:
Your rental vehicle is provided with a full tank. You have the option, on returning the vehicle, to fill the tank or to return it and Hertz will fill it. The fuel charges will be reflected on your invoice.
GPS navigation unit rentals:
These are available for rent at Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport at a daily charge.
Waivers
When renting a vehicle from a car rental company, it is vital to return the vehicle in the state in which you received it. As car rental companies are self-insured, should there be significant loss or damage to the vehicle, you are held responsible for the expenses of the damage.
This is why waivers were introduced. Waivers are not a form of insurance, but rather a form of ‘cover’ which protects you from incurring huge expenses should damage occur to the vehicle. These waivers are only effective if accepted and signed for, and essentially reduces your responsibility of expenses incurred as a result of theft or damage. If there is damage, an excess is payable.
It is important to note the waiver agreement in terms of windscreen replacement. The fees associated with this are similar across all car rental companies. If the replacement cost of the windscreen is less than the excess applicable in the waiver agreement, then the customer will be liable for the full replacement fee of the windscreen, should damage occur. This prevents you from paying a full excess if the replacement fee is less. Happy renting!
Hertz Car Rental is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies, enjoying nearly 100 years of heritage, excellence and innovation. Through constant customer service development and a desire to remain at the forefront of the car rental industry, Hertz remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences with each car rental. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travellers alike. At Hertz, every transaction is treated as a journey of endless possibilities, with customer satisfaction remaining a key end result. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
With the FIFA 2010 World Cup in full swing, Hertz Car Rental has pulled out all the stops to guarantee good service, friendly staff, a simplified and convenient booking system (HILTS) and a great selection of rental cars. 24/7.
For the duration of the World Cup, extra staff have been trained to perfection. Around the country branches are offering rates and extras for travellers to South Africa, including free brochures, road atlas, pamphlets with emergency details, cards with safety tips, as well as offering a chauffeur service. Each and every guest walking through the doors of any Hertz branch will receive a warm, special welcome.
Hertz are especially proud of their new state of the art branches at King Shaka Airport in Durban and Cape Town International Airport. Both these branches are ready for the influx of guests, and geared up to ensure that this will be an experience never to be forgotten.
Hertz Car Rental is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies, enjoying nearly 100 years of heritage, excellence and innovation. Through constant customer service development and a desire to remain at the forefront of the car rental industry, Hertz remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences with each car rental. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travellers alike. At Hertz, every transaction is treated as a journey of endless possibilities, with customer satisfaction remaining a key end result. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za
Leading car rental company Hertz Car Hire have achieved their level 3 BEE status – rising rapidly from a level 6 to a level 3 in the past two years.
Fezi Vuso, Transformation Executive and Marketing Manager of Hertz says, “This rapid transformation is due to a number of factors that included learnerships for members of staff and external candidates living with disabilities, a graduate scheme programme and more and more emphasis that was put on skilling the members of the workforce. Procurement from compliant companies has also had a positive effect.”
Fezi is understandably proud as he continued, “Successes were achieved in enterprise developing entities that would not have made it, had it not been for Hertz’s commitment to the vision. Our involvement in corporate social investment is well above required quotas.
The innovative Steinhoff BEE scheme has also turned employees to shareholders,” Fezi said about the involvement of Hertz’s holding company, Steinhoff.
This is how it was done
Hertz ensured that they take their Corporate Social Responsibility programme to the next level, by getting involved in various projects and initiatives that require something from the “self” or the “I”. This includes involvement in:
Hertz got actively involved in the recent Angels Walk initiative, which saw Angel’s Haven founder and chairperson, Debbie Taylor, along with co-walker Samantha Beale, walking from Cape Town to Johannesburg in order to raise funds and awareness for abused woman and children. Hertz provided a kombi to ‘shadow’ the pair - sometimes literally, by providing a place to put their feet up in some welcome shade - as they made their blistering journey across country.
Hertz also wholeheartedly support the Reach for a Dream’s ‘Captain Courage’ initiative. This programme sees groups of little boys with life-threatening illnesses taking part in fun events designed to build their confidence and unleash their own ‘inner hero’. Some of the past events have included the young lads visiting police and fire stations, being whizzed around Kyalami Racetrack by professional drivers and willingly ‘getting lost’ in the hay-bale ‘Maize Maze’ labyrinth in Ruimsig.
