Zweli Sibiya, Dealer Principal of Hyundai Benoni, is a man who rose from humble beginnings to lead one of the top-performing dealerships.
The 44-year-old Zweli, who was born in Soweto and joined Hyundai in 2020, leads a 38-member sales team in the highly competitive Gauteng automotive space. What makes his story remarkable are not merely the sales figures but the journey that brought him to where he is today.
“With no formal tertiary education, I began working as a security guard. To supplement my income, I tapped into ‘my natural selling bug’ where I started selling vegetables at Johannesburg Park Station. It was here that I discovered my passion for sales,” he says.
What began as an effort to make ends meet soon shaped his natural ability to connect with people, when Zweli joined Hyundai Benoni team as a Sales Executive. “My journey taught me to never stop dreaming, to stay consistent and to have the courage to start over, even after my vegetable business failed,” he reflects. “Most importantly, it taught me to respect everyone, no matter their background or socio-economic status.”
His turning point came when Promise Twala, the current Dealer Principal at Hyundai The Glen dealership, who was Zweli’s mentor back in 2020, noticed his talent. “Zweli attracted my attention through his passion, impeccable work ethic, positive attitude and humility. Seeing potential where others might have unintentionally overlooked it, I offered him a position as sales manager at Hyundai Benoni.”
Zweli embraced it fully and when Promise was promoted to lead Hyundai The Glen, Zweli became a natural choice to succeed her as Dealer Principal at the Hyundai Benoni dealership. “Zweli is very educable and has a strong ability to take punches (constructive criticism) without sulking. He nailed each task that was given him, with excellence,” Promise adds.
Stanley Anderson, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa says promoting from within is one of Hyundai’s greatest strengths.
“Our employee-first culture contributes to an individual's growth and our company’s success. Zweli’s inspirational story exemplifies the very culture that Hyundai champions: where talent and dedication are nurtured, regardless of formal education or background.”
BYD and Tesla, two giants of the electric vehicle industry, are navigating diverging challenges. BYD faces mounting competition in China and questions over its pricing strategy, while Tesla grapples with fading incentives and unsold inventory in the United States.
Nissan South Africa has agreed to sell its Rosslyn production facility after 60 years of operation. The plant, which produced models such as the 1400 ‘Champ’ bakkie, NP200 and Navara, was acquired by Chery SA. The Chinese automaker has sold over 80,000 vehicles locally since 2021 and is now strengthening its African presence.
Volvo has commenced on-road testing of heavy trucks powered by hydrogen combustion engines. This pioneering solution places Volvo at the forefront of the industry, with commercial launch planned before 2030.
Advertisement
Advertisement
You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
Unknown
LDV South Africa recently hosted its dealer conference, with representation from dealerships across the country. Among those present was Joy Zhu, Africa Regional Director for SAIC Motor International, reinforcing the brand’s global backing and commitment to growth in South Africa.
BMW Group South Africa hosted its annual Retailer of the Year Awards celebrating the achievements of its national retail network and recognising the retailers who continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences across the country.
Lifting above the currents, Orbit Commercial Vehicles Cape Town was once again named the overall 2025 Dealer of the Year and Elite Class winner for Southern Africa at Daimler Truck Southern Africa’s (DTSA) Dealer of the Year Awards.
