Every month, we introduce the members of one of our regional committees. This month, the spotlight falls on the Eastern Cape.
Jack Finn, our MIWA Eastern Cape Chairman has come full circle. After working in the workshop he worked at for 10 years, where he qualified at the age of 19, he went to the UK where he got valuable experience and equipment in a country which already supports the Right to Repair. Working on the latest cars and being exposed to the latest diagnostic tools and equipment, set him up to open a small workshop, Finn Auto Repairs and Diagnostics, on his return to South Africa. After a short time, he purchased the self-same workshop he qualified in. 12 years later the business has grown from strength to strength. Jack has a passion for learning new technology and is a supporter of training, being involved where he can with the TVET colleges and the Handwerkskammer Erfurt (HWK). He is passionate about MIWA and the standard they set, as well as the efforts they put in behind the scenes, like the Right to Repair.
Teresa Spenser Higgs is a particularly active MIWA member, serving on the executive committees of both MIWA and RMI Eastern Cape. She’s also a member of the MIWA NEC, serves as MIWA’s national representative on the RMI Labour Exco, and sits on MIWA’s Media Committee — plus, she’s a MIBCO principal representative and a regional representative for MERSETA, and still finds time to organise East London’s Motor Mech Show. The ‘T’ in D&T Servicing, which she established in 2000 with her husband David, Teresa is passionate about bringing change to the industry, with an eye to make life in the workshop easier. She’s also determined to give small businesses a voice. Teresa is proud of D&T Servicing’s accomplishments as an Autocare & Diagnostics Franchise member: having joined the network in 2016, the workshop is the current holder of the ACD Franchise of the Year South Africa title.
With both his father and his brother working at Cliffie’s Auto Repairs (first established in 1994), Cliffie Jacobs Jnr was destined for the workshop. He joined the family business in 2011, taking on mechanical and management duties, and qualified as a motor artisan mechanic in 2015. His attention to detail and emphasis on service has seen the workshop maintain five-star service for seven years. Cliffie takes pride in building on the solid reputation established by his father while ensuring the workshop keeps up with current developments — for example, Cliffie’s Workshop Repairs has recently partnered with Bosch to become a module partner, and Cliffie’s brother Chris is an expert in electrical repairs and diagnostics. Cliffie joined the MIWA Committee as a training representative in 2019, and regularly partners with Teresa Spenser Higgs to host key events like the Motor Mech Show and Women’s Basic Vehicle Maintenance Workshops.
Lance Kettles has been involved in the industry since the early 1990s. Starting out at Malcolmess Toyota, he spent his early years working on a number of different brands and building expertise across several products, eventually working his way to being appointed a VW service manager. In 2017, he decided to establish his own workshop, Automotive Mechanical Services, which, with the help of his “wonderful staff and even more wonderful customers”, he has built into a 5-star workshop. The workshop offers repairs for all makes and models, with consistent, professional, and reliable service, solving problems for clients as quickly as possible.
A former policeman, Nowellyn van Vuuren decided to follow his passion for mechanics and in 2003 opened his workshop, Jeno Auto, with his partner Jenny van Vuuren. From a small business operating out of a home garage, Jeno Auto grew with the establishment of a towing section. This was later disbanded so that it could concentrate more on mechanical services while also offering a yellow metal machine engineering department. Today, the workshop is known for its excellent service, backed by advanced technology, expertise, and professionalism. With an in-house department ensuring that service parts are readily available, customers can count on efficiency. Jeno Auto strives to maintain open communication, helping customers achieve longevity for their vehicles through proper maintenance.