Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA), together with its dealership Sandown Motors Commercial Vehicles Centurion, has recently deepened its commitment to education by supporting Sinethemba High School in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape.
This initiative is notable not only for the resources it brought to the school but also for the way it highlights the evolving role of dealerships as active partners alongside their OEMs in community development.
Sinethemba High School, a resilient public institution serving its community despite ongoing resource challenges, became a focal point for DTSA after a Mandela Day visit in 2024. That engagement, undertaken with the Gift of the Givers Foundation, revealed urgent needs at the school. DTSA pledged to return, and with Sandown Motors joining the effort, the project was able to expand significantly.
Together, they renovated classrooms, refurbished the library, and donated computers to establish a fully functioning computer lab. These improvements are not cosmetic; they directly enhance the learning environment, giving learners access to safe, modern spaces and digital tools that are increasingly essential for education and future employability.
The Eastern Cape holds particular importance for DTSA, being home to its assembly plant and many of its employees. Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO of DTSA, described education as a cornerstone of the company’s responsibility strategy, stressing that every learner deserves a fair chance to succeed.
Mark Croxon, CEO of Sandown Motors, explained that supporting the school was a natural extension of their role, given the dealership’s connection to Daimler’s trucks assembled in the province and the communities that sustain the industry. Their involvement demonstrates how dealerships can provide continuity and local engagement, ensuring that projects are not just corporate gestures but rooted in community needs.
This collaboration reflects a wider pattern in the automotive sector. Mercedes‑Benz South Africa, for example, has a long‑standing partnership with the READ Educational Trust through the Rally to Read programme.
On several occasions, Mercedes‑Benz has invested millions of rand in literacy initiatives, with dealerships and employees actively delivering resources to schools and engaging with learners. These efforts show that the company’s retail network is not only a sales channel but also a vital part of its social responsibility footprint.
Taken together, these examples show a clear shift in how the automotive industry approaches community engagement. OEMs are no longer acting alone; dealerships are increasingly co‑architects of projects, bringing local presence, continuity, and practical support.
The work at Sinethemba High School illustrates this shift clearly. By combining the resources of Daimler Truck Southern Africa with the commitment of Sandown Motors, the project has delivered tangible improvements that will benefit learners for years to come.
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Sarah Redshaw
When Cobus Coetzee (photo) accepted the opportunity to join the Morgan Group in Upington, he had to weigh up more than a new position. The move meant exchanging the West Coast’s cooler climate and seaside lifestyle for the Northern Cape’s desert heat, while taking responsibility for a multi-franchise operation spread across several premises.
Dealer excellence was recognised at the Mahindra South Africa Dealer Conference Awards Evening, where dealerships were acknowledged for their performance across retail sales, commercial vehicles, customer satisfaction, aftersales and other areas of the business.
To turn the fortunes of a dealership around from one not firing on all its cylinders, so to speak, to one of the top five dealerships in the country and now the top Dealer of the Year, is testimony to what can be achieved with dedicated leadership.
