When I first call Car Torque presenter Richard Ndlela to set up an interview at the Porsche Centre in Lonehill, he tells me that I will recognise him by his trademark “BEE look” of designer jeans and a jacket.
When I arrive in Lonehill I am surprised to see him alight from the passenger side of a modest Toyota Corolla, which he tells me belongs to his partner. His 3 Series BMW, it turns out, was a write-off after it was hit by another driver at a malfunctioning traffic light. The vehicle Ndlela is here to drive is the new Cayenne GTS, “the newest member of the Porsche family”, as Jacques Labuschagne, the salesperson, announces. The car costs a cool R895Â 000, minus the extras.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” says Labuschagne, as we climb into the vehicle with Ndlela, who refuses to drive it just yet, opting for the back seat instead. You can drive it slowly and enjoy it for its comfort or you can turn on the sport mode and drive it like a true Porsche,” he says, pressing a button near the handbrake, which causes the suspension to firm up a little. “As you can feel the car gets more aggressive. It’s the only SUV with the ability to drive like a sports car. A lot about the Porsche has to do with the feeling you get out of it,” he says, as he turns into Main Road en route to Motseng House in Rivonia, where Ndlela is based.
Ndlela is the chief executive of Easytime Mobile, a cellphone airtime vending company of which Motseng Investment Holdings owns 50%. He became a familiar face as one of the contestants in The Apprentice SA, a reality-TV show in which he was runner-up. As the vehicle goes up the slight incline Labuschagne emphasises the characteristics of the sport mode. “The car holds the gears longer now, which increases the sound.” Ndlela writhes with excitement from the back seat.
The ride is quickly turning into a carnal experience for him. Labuschange increases the speed so as to highlight the efficiency of the brakes as he turns corners. He checks on Ndlela again. “I don’t want to drive it. I just want to sit here and listen to the silencers,” he says, as the engine growls with increased fervour. “I want to be chauffeured around. This is going to my expensive boardroom,” he says, feeling the suede finishes on the seats. Imagine how many deals I am going to close in here.”
It’s not a good idea to have the sport mode on if you are going to be arriving home late at night, the two men agree. The spouse might just hear you come in.
The conversation turns to Ndlela’s preferred interior and the salesperson warns him to go for black leather as his “fancy jeans” will scuff the tan seats he prefers.
When we reach his offices, he excitedly calls his partners, who ogle the car and suss out the interior, marvelling at the sound of the engine as it takes off. As it turns out, Ndlela will drive the car at a later stage. The episode will be broadcast on Car Torque on SABC3 in about a month’s time.
Later, as he escorts me to the office in a courtesy vehicle, Ndlela takes a call from FNB, announcing that they should meet Cell C to iron out the details of a deal they are about to close. The deal, worth an estimated R600-million a year, will provide a quicker way of recharging airtime to the community service terminal operators, a sector that accounts for half of Cell C’s revenues. A few days later he calls me, delighted because the deal is sealed. He will buy the Porsche after all, along with the house in Saxonwold. Given his taste for material items, he might just pick up another Porsche for his father, a former taxi owner, who sparked his penchant for fast-moving toys.