Cape Town - Haval embarked on an Outreach Expedition a few weeks ago, which concluded in Cape Town on 4 October, and according to the company's spokesmen, it was a resounding success.
The journey, which stretched nearly 4500km along the east coast of South Africa, was completed by a convoy of two H9 models, two H6C models, an H2 (and a GWM Steed 5E as a back-up vehicle).
Starting in Johannesburg, the expedition made a quick detour in the Kruger National Park, where a donation of R10 000 was made to the Kruger National Park K9 unit.
Charles Zhao, Managing Director of HAVAL Motors South Africa, says: "The 2018 Outreach Expedition is our way of giving back to a market that has welcomed us with enthusiasm. We're invested in this market and, as a company, we know it's important to show our appreciation and support in return."
From the Kruger, the expedition convoy headed toward the coast before turning South toward Sodwana. From there the convoy then drove to Durban for a very special occasion where Haval took the opportunity to reach out and support organisations that rely on donations.
At the Marine Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse, Haval made donations to two organisations: the Wylie House Child and Youth Care Centre, and the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club. Both organisations received equipment and supplies. The next port of call was Shelly Beach, where the expedition team stopped in at the new Haval dealership in the area.
The Haval Outreach Expedition then wound its way to East London to attend the local dealership's public launch of the new H9.
From East London it was on toward Port Elizabeth where the entire expedition was welcomed by over 40 Haval owners and staff. The occasion marked the handover of a brand-new H9 to Tom Swartz, the winner of Survivor South Africa 2018. Swartz is an official brand ambassador for Haval South Africa. He was very excited to drive his brand-new Forest Green H9 for the first time.
Departing the windy city of PE, the convoy enjoyed a scenic visit to Knysna before setting out on the final stretch of the journey toward Cape Town, with an obligatory stop in Cape Agulhas.
"It was a gruelling trek at times, with some rough roads, challenging weather and 4x4 courses thrown into the mix. Although this journey was centred around reaching out to local communities and charities, it also served to prove that our vehicles can handle even the toughest local terrain", Zhao adds.
As the 2018 Expedition came to a close there were many queries as to whether this popular event will be repeated next year. Although there are no details yet, the success of this years' expedition was inspiring, and it's very likely that Haval South Africa will do similar outreach expeditions in the future.