Second-year sponsorship comes as the platform reaches 2 million TikTok views and expands its influence among South Africa’s road freight SMMEs

FNB and WesBank have renewed their sponsorship of the On The Road Podcast for a second consecutive year, backing the continued growth of one of South Africa’s most distinctive platforms dedicated to the road freight and transport SMME sector.

Hosted by Florence Musundwa, Convenor of the Road Freight SME Summit, On The Road has grown from a specialist industry podcast into a platform giving voice to the entrepreneurs, fleet owners, drivers and businesses that keep South Africa’s freight economy moving.

The sponsorship renewal comes as the podcast reaches a significant new audience milestone, with more than 7,100 YouTube subscribers, past 300,000 YouTube views, more than 30,000 TikTok followers and 2 million TikTok views.

When the podcast entered its first sponsored year, it had approximately 800 YouTube subscribers and 2,700 TikTok followers.

The latest figures demonstrate not only audience growth, but a growing appetite for industry specific conversations that speak directly to the realities of running a transport business in South Africa and across the region.

In the 28 days to 5 October 2026, the YouTube channel recorded more than 18,500 views and approximately 1,600 hours of watch time, with nearly 58% of viewers not yet subscribed to the channel, indicating that On The Road continues to attract new audiences beyond its established community.

A Platform for the People Behind the Freight Economy

“Road freight is fundamental to the movement of goods across South Africa and the wider Southern African region, yet the experiences of the small and emerging operators who form an important part of the industry are often absent from mainstream business conversations,” explains Musundwa. “On The Road was created to change that.”

The podcast provides a platform where transport entrepreneurs can have candid conversations about cash flow, pricing, access to finance, fuel costs, fleet management, procurement, market access, regulation, cross border opportunities and the realities of building a sustainable transport business.

Its audience includes truck owners, drivers, fleet managers and other stakeholders across the road freight ecosystem. Approximately 65% of YouTube viewers are based in South Africa, with audiences also watching from Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya.

Why FNB and Wesbank are Returning

The renewal reflects a strong strategic alignment between the issues explored on On The Road and the financial and operational realities facing transport businesses.

Transport operators operate in an environment where fuel costs, fleet costs, working capital and effective fleet management can directly determine profitability and business sustainability.

FNB Fleet Services, offered and serviced by WesBank, provides solutions designed to help operators manage these pressures, including the Auto Card, which enables secure payment for fuel, oil, tolls, repairs and maintenance, as well as Fleet Online, which provides fleet owners with information to manage and monitor fleet costs.

The decision to continue the partnership reflects the value of meeting transport entrepreneurs where they are: in an environment where practical information, access to the right financial tools and informed conversations can make a material difference to business outcomes.

From Industry Challenges to Industry Opportunities

One of the defining characteristics of On The Road is its willingness to tackle difficult conversations rather than simply celebrate success stories.

Through its flagship The Reality series, the podcast has explored issues including:

• Rising fuel prices and their impact on transporters
• Cash flow, pricing and financing in trucking businesses
• Fleet management and profitability
• Procurement, public procurement reform and corruption
• The rule of law in road freight and illegal truck drivers
• Cross-border trade between South Africa and Botswana
• Rail reform and its implications for road freight
• Last mile delivery and opportunities for small courier businesses

Guests have included Gavin Kelly (The Road Freight Association), Lebo Letsoalo (African Women in Supply Chain Association and Sincpoint), Gary Marshall (SA Express Parcel Association (SAEPA), Kamogelo Mampane (Supply Chain Council SA), Jonathan Mphake, Joshua Kadish, Mesela Nhlapo (Africa Rail Industries Association), Rogers Rasetapa and Khaya Mahlangu, Oliver Naidoo (JA Auditors), Thabo Moodie (Oricred), Reneiloe Semenya (Maysene Logistics), Malesela Tloana (Alter Clique Energy) and Tshepo Mokoa (Brima Investments), alongside transport business owners who have shared candid stories of setbacks, resilience and recovery.

Building a Stronger SMME Voice in Road Freight

For Musundwa, the growth of On The Road demonstrates the need for platforms that do more than report on the transport sector. “I started On The Road because the people who keep this country moving needed a platform where they could have honest conversations about what it really takes to build and run a transport business. The response has shown us that the industry was waiting for this conversation.”

“For me, the significance of FNB and WesBank returning for a second year goes beyond sponsorship. It demonstrates that there is value in investing in platforms that understand the lived realities of entrepreneurs and create access to information, ideas and conversations that can help businesses grow.”

Musundwa believes the future of industry engagement will increasingly be shaped by platforms that allow audiences to access depth, expertise and authentic conversations on demand.

“Podcasts are becoming an important way for industries to talk to themselves. They allow people to hear from the people doing the work, understand different perspectives and access conversations when and where it suits them. We are building On The Road to become a platform that not only reflects the industry, but contributes to how the industry thinks about its future.”

Looking Ahead

The renewed partnership comes as On The Road enters its next phase of growth, with the platform continuing to expand its content across YouTube and TikTok and deepen its focus on the issues affecting transport entrepreneurs.

The ambition is clear: to build a platform that connects industry knowledge, entrepreneurial experience, financial education and market opportunity while creating a stronger and more informed voice for road freight SMMEs.

New episodes of On The Road Podcast are available on YouTube and TikTok.