The good old bakkie is a favourite vehicle in South Africa. It is frequently referred to as a work horse because of its capacity for helping people transport goods from one place to another.

This light motor vehicle allows for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads. Most work horses typically have either a tubular or channel rail chassis with a fully floating cab and separate cargo section to allow for chassis flex and prevent warping of the sheet metal.

Whilst the basic idea remains the same (a cab fitting at least two people and a loading bay at the back), different manufacturers specialize in different styles and sizes for these adaptable vehicles.

Workhorses come in all sorts of different sizes to suit the uses to which they can be put. Full-size bakkies are large and suitable for hauling heavy loads and performing many other functions. The full-size work horse is capable of carrying loads of 450kg or more in the rear bed. Some are capable of carrying six times as much as that! Mid-size bakkies are distinguished from the smaller compact vehicles which generally offer only four cylinder engines.

There are also dual cabs, quad cabs, muscle bakkies and Sport Utility Trucks (SUT) which have four doors and an open bed similar to that of a standard bakkie. These SUT's are suitable for light to heavy-duty capability, depending on the vehicle.

A big advantage of having a workhorse is that it makes life a lot easier. If you need to move house, or transport camping or sporting equipment or just need to buy a washing machine and do not want to pay for delivery, all you need to do is put it in the back of your work horse and go. No need to hire a truck and driver, just do it yourself!