In a business climate where many leaders place short-term gains above long-term human development, it is refreshing to encounter an executive who chooses a more principled and sustainable path. Bucks Jansen van Rensburg, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Bucks Haulage Limited (BHL), stands out as a leader who puts people first and Southern Africa is undeniably better for it.
BHL is a Zambian-registered company headquartered in Solwezi, with additional operations in Ndola and a strong regional presence across sub-Saharan Africa, including a significant presence in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Across these strategic locations, the company has evolved into a respected force in transport, logistics, and haulage. However, despite its impressive cross-border footprint, the true measure of BHL’s success lies not in the size of its fleet or the scale of its routes, but in the philosophy that drives the organization.
Bucks has built BHL on a simple but powerful belief: investing in people is not a liability, it is the foundation of sustainable growth. At a time when many corporate workers across the region feel undervalued or unheard, Bucks distinguishes himself by practicing a leadership style grounded in humility, accessibility, and genuine concern for employee well-being. Employees routinely describe him not just as a CEO, but as a mentor and a leader who listens deeply and is ready to offer assistance where he can.
His approach strikes a rare but crucial balance advancing strategic business objectives while nurturing the professional and personal growth of the workforce. Bucks demonstrates that empowered people are the engine of any organisation’s long-term success.
Bucks’ sense of responsibility extends beyond BHL’s internal operations. Under his leadership, the company has rolled out several meaningful Corporate Social Responsibility and community development initiatives, many of which directly improve the lives of employees, drivers, and communities along major transport corridors. These programmes are not symbolic gestures designed for public relations purposes. They are thoughtful, targeted investments grounded in a belief that businesses thrive when the communities around them thrive.
Below are some of the most notable initiatives associated with Bucks Jansen van Rensburg and BHL evidence of a leader who turns values into action:
1. BHL In-House Driving Academy
One of the most important contributions Bucks has made to professional development in the transport sector is the establishment of BHL’s In-House Driving Academy. The academy trains and upskills drivers, enhances road safety, promotes professionalism, and creates opportunities for young or inexperienced drivers to build sustainable careers. In an industry where safety and skill determine livelihoods, this initiative has provided hundreds of drivers with a pathway to growth.
2. Owner-Driver Empowerment Programme
Bucks has also championed an ambitious Owner-Driver Empowerment Programme, a long-term initiative designed to help drivers transition from employees to self-sufficient business owners. Through this programme, BHL supports drivers in acquiring their own trucks, building small enterprises, and gaining economic independence. Public posts from BHL indicate that over 2 000 drivers have been trained through related empowerment initiatives, making this one of the most impactful programmes of its kind in the region.
3. Nsobe Community Trust School Library Initiative
Beyond the transport sector, Bucks has supported community upliftment through partnerships such as the Nsobe Community Trust. One example is BHL’s contribution to the establishment of a school library, a project aimed at expanding educational opportunities for rural learners. Education is one of the most powerful tools for long-term development, and BHL’s involvement reflects a commitment to shaping future generations, not just the current labour force.
4. Road Works on the Mutanda–Kasempa Route
BHL has also invested directly in infrastructure improvement. The company undertook road repairs and pothole maintenance on the Mutanda–Kasempa route, a vital corridor used by thousands of drivers and rural communities. These repairs not only improved safety for BHL drivers but also reduced travel time, enhanced access for remote villages, and supported economic activities along the route. Infrastructure interventions like these demonstrate a rare understanding that logistics companies can directly uplift the communities they pass through.
5. Major Copperbelt Road Upgrade Projects
BHL has additionally been linked to major road upgrade and corridor development projects in the Zambian Copperbelt region. As a promoter and partner in these efforts, the company has contributed to unlocking transport capacity, reducing congestion, and promoting regional trade. These large-scale initiatives go far beyond company interests; they strengthen national infrastructure, stimulate commerce, and support regional integration.
This is indeed a standard worth emulating. It is rare to find a leader who seamlessly blends ambition with compassion, and strategy with humanity. Nevertheless, Bucks consistently demonstrates that commercial success and ethical leadership are not opposing forces. His example shows that companies can pursue expansion while upholding dignity, fairness, and genuine social responsibility. If only more leaders across Southern Africa can adopt the values embodied by Bucks Jansen van Rensburg (a leader whose impact extends beyond the workplace), workplaces would be healthier, communities more resilient, and the region’s development trajectory far more promising. His leadership is not only worthy of recognition it is worthy of imitation. He reminds us that when leaders act with integrity, sincerity, and purpose, success follows naturally. One can only hope that more multinational and local executives take a page from his book: lead with heart, invest in people, and uplift the communities that support them.
*Hosea Shishiveni is a Namibian scholar and researcher. He can be reached at hoseasn8@gmail.com.The views expressed in this article are his own.