Wings and Wishes is a Port Elizabeth-based charity, which started as a bright idea in the mind of Tracy Potgieter, an employee from Coca-Cola Sabco (Pty) Ltd, who responded to a staff-challenge issued by management to come up with an innovative internal CSR initiative. The programme involves the donation of accumulated frequent flyer miles to assist in transporting critically ill children across the country to hospitals for urgent treatment, with Hertz providing the transport for these children from the airport to the hospital where they will be treated. Between Hertz and the parties participating, hundreds of children have been able to get the vital treatment they need, when they need it, while at the same time relieving the massive financial and emotional burden from the shoulders of their families.
In 2009, Hertz also introduced an exciting and dynamic internal learnership programme. The aim of this was to upskill and educate staff, while opening up employment doors. Candidates were introduced to a number of focus areas, including Contact Centre Training and Business Administration. Numerous employees got involved in the programme, with the numbers growing as successes start rolling in. Each candidate was allocated a Coach, assisting learners to cultivate their gifts and talents, maximize their strengths and inspire towards their areas of greatness. A mentor was also available, overseeing their growth and development throughout the process.
What does BEE level 3 mean?
There are two types of BEE Scorecards - a QSE Scorecard and a Generic Scorecard. The Scorecards provide the seven elements against which a company will be scored and give the targets and the associated points available. Companies can then consider the elements and attempt to score points in each of the seven elements. The Scorecard is simply a framework against which businesses can score points in order to secure a BEE Certificate. A BEE Certificate can then be used by your customers to claim BEE spend when they procure goods and services from your business. The better level of BEE Certificate you have, the more BEE points they can claim. When your customers are choosing which supplier to use, they are likely to look at price, quality and service and your BEE Score. For more information, visit www.bee.co.za.
A Level 3 BEE Status translates into 110% procurement recognition if a company has more than 50% black ownership. It comes as no surprise that Hertz is understandably proud of this achievement, showing that they are a responsible and caring company, dedicated to comply with BEE requirements.
This Level 3 BEE status sets Hertz apart as a preferred employer, supplier and friend.
Hertz Rent a Car is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies and celebrated their 90th birthday in 2008. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
Hertz has a rich history. We’ve stood the test of time by constantly evolving. However, we’ve never forgotten who we are. We’re bold. We’re confident. We’re sure of who we are and are always excited about where our customers are heading.
It’s never been just about a trip from A to B as far as we’re concerned.Trips are about long lines, road-rage and tollbooths. A journey is about endless possibilities. Trips are about getting from here to there whereas a journey is about you – where you’re going and why you’re going there. And in the end, trips are about transportation, while a journey is about feeling transported. We aim to get you going so you can feel free, experience life…. And when you’re all done, return your keys to us feeling fulfilled.
You are through to the Hertz Call Centre, and this is by no coincidence or chance, as this is the home of the largest car rental company in the world. You will hear our name in over 144 countries (in over 144 accents), and to make things more convenient for any globetrotter or corporate identity, we have branches at all major airports and city locations. We stand out in the crowd, and are proud to be your chosen car rental agent. We promise to make your experience with Hertz an unforgettable one and whether you’re calling for business or leisure, we trust you’ll love our service and you’ll love our people. To put it simply, you’ll love Hertz.
Please hold for just a tad longer while we allocate your call to one of our friendly, efficient and well-mannered call centre operators. You won’t be sorry.
While you are waiting, let’s switch off the sleep-inducing “elevator” music and entertain you with our exclusive additional service lines, which are sure to be music to your ears.
Asking for directions (or failing to do so) can be an irritation – we’ve all been there, done that and got horribly lost in the process. The next time you rent one of our cars, why not consider the option of complementing that rental with a Garmin GPS available at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports? This ingenious, talkative device plugs into a vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket and is operated through a user-friendly touch-screen mechanism. Simply key in your destination and let the Garmin GPS guide you there, gently persuading and coaxing you as you meander along. It’s an inexpensive rental option that could save you time, money and loads of frustration.
Do you have constant dreams of being treated like royalty? Dream no more, because the Hertz Chauffeur Drive service is tailor-made for you. Your chauffeur will meet you at your rendezvous point 10 minutes ahead of time to assist with your baggage and drive you to and from your destination. This service is available to business and leisure travellers in and around Jozi, Cape Town and Durban. Next thing, you’ll be in Hollywood!
