From Van Assistant to Managing Director
Attitude, education and help from the DSV-ET have driven Ralton Moses's success
Ralton Moses is living proof that education and attitude can change a life story for the better, and that determination and adaptability are needed to find fulfilment because childhood dreams don’t always come true.
Ralton grew up in Phoenix, an Indian township 25 kilometres northwest of central Durban. His mom was 17 when he was born, something which was highly frowned upon in the community at the time and resulted in Ralton being raised by his maternal grandparents as one of their own children. As a young boy, Ralton dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. His local parish invited 'Doctors Without Borders' to do medical checks on the parishioners, and seeing the doctors in action captivated the then-12-year-old.
Although his Grade 12 results earned him his cherished place at the University of Natal to study medicine, family finances didn't allow the dream to be realised. In any case, Ralton's earnings from his part time work had become indispensable to the household so full-time study wasn't an option.
But fate had already intervened to create another opportunity.
Ralton was already holding down various odd jobs as a Grade 10 scholar when a friend introduced him to DSV and he became a van assistant, delivering medication to pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors. And so, while not a doctor, the van assistant job launched a long career in the healthcare industry where Ralton would play his part in making sure the healthcare industry had the medicine and equipment they needed to provide patients with the right care.
The temporary van assistant job led to a fulltime job with DSV after Ralton matriculated in 1996, and this both opened doors to a career and a lifetime of learning. Ralton embraced the education opportunities offered through the DSV Empowerment Trust (DSV-ET) and immediately set about studying. His educational journey has taken 25 years of part-time studies and began when he registered for a BCom degree at UNISA in 1999 and has culminated in him being in the final phases of completing his PhD.
Ralton was one of the first students to be supported by the DSV-ET, and his success has inspired others who are travelling their journeys. Ralton's story, like so many others that have come out of the DSV-ET, validate Trust founding member Tiger Wessels's vision at the outset - that education could change a person's fortunes, and future - for the better. And if enough people were being educated, it changed the country for the better too.
It's coming up to nearly 30 years at DSV. After his student job, Ralton joined the permanent staff in 1997 as a logistics assistant in Durban. He then worked in Returns, Credit Control, and the Customer Services Department before becoming Logistics Coordinator in 2006. Two years later Ralton moved to Johannesburg to become Assistant Logistics Manager at the Longmeadow facility, after which he was promoted periodically over the next years until his appointment as Operations Director (Logistics and Distribution) in 2019.
Today, nearly "30 phenomenal years later", Ralton is Managing Director of DSV Road in South Africa.
Of course, Ralton's success has had direct benefits for his family. He's been able to make sure his mom and two sisters have lived comfortably, and most importantly he enabled his sisters to complete their undergraduate degrees. And the circle continues to grow, because as career women they are able to take care of the education needs of their children. "If each of us adds a person, you keep moving forward".
So, while Ralton had to move on from his dream to be a medical doctor, his life's work has involved helping others, both directly and indirectly. "I think God always has a plan for you, and I think this was mine". But as with anything in life, you get out what you put in. Being flexible to adapt your dreams to your realities is key, as is taking advantage of opportunities when they come along. And then working hard!
An Interesting fact is that since Ralton became part of senior management sixteen years ago, he's made sure that, every year, at least one of the people who work in his team interfaces with an academic institution to further his or her tertiary studies. "Giving back is important to me, and it's been inspiring to see people from all walks of life take part in this journey".
With his experience and education, Ralton could go elsewhere but he says he's in the industry he wants to be in and working for the company of his choice. "I'm not here because I have to be here. I'm very aware that my academic qualifications coupled with my years of experience open many doors, but I wholeheartedly choose to be at DSV".
"Education has played a massive role in my life, and the returns are second to none. More importantly, education and the DSV-ET provide opportunities to others. DSV is a company that cares about its people and their future, and the DSV-ET is a perfect example of this."

Any questions?
Our experts are ready to help. Get in touch and we'll find the solution you need.
