The buzz and excitement at Phoenix Technical School this past weekend was tangible as 12 learners competed in the KwaZulu-Natal edition of the MIWA Motor Mech Competition, proudly hosted in partnership with the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).
After a challenging day of theory and practical tests, Udayan Govender from Meadowlands walked away with first place, followed closely by Victoire Bikombo in second and Jayden Pillay in third, both from Clairwood Technical School. The competition, part of MIWA’s broader national Motor Mech initiative, once again highlighted the impressive pipeline of technical talent emerging from South Africa’s schools.
Morne de Jager, MIWA Regional Representative, praised the learners’ performance and commitment: “Events like Phoenix show exactly why Motor Mech matters. These young people are passionate, determined and demonstrate that the future of our industry is in capable hands. It’s about building skills, opening doors, and inspiring the next generation of artisans.”
Learners were generously supported by industry sponsors who ensured every participant walked away a winner. IDEMITSU provided the winner with a toolbox as well as two ‘lady’ toolboxes for the two female participants. GUD provided the balance of the toolboxes and all overalls for the participants. RMS Automotive provided a fully paid driver’s licence for the first-place winner, plus cash vouchers for 2nd and 3rd place and have confirmed they would be interested in hiring apprentices in 2026. Powertrans came to the party with shields and medals, Hinotech with lanyards for all examiners, officials and teachers and ZF and MISA provided additional prizes for all learners plus MISA gave an E-CAR mascot toolbox.
“Special thanks also to Gearbox centre for donating some old gearboxes to the students to assist with further training,” says De Jager.
In addition to the prizes, the top-performing learners each received a technical training grant from the Retail Motor Industry Organisation. This forms part of Project Dineo - a key addition to the Motor Mech shows this year. Project Dineo, meaning ‘gift’ in Sotho, is a partnership between the RMI, merSETA, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and the Presidency. The project will support 100 talented young South Africans per year for the next three years - prioritising women, persons with disabilities, and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Collaboration in action
Examiners from Phoenix Technical School, MIWA, and industry partners played a crucial role in assessing the competitors and ensuring the competition’s high standard. Neren Hansraj, one of the judges and a MIWA NEC committee member in KwaZulu said it was good to see the intense competition between the schools and the great learning curve. “At the end of the day there was only a handful of points separating the winners. Nevertheless all the students that participated were winners as they all got the exposure and amazing awards for their dedication and hard work. The event's success demonstrates the potential for young people to develop skills and pursue careers in the automotive sector, aligning with MIWA's goals of promoting industry awareness and skills development.”
MIWA KwaZulu Natal Regional Chairman Dhaya Naidoo concurs saying, “Each year we raise the standard in order to reignite the hope in the future of the learners, schools and the public and to ensure the skills meet our workplace requirements.” The sentiment is shared by the Vice Chairman, Suren Sewcharren, also a fellow judge. Sewcharren says it is competitions like this that provide learners, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited resources, with excitement, motivation, and the confidence to improve their time management and leadership skills.
The event also created valuable exposure for learners to interact directly with employers and sponsors, linking technical education with the needs of the workplace.
“This is the essence of Motor Mech,” concludes De Jager. “It’s about celebrating young talent, fostering collaboration between schools and industry, and giving learners a tangible head start in their careers. Our heartfelt thanks go to Daniel Valihu and the team at Phoenix Technical for hosting the event and putting on such a great display. As always it wasn’t only the competition that attracted interest but also the Show @ Shine and Sound Off which had spectators staying right into the evening.”