Earlier in 2012, the Isuzu team at General Motors South Africa (GMSA) invited South African Isuzu fans to enter a competition to find the highest verified mileage and oldest Isuzu in South Africa to celebrate Isuzu’s heritage in the country. Thousands of entries were received and the Isuzu KB bakkie was deemed to be the toughest and most durable Isuzu bakkie in the land.

??Highest Mileage Isuzu in South Africa

The winning Isuzu Bakkie was a 1997 Isuzu KB bakkie, owned by Mr Douglas Smith from the Eastern Cape with 1004000 km on the clock. Smith is the vehicles second owner and uses it mainly for farm work and delivering goods. “I have had my Isuzu for 12 years now and the amount of hard labour this vehicle has done has astounded me. It has transported almost 300 tons of rock and gravel to help me build a road on my farm and probably another 200 tons of sand and cement. I have also used it to transport tons of fuel drums all over South Africa for helicopter support and towing horse trailers in the Baviaanskloof,” said Smith. Smith was rewarded with a R100000 travel prize to visit the United States.

Oldest Isuzu KB Bakkie in South Africa

The winner for the oldest Isuzu in South Africa was awarded to Mr Singh Samsunder from Kwa-Zulu Natal who has owned his Isuzu KB bakkie since 1979 and still owns it today. “The bakkie was used mainly to transport batteries on a daily basis. I then decided to hold onto it after selling the business as it is a part of the family. It is like a samurai warrior. I feel like it will last me forever. I have been very lucky with this Isuzu KB bakkie. I have had no problems whatsoever with it,’ said Samsunder.

Samsunder’s Isuzu KB bakkie has covered an impressive 537 670 kilometres to date, 16000km per year from new. Samsunder has received a R 25 000 fuel voucher as a reward for his oldest working Isuzu in South Africa.