ADOLF WAIDELICH

There are few people who touch our lives only briefly but still leave a lasting impression. Far-sighted entrepreneur and avid adventurer, Adolf Waidelich, who died tragically by suicide in November 2017, was one of those people. His passing left a legacy which can be measured by the impact he made on the lives of others.

He was very practical engineer who, with his comprehensive range of innovative equipment and accessories designed and made for off-road travellers, contributed materially to making dreams of travelling to far-flung parts of Africa a reality for thousands of people. But Adolf was also a dreamer, with a deep love for Africa and its vibrant history.

Adolf’s rise to prominence came as the groundswell of interest in overlanding and serious 4x4 adventures started to take hold in South Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. The main reason for this sudden spike in interest was the fact that most bakkies that were available locally now featured four-wheel drive models, some with double-cab bodies. Before then, 4x4 driving had been largely limited to a fairly hard-core group who drove Land Rovers, Jeeps, and a few imported Toyota Land Cruisers.

4x4 models were now within the reach of many family budgets, and off-road driving