We love celebrating our members’ milestones! Here are the stories that had us cheering this month:
Five-Star Gradings
Congratulations to Dark Artz Performance in Boksburg; Executive Transmission in Edenvale, Andrew Hammonds Motors in Edenvale, Talladega Auto Clinic, Efficient Motor Services, JJ Velddienste in Silverton, A Nother Garage in Centurion, Alignment Centre, JEM Service and Repairs, Propshaft City Alberton, Kundedienst in Bloemfontein, Gearboxes A–Z and DCI Diesel and Performance; all of which achieved a five-star grading this month.
New MIWA members
Welcome to our newest members, Brackenfell Service Centre and R&D Offroad.
On brand
Cartime Centurion and Fuel Injection Specialists are in top form as the latest workshops to sport our new branding.
Bokke Friday
It’s always great to see our members getting behind our team. Check out Swedo-Tech Service, and Finn Auto celebrating Bokke Friday in their green and gold!
And all that support, and the support and unity of the whole country certainly paid off on Saturday – we are the Champions of the World!!!!!!!!!!!!! As we’ve always said this game is more than just about rugby. The victory on Saturday serves as a reminder that the future is still in our hands! We salute and celebrate all of our incredible Bokke in their green and gold – to Siya and the whole team and of course Pieter-Steph du Toit for being named player of the match – we couldn’t be prouder 1995–2007–2019 and now 2023!!!! We look forward to welcoming you home!
Johan Nel making us proud
Western Cape MIWA committee member Johan Nel made us proud when he took part in the FIA World Rallycross at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway. A lifelong motorsport enthusiast, Johan kicked off his rallycross career in 2021, in the BMW E36 Cup. This year, he raced again, in a BMW E36 328. Johan says that the FIA World Rallycross was “the experience of a lifetime. Just being able to participate on the world stage meant so much.”
Dewald Ranft satisfying his need for speed
MIWA Chairperson Dewald Ranft also satisfied his need for speed, coming second in the DO4SA National Championships. The event, which took place on 23 September at the Oudtshoorn Motor Club, was the climax of months of preparation, building on the DO4S qualifiers that had been held by every province. Only the top 60% of winners from each class went on to compete in the final event – Dewald, of course, among them, along with 17 other skilled finalists from a field of 84 entries across nine classes. Dewald’s stunning performance in the Hot Rod class is all the more admirable given that his car engine seized unexpectedly the day before! Special thanks to fellow MIWA member Theo Bosman from South Coast Dyno and Service Centre for putting him back on the road.
The Killarney Motor Show
Gear up for the biggest motor show in the Western Cape, the Killarney Motor Show, taking place on 5 November. Look forward to more than 2,000 rides and activities, including karting, drift cars, and vendors. Both RMI and MIWA will have gazebos at the show so if you are in Cape Town for the weekend please pop over and say hi and meet our friendly teams.
ATE Training Workshops
Our emphasis on upskilling continues with two successful training workshops hosted this month, this time focusing on brakes. ATE’s Evan Schreiber presented the highly informative sessions in East London and Gqeberha, with attendees travelling as long as four hours to make sure they didn’t miss out on essential learning. Topics covered ranged from general troubleshooting to checking for disc run out. The East London session also included input from EL Brickyards, where the importance of correct oil disposal came under the spotlight.
Tollie Bosman training four apprentices
We’re always excited to see young people showing a passion for the industry, so we’re pleased to report that Tollie Bosman of Magic Auto is currently training no fewer than four apprentices. Significantly, two of these apprentices are women – plus, his own son, Ceejay, has recently joined the Magic Auto team as a qualified mechanic. Tollie is a strong supporter of young people who have an interest in automotive, because he believes this a great field for people with a natural aptitude, especially since there is currently a shortage of skilled artisans.
Ceejay agrees that the industry offers exciting careers – but, he says, it’s not just about technical knowledge. Other key attributes required for success include adaptability, creativity, and a genuine passion for cars and technology – something he has learned during his three-year apprenticeship at Port Elizabeth TVET College. Ceejay has already made his mark on the industry, having achieved second place in the Automotive Technology division of the South African edition of the World Skills Competition. He later went on to come first in the World Skills Africa Competition. Ceejay’s plans now include heading to the United States to gain experience with heavy-duty farming machinery and equipment, after which he will return to South Africa to help with the family business.
Meanwhile, twenty-five-year-old Sanelisiwe Mbalane is thrilled to be learning alongside Ceejay and Tollie at Magic Auto. Sanelisiwe acknowledges that the world of workshops isn’t always a first choice for women – but (although she loves hobbies traditionally thought of as more appealing to females, like cooking, baking, and hairdressing), she is used to being part of the male domain: in spite of being short, she was an enthusiastic rugby player at school. Sanelisiwe completed three years of training in NCV mechanical automotive at PETVET, coming to love the way it challenges her and allows her to follow her passion of working with her hands. She says that although the industry is demanding and requires hard work, it’s also extremely satisfying. Her next step is to work towards becoming a lecturer in automotive studies.
Bruno Burri’s daughter named overall Top 20 Model
Bruno Burri, Vice Chair of the Free State region, has plenty to celebrate with his family: his daughter, Shelby, recently attended the 13th International Arts Talent Showcase, where she was named overall Top 20 Model. Shelby won an exclusive invitation to Paris, where she will take part in the European Models Showcase in May 2024. Even more impressive is her win of a four-year scholarship at the American College of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, valued at $600,000.
Encouraging youth to join the industry receives a boost
Our focus on encouraging youth to join the industry received a boost with our recent information session, targeting Grade 9 learners at the George Campbell School of Technology in Durban. The session was hosted by automotive teacher Avi Sookur and Krishin Govender of the Diesel Electric Training Centre, in partnership with MIWA’s Morne de Jager. Who knows before long we could see another Motor Mech show possibly scheduled for this school.