For the first time since 2019, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) held its first physical Dealer of the Year (DOTY) awards ceremony, where outstanding Hino, Lexus and Toyota dealers were celebrated. The event took place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM, conferred the trophies on the winners.
The Hino Dealer of the Year award went to Gansen Chetty of Hino Shelley Beach. “The Dealer Principal of this dealership continuously motivates his team. He embraces the Hino Total Support philosophy in every aspect. The team at the dealership is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure total customer satisfaction,” says the winning statement.
The Lexus Dealer of the