SEFAC
This anagram would officially be understood to mean the following, “Societa Esercizio Fabbriche Automobili e Corse” or more affectionately as “Sempre Enzo Ferrari Al Comando” – Always Enzo Ferrari in Command!
The wording can be found in any Ferrari handbook and refers specifically to the aims of the House of Maranello.
In our case, SEFAC is the official title of our own Ferrari Club of South Africa, which happens to be one of the oldest Ferrari Owners’ Clubs in the world. It was first coined by the founder of the Club, the late Pierre Bastiaan Kelfkens and stands for “SOUTHERN EQUITORIAL FERRARI AUTOMOBILI CLUB”. Please note the spelling of the word Equitorial and not Equatorial. The connotation being not only that of South of the Equator, but, more importantly, the letter “i” indicates the equine relationship to the home of the Prancing Horse (il Cavallino Rampante). Pierre Kelfkens was a man amongst men, a true gentleman, and a person who loved life and was loved by all who knew him. Pierre was born at the end of the Great War, on the 1st of May 1918. After matriculating, he studied Quantity Surveying and soon set up a successful practice. However, Pierre always found time for his first love – motor cars. He was one of the founder members of the Sports Car Club, a member of the South African Motor Racing Club – which administered Kyalami in the old days – and was also an active campaigner on the racetracks of South Africa.
The wording can be found in any Ferrari handbook and refers specifically to the aims of the House of Maranello.
In our case, SEFAC is the official title of our own Ferrari Club of South Africa, which happens to be one of the oldest Ferrari Owners’ Clubs in the world. It was first coined by the founder of the Club, the late Pierre Bastiaan Kelfkens and stands for “SOUTHERN EQUITORIAL FERRARI AUTOMOBILI CLUB”. Please note the spelling of the word Equitorial and not Equatorial. The connotation being not only that of South of the Equator, but, more importantly, the letter “i” indicates the equine relationship to the home of the Prancing Horse (il Cavallino Rampante). Pierre Kelfkens was a man amongst men, a true gentleman, and a person who loved life and was loved by all who knew him. Pierre was born at the end of the Great War, on the 1st of May 1918. After matriculating, he studied Quantity Surveying and soon set up a successful practice. However, Pierre always found time for his first love – motor cars. He was one of the founder members of the Sports Car Club, a member of the South African Motor Racing Club – which administered Kyalami in the old days – and was also an active campaigner on the racetracks of South Africa.
THE HISTORY OF OUR CLUB
just as ferrari today symbolises the ultimate traditions of style and precision in automotive engineering, sefac realised the need to organise suitable events where the maestro’s work could be displayed and full appreciated by all.
in those days a few telephone calls were made to members informing them of the forthcoming “short run”. That “short run” could more-often-than-not take in a brisk drive to a guesthouse near Sabie in the Eastern Transvaal or Mpumalanga as it is known today – a round trip of a mere 600 km was not unheard of. The annual events calendar was not a particularly busy one and membership numbers were not high since there were few Ferrari’s in the country back then.
Membership qualification then, as now, required the ownership of a Ferrari and some very special Ferrari’s have graced our Club. Founder member Dr. Hugh Gearing is remembered for by many for his daring exploits in the ex-Tazio Nuvolari Scuderia Alfa Romeo Monza, as it tore around the racetracks of our beautiful, sunny land.
