Rosy Govindasamy spent her school holidays around cars in a panel shop from her early teens, sanding, polishing, stripping and assembling vehicle bodies with her stepfather. The bug had firmly bitten and Rosy knew she was destined to own her own panel shop. This dream was materialised in 2013 when she opened Springfield Panel and Paint, in Springfield Park, Durban. The structural workshop is an approved repair centre for Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Chevrolet, Peugeot, Opel, Ford and Citroën, and they also repair non-warranty vehicles. In just seven years Rosy grew the business from a rented 200m2 facility to an owned 1 000m2 space. Today the business, which is a proud member of the South African Motor Body Repair Association (SAMBRA), employees 23 staff of which half are women and youth. Breaking stereotypes in the MBR sector Rosy is elated to see more women showing an interest in the sector and even qualifying as journeymen. Jacques Viljoen, national director of SAMBRA, a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Association (RMI), says it is great to see more women stepping up and fill in the gaps to grow the industry to a new level. “We are privileged to have SAMBRA members […]

It is not only vintage car enthusiasts who spend hours buffing and polishing their “babies” on a weekend. Most people love their cars. Afterall, it is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life after a home, so keeping it in tip-top shape makes good financial sense. Whatever the reason, you are spending a lot of time keeping your car shiny, so it is important that you are using the correct materials and understand what can damage your car’s paintwork. Avoiding Damage To Your Car’s Paintwork Jacques Viljoen, National Director of SAMBRA, a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) explains that automotive paint not only plays an integral role from an aesthetic point of view, but also aids in rust prevention. It is fairly easy to damage the paintwork, hence the importance Viljoen places on being aware of what materials you use to clean your car. “There are several ways common household items and materials can destroy car paint from the surface down to the bare metal, resulting in serious damage,” he warns. Unlikely Habits & Products That Damage Paintwork Viljoen says these are some of the more common ways paintwork is damaged, but […]

The Meet The Team series is back! The January edition introduces you to Khulu, Associational Representative for Gauteng, Pretoria and North West. An industry professional of eleven years, Khulu’s goal is to see more women in the automotive sector.  Learn more about what motivates and inspires her and why she is passionate about motor body repair.  Happy New Year, Khulu! We are so excited to talk to you! Please kick things off by telling us a bit about yourself, and what led you to work in the motor body repair industry? I started in the automotive industry 11 years ago. I saw a job advertisement and applied for it, even though I had no automotive experience. At the time, I was in corporate and held various administrative positions within project management, business development and account management sectors.When I started my career, my family struggled to understand what I was doing due to the stigma of the MBR sector. But I worked hard to build my own credibility by really immersing myself in order to learn. The automotive industry is dynamic, flexible and open to all people and is a great environment to build a career. If you want to advance, […]

Motor body repairer estimators and Insurance companies’ vehicle assessors play a crucial role in the daily lives of South Africans bridging the gap in the event of an accident, between the insurer and the motor body repairer to quantify damage to, or loss of a vehicle. The Background of the VDQ Qualification There are currently more than 4 000 short-term insurance assessors and estimators in the country. They operate however without a formal occupational qualification, and this was the reason for the initial drive to establish a formal VDQ (Vehicle Damage Quantification)) qualification which is endorsed by both the insurance and motor body repairer (MBR) sector. (Occupational Certificate: Vehicle Damage Quantifier: SAQA ID 99507) SAMBRA, a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), has been integrally involved with the merSETA, in the curriculum development and meeting, amongst others, the qualification assessment specification requirements of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the custodian of occupational qualifications in South Africa. The VDQ is an approved occupational qualification and registered on the country’s national qualifications framework. Several subject matters experts have subsequently been engaged and worked tirelessly to ensure that assessment tools meet the requirements of the QCTO. SAMBRA […]

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 later, her auto body repair shop is her pride and joy – not only because it ignites her passion, but because the business has survived three catastrophic events – the pandemic and the riots and floods in KZN. Mika grew up in Chatsworth and Richards Bay, which she describes as “car fanatic” towns. Her dad was a spray painter. Mika saw her dad was an artist as she shadowed him during school holidays, watching how he transformed a mangled mess into something new and beautiful again. “This has always stayed with me. When I see a car that needs repairs, I don’t see it as damaged but rather a puzzle that needs to be completed,” she says. “Before starting my own business in the motor industry, I completed my part time degree in Supply Chain Management while working in the logistics industry from age 18 […]

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The South African Motor Body Repairer’s Association (SAMBRA) will ramp up its efforts to have the details of previously written-off vehicles published for public consumption. This information is currently contained in a so-called Vehicle Salvage Database (VSD), which is used as a reference source by the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) and the Insurance Crime Board (108), amongst others. SAMBRA has taken SAIA and others to task about the publication of the V80 database for the past four and a half years and it eventually agreed to do so at the start of this year (2022). “We took on this task as a strategic project after it became clear that the publication of the VSD was in the public interest,” says Richard Green, National Director of SAMBRA. “Keep in mind that this issue has been ongoing for the last ten to fifteen years. We took it on because we can take the moral high ground without fear of reprisal and pursue it as a matter of public interest. Following the agreement earlier this year, SAMBRA, SAIA and other organisations such as the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) formed a task team to work towards the publication of the V80 database. […]

