Female autobody repair shop owner shows her grit

Imagine taking the first step towards a thriving career at the age of 14. Not only did Ayanda Mtetwa, now 36 do this, but that first step was into the male-dominated automotive repair industry. As a proud member of SAMBRA (The South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association), she shares her journey with us – from […]

Women’s Month: Young motor industry ‘survivor’ conquers catastrophes and gender bias

The motor industry’s next biggest challenge is skills shortages, says Mika Heeraman, owner of Unique Auto Panel and Paint, in Tongaat, Kwazulu-Natal. She believes women can play a pivotal role in taking the industry to the next level. A challenging start Mika opened her own auto body shop at the age of 26. Three years […]

Women Driving Change in MBR: Thembi Sithole

Fresh from school to boss lady Thembi Sithole’s journey in the motor body repair industry is the quintessential success story. She started at the bottom fresh out of school, cleaning cars and doing plastic bumper repairs then progressed to receptionist and administrative assistant. Fast forward three decades and this 54-year-old farm girl from Ladysmith is […]