Are you still waiting? We apologise and look forward to taking your call. Thanks for your patience – we’ll make it worth your while.
While we have you on the line, how about joining our Hertz #1 Club? Membership is free and brings you countless benefits that are sure to save you time and money. You’ll enjoy club membership discounts and special offers. Sign up on www.hertz.co.za or ask for details at any Hertz branch nationwide.
Need a ride? Book a Hertz Transfer by calling (08000 32789) available in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Hertz Transfer will send a driver to your desired pick-up point and transfer you to your meeting, or any other destination you desire. Hertz Transfer rates vary depending on the vehicle group you choose. Pre-booking for this service is essential as we want to ensure that we meet and understand your requirements fully. Visit www.hertz.co.za for more information.
Thanks for you patience, an operator is looking forward to taking your call as soon as they’re free.
Fifty-five years and older, we have good news for you. We will reward you with discounts of up to 15% on your Hertz rental. Enquiries are made exclusively through our call centre agents. Just quote your ID number and sit back and enjoy this fantastic benefit on all your leisure rentals. This offer is valid any day of the week, but booking in advance is essential.
At Hertz, we invest in our people. Our staff receive on-going training and new staff go through an intensive induction programme to provide them with the necessary skills to ensure your rental experience with us is a pleasant one. We will do everything in our power to stay true to our commitment and promises to you, ensuring that you can’t help but love everything about Hertz, from our staff to our cars.
Have you heard the news? Our top-of-the-range HILTS system has been launched, offering you ease of booking and unparalleled efficiency. The new system offers up-to-the-second live data for all locations and includes an online rental system to create and edit your reservations. You will now be able to access your profile and reservation schedules securely and directly from any connected PC worldwide. This will allow you to make confirmed bookings online, reflecting real time vehicle availability. We just can’t help ourselves – your comfort is our priority.
Hertz has recently moved their offices from the old Durban International Airport to the brand new state-of-the-art King Shaka International airport in La Mercy.
When Hertz moved into their new offices in La Mercy Airport this month, it wasn’t only their customers they wanted to impress.
It’s true that tourists and visitors to the Hertz branch at the new King Shaka International airport in La Mercy just outside Durban will be blown away, not only by the new state-of-the-art airport, but they will be equally impressed by the new Hertz offices. Now, the excellent service you’ve come to expect from Hertz will come from their new, modern state-of-the-art offices at La Mercy.
Susan Stouffs, Hertz Marketing Manager says, “The move was the obvious choice for Hertz. La Mercy is an absolutely amazing airport, and with the World Cup around the corner, what better way for Hertz to impress visitors than to be part of these state-of-art premises? But for Hertz, this move is about so much more. We are finally able to provide a really comfortable and functional working space for our staff, and that’s what this move was really about for us. Our new offices have the facilities to create a good working environment, which is a priority for us. We are proud to be able to give our staff the offices they deserve.”
Although Hertz has stated that the move was primarily aimed at providing their staff with an excellent working space, they have agreed the new premises are a step up from the old ones.
“Only 30km from Durban city centre, King Shaka La Mercy International airport is worlds apart from Durban International airport”, says Nigel Biffen, Divisional Chief Executive, Hertz. “The new airport at La Mercy is three times the size of Durban International, and can accommodate 7, 5 million annual passengers, as opposed to Durban International’s 4,7 million. That’s an enormous increase in potential customers looking for car rental. The longer runway will allow the airport to service the largest aircrafts in the world, including the behemoth Airbus A380, which means an increase in international visitors, who may require a rental car. Being a part of this state of the art airport was the natural choice for Hertz, who as you know, strive always to be the best“
The move did pose transport problems for some staff members at Hertz. Determined to make the move a positive one for all staff members, Hertz has provided means of transport for the convenience of its staff. Hertz has also provided all the necessary assistance to those staff members wanting to relocate. These measures have aptly demonstrated that Hertz really cares about the well-being of its employees.
It seems everyone from soccer fans to staff members, from local visitors to international visitors are going to benefit from the move to La Mercy. If the theory that happy staff members are more willing to do an excellent job is true, then you can expect even better service than usual from the staff at Hertz.
