In the heart of Durban, Metro Towlines and Recoveries has been a trusted and reliable five-star service for the past forty years. The spill behind Muhammad Balil and Fathima Osman’s business is their lucky truck, the FAW 9.140 that has been standing strong for the past 25 years.

The FAW 9.140 was South Africa’s very first FAW rollback and the first ever 9.140 was bought by Metro Towlines and Recoveries.

The truck that lasts

Back in October 2000, when FAW didn’t even have a dealership in Durban, Muhammad spotted the 9.140 at a garage in Morningside. It was brand new, priced right, and packed with features like air conditioning and power steering which was unheard of at that price point.

“I told my wife and mother-in-law; this is the one. You won’t find another vehicle like this,” he recalls.

That decision laid the foundation for a long-standing relationship with FAW and a truck that would become the backbone of their business. Today, the 9.140 is affectionately known by Muhammad as his ‘baby’.

Fatima, who is the company’s Operational Manager and daughter of Owner, Sema Gavour, proudly states: “It is still running, it is strong.”

Mahammad explains this truck as unstoppable and explains that he regularly drives the 9140 on loaded trips to Johannesburg, clocking six to seven hours with ease.

“It feels like driving a car,” he says. “If you drive like a gentleman, you get seven litres per 100 km. Very economical.”

The 9140 was recently refurbished with new RMI stickers and badges, still turning heads wherever it goes. “People think it’s a new truck,” says Fahtima. “It’s smart-looking, unusual compared to other trucks on the road. When we go to a customer, neatness matters. This truck is always in tip-top shape.”

One of their proudest moments was when they were asked to transport a R25-million Mercedes-Benz with the 9.140.“We had the whole city watching,” Fathima laughs.

Expanding their fleet

Metro Towlines hasn’t stopped at the 9.140. They’ve expanded their fleet with two FAW 9.130’s as well. A 2012 and a 2013 model. These additions reflect the company’s growth and continuous trust in FAW and its products.

“When I was shopping around, the FAW was R190 000 cheaper than the Mercedes equivalent, and R160 000 less than the Toyotas and Isuzu’s,” Muhammad explains. “This truck has brought us to where we are today.”

A relationship with FAW

Metro Towlines and Recoveries loyalty to FAW runs deep and over the years they have referred many business partners and acquaintances to FAW.

“Just a few months ago, someone we referred took 21 units at once. You can call me a FAW fanatic,” Muhammad says

While the trucks have proven themselves, Muhammad believes FAW’s aftersales service could improve. Yet one name stands out for them, Harris Moodley. “He should be the brand ambassador for FAW,” Muhammad insists. “He’s always willing to help, even late at night. FAW truly has a gem in him.”

Fatima echoes the sentiment: “It’s because of Harris that we have stuck with FAW.”

Looking ahead

Metro Towlines and Recoveries is more than a towing company, they are a family-run institution built on trust, grit, and smart choices. As Fathima puts it, “We’d love to keep this relationship going with FAW. As long as we’re running this business, we will support FAW, and we hope they support us too.”

They would also like to thank Jaco Pienaar, FAW National Manager, Jian Yang, CEO of FAW Trucks Southern Africa, and the FAW team for their support and assistance.

Muhammad and Fathima dreams of big thing for Metro Towlines and Recoveries and says that with FAW they hope they can make these dreams a reality.