SAMBRA has been campaigning hard over the last four years for the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) to release more information to the market with regard to the status of written-off vehicles. Richard Green, National Director of SAMBRA says that without a register to refer to, there is no way of stopping these cars from going back into the system, only to be purchased by an unsuspecting and poorly advised consumer. This intense lobbying advocating for more transparency, has finally paid off with the Insurance industry agreeing to accept the principle that the purchaser of a second hand vehicles has the right to know if the vehicle they are considering purchasing has been in a serious collision and has been written off before. What Is To Come According to Green this will result in the VIN numbers of all previously insured written off vehicles being published on an open website providing purchasers of second hand vehicles and franchised dealers the opportunity to make informed decisions. The Terms The SAIA VSD (vehicle salvage database) task team met in February in Johannesburg and agreed in-principle to the following terms: ・All code 2, 3, 3A and 4 written off vehicles will be published […]

The 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada was awash with excitement after BMW unveiled its colour-changing concept car known as the “iX Flow featuring E-Ink.” At “the touch of a button” the driver can instantly change the colour of the car. Not only the car panels but the e-Ink panel technology found in Amazon’s Kindle, changes the colour of the wheels too. The company cites the benefits of the Flow technology, other than being able to match your car to your shoes ie. personalisation, the driver will have access to in-depth vehicle information such as battery life, and enjoy thermal adjustments to respond to the sun. BMW have yet to announce when this colour-changing technology will be available to the consumer, but the rollout of their first all-electric SUV, the iX is scheduled to begin arriving for pre-order customers from March.  The iX claims to offer 480 km plus of range, 500 horsepower, and a 0-100 km/h time in under five seconds. With the company claiming to be bringing “personalisation to unforeseen levels”, it seems consumers looking for a more customisable driving experience have a lot to look forward to. Watch the full BMW presentation here. Article references: […]

Women are becoming qualified artisans and taking over the mixing rooms at motor body repair workshops. According to Lee de Sousa of Motus Technical Training Academy, about one-quarter of their spray painting students are female. According to de Sousa, “Many of the workshops today use qualified artisans and women are managing the mixing room. Women have amazing skills and the ability to do that (role)…” If you are interested in a career in motor body repair, check out these pages: Interview with Lee de Sousa (part 1) – https://sambra.biz/meeting-lee-de-sousa-motus-technical-academy-wadeville/ Interview with Lee de Sousa (part 2) – https://sambra.biz/part-2-meeting-lee-de-sousa/ Apprenticeships page – https://sambra.biz/apprenticeships/ Courses at Motus Technical Training Academy – https://www.motustechnicalacademy.co.za/artisanApprenticeshipPrograms.html

Does it matter what you wash your car with? Absolutely! And it is not only what you use, but how you use it that counts. For many of us, having to hold onto our cars longer, maintaining the sleek outward appearance of our 4-wheel pride and joy is an absolute must. The good news is that frequent washing is in fact the best way to maintain a new-car finish. Here are some definite do’s and don’ts to watch out for from Richard Green, national director of SAMBRA. To keep your car’s paintwork in tip-top condition, DO; Use a dedicated carwash product that is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint. Before applying the soap, do rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water to remove loose dirt and debris that could cause scratching. Apply the soap suds with a large, soft natural sponge or a lamb’s-wool mitt. For more stubborn deposits like grease and road tar, you may need a slightly stronger product but still, ensure you are using a non-abrasive cloth. Wash one section at a time and wash and rinse each section before moving on to the next. Remember to work the solution into a lather to provide […]

Kubeshnie Naidu from Star Centre joins us for a short Q&A to share her story and her thoughts on the challenges of working in the vibrant MBR sector, on being a woman in the industry, and looking to the future. Hi Kubeshnie, can you tell us a bit about yourself? Hi, my name is Kubeshnie Naidu,  I am a 48-year-old mother of two amazing children and the owner-director of the STAR Centre Group of Motor Body Repairs. How did you get into motor body repair, originally? In 2004,  after the untimely death of my husband,  I started as a debtor clerk in the family business. And, how did your career path develop after that? I went on to purchase the family business and in 2006 STAR Centre East London was incorporated as a major structural autobody repair centre.  Together with my management team, we have been approved by twelve Manufacturer approvals including the prestigious Mercedes Benz South Africa In 2014, together with my business partner, we purchased STAR Centre Elliot and in 2018, we started our third branch, STAR Centre George. Educate yourself! Be knowledgeable in all aspects of your business and understand the repair process. Understand your clients’ needs […]

9 August is Women’s Day and the SAMBRA management would like to wish all of our strong and resourceful women a very happy Women’s Month in honour of the bold and brave women of 1956 who fought for a better and brighter future for all. This year we embrace generation equality: realising Women’s Rights for an equal future. We deeply respect the role women play in our general society – you provide support, love, and inspiration. You nurture us and raise us. “You strike a Woman, you strike a rock” “Wathint’ Abafazi wathinti imbokodo”