Hertz Car Hire is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies, enjoying nearly 100 years of heritage, excellence and innovation. Through constant customer service development and a desire to remain at the forefront of the car rental industry, Hertz remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences with each car rental. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. At Hertz, every transaction is treated as a journey of endless possibilities, with customer satisfaction remaining a key end result. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
November 2009
Recently, staff at Hertz Rent a Car found a hidden passenger taking a free ride in one of their vehicles - a tiny black and white kitten, cute enough to turn the softies at Hertz to mush!
Danniel Kruger, Administration Manager at Hertz’s Namibia office, took delivery of a vehicle that had been transferred from Hosea Kutako International Airport, 42km from Windhoek. Shortly thereafter, the car was sent to one of Hertz’s tyre suppliers, where one of the fitment staff, perplexed at recurring mewling sounds, started a search of the vehicle. The Hertz driver quickly went back to the Namibia office to alert Danniel to the situation and he, along with colleagues Ruddy Ita and Dorothee Jackson, went back to the workshop to help hunt down the elusive critter.
“We weren’t having much luck until we hoisted the car up on the ramp for further investigation,” advises Danniel. “Upon removing the protective cover from the bottom of the car, we were amazed to find a kitten, which we estimated to be only between eight and ten days old, stuck behind the plate. The fact that this little guy managed to survive the sweltering heat and the long drive from the airport, without any food or water, is truly amazing – which is why we christened him ‘Lucky’!”
Good news for Lucky is he still has his nine lives intact and is now safely ensconced with his ‘surrogate mom’ at the Namibian Cat Protection Society. Which may go a way to explaining why the staff at Hertz Namibia have got a fresh bounce in their step and Cheshire smiles permanently pasted on their faces!
But Lucky is not the only cat in Hertz’s rescue hat: last year ago, Ingrid Groenewald, Hertz’s Branch Supervisor at OR Tambo Airport, travelled from Kempton Park to the old Sandton Hertz offices and, upon pulling her car into the parking lot, was told by passers-by that they could hear a kitten crying. In true Hertz tradition, Ingrid pulled up her sleeves and slid under the chassis of the car, coming face-to-face with a skinny, bedraggled, worm-infested kitten perched under the skid plate, where it had seemingly crawled the night before to escape the rains. It was love at first mangy sight for the two and Ingrid promptly adopted the little fluff-ball – today ‘Dexter’ is healthy and happy under Ingrid’s expert care.
It seems that saving kittens may be becoming an unofficial Hertz tradition. Perhaps word has spread in the feline underworld that Hertz Rent a Car staff have big hearts, warm cars and a canny knack for preventing ‘cat-astrophes’!
Hertz Rent a Car is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies and celebrated their 90th birthday in 2008. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
June 2009
In an effort to spread some meaningful cheer in our currently turbulent times, Hertz Rent a Car is upping the ante on its CSR initiatives in 2009, starting with the Reach for a Dream Foundation.
Hertz is now an official sponsor of Reach for a Dream’s ‘Captain Courage’ initiative, which sees groups of little boys with life-threatening illnesses taking part in fun events designed to build their inner confidence and unleash their own ‘inner hero’.
Past events have included a visit to the Springs police-station where the boys learned about weaponry, police cars and Alsatian ‘police sergeants’; a day-outing to the Kyalami racetrack where they were spun around the track in BMW racers by professional drivers and a trip to the ‘Maize Maze’ in Ruimsig where they happily ‘got lost’ for hours in a hay-bale labyrinth. Anticipated events include a visit to a fire-department where the boys will meet the firemen, be educated in fire-fighting methods and equipment and even help to put out a real fire.
Says Susan Stouffs, Marketing Manager at Hertz: “The way that these youngsters deal with their illness and its extensive and often painful and traumatising effects and treatments reminds us that for them, true bravery happens in a quiet way every day. They deserve to be commended and celebrated for showing all of us what real courage is all about. Hertz is deeply honoured to be a sponsor of the Captain Courage initiative and we look forward to many exciting events for all of the children involved.”
The Reach for a Dream Foundation, established in 1991, has helped countless children across SA suffering from terminal illness to keep their heads held high and realise their own inner dreams, secure in the knowledge that with love, commitment and group effort, anything is possible and ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. The ‘Captain Courage’ initiative for boys is complemented by their ‘Queen for a Day’ initiative for little girls, and both are putting big smiles on many little faces.
Hertz Rent a Car is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies and celebrated their 90th birthday in 2008. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
July 2009
Hertz Rent a Car are proud to announce the following new appointments:
Shiraaz Abrahams - Branch Supervisor, OR Tambo.
Zareena Petrus - Branch Manager, Sandton Hilton.
Freddy Monokwana - Branch Supervisor, Fourways.
Mandy Smart - Branch Manager, Gauteng and Eastern Suburbs.
Ingrid Groenewald - Branch Supervisor, OR Tambo.
Linique van Zyl - Branch Manager, Pretoria.
Beaunita van Eyk - Manager, OR Tambo.
Moses Monareng - Branch Manager, Randburg.
Hertz Rent a Car, is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies and celebrated their 90th birthday last year. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information, please visit www.hertz.co.za
July 2009
Hertz Rent a Car has accelerated its Corporate Social Responsibility program into top-gear and is proving there’s big heart behind those wheels.
Hertz provided ‘vehicle-relief’ for the recent Angels Walk initiative, which saw Angel’s Haven founder and chairperson, Debbie Taylor, along with co-walker Samantha Beale, walking from Cape Town to Johannesburg in order to raise funds and awareness for abused woman and children. Hertz provided a kombi to ‘shadow’ the pair - sometimes literally, by providing a place to put their feet up in some welcome shade - as they made their blistering journey across country. Their journey began when they left Adderley Street in Cape Town on 7 June and ended upon their arrival in Sandton Square, Johannesburg on 6 July. Says Susan Stouffs, Marketing Manager at Hertz: “We have the utmost admiration for these two brave ladies, who tackled the punishing distance like true heroines. Angel’s Haven is in the process of raising funds to purchase a ‘Place of Safety’, for abused women and children that have nowhere to turn, and to my mind, this walk was an apt mirror for the long and painful journey to recovery faced by victims of abuse. Hertz was proud to be the ‘wind beneath the wings’ of these two human angels!”
The Reach for a Dream’s ‘Captain Courage’ initiative is another wholeheartedly supported by Hertz. This program sees groups of little boys with life-threatening illnesses taking part in fun events designed to build their confidence and unleash their own ‘inner hero’. Some of the past events have included the young lads visiting police- and fire-stations, being whizzed around Kyalami Racetrack by professional drivers and willingly ‘getting lost’ in the hay-bale ‘Maize Maze’ labyrinth in Ruimsig. “The way that these youngsters deal with their illness and its extensive and often painful and traumatising effects and treatments reminds us that for them, true bravery happens in a quiet way every day,” says Susan. “They deserve to be commended and celebrated for showing all of us what real courage is all about. Hertz is deeply honoured to be a sponsor of the Captain Courage initiative and we look forward to many exciting events for all of the children involved.”
Wings and Wishes is a Port Elizabeth-based charity which started as a bright idea in the mind of Tracy Potgieter, an employee from Coca-Cola Sabco (Pty) Ltd, who responded to a staff-challenge issued by management to come up with an innovative internal CSR initiative. The program involves the donation of accumulated frequent flyer miles to assist in transporting critically ill children across the country to hospitals for urgent treatment, with Hertz providing the transport for these children from the airport to the hospital where they will be treated. In their first year, Wings and Wishes helped 54 children and their goal of assisting 140 children by 2010 was fast-tracked when they hit this number in February 2008. Between Hertz and the participating airlines, hundreds of children have been able to get the vital treatment they need, when they need it, while at the same time relieving the massive financial and emotional burden from the shoulders of their families. “Most of these children are referred to the organisation by paediatricians who say that Wings and Wishes is often the ‘last hope’ of survival these children may have,” advises Susan. “With approximately three children per week being transported, Hertz is honoured to be part of the team of ‘angels’ who can make this ‘last hope’ be realised.”
Hertz Rent a Car is one of South Africa’s premier car rental companies and celebrated their 90th birthday in 2008. They pride themselves on their ability to combine local expertise and infrastructure with their vast international network, thereby satisfying the needs of business and leisure travelers alike. For more information, please visit: www.hertz.co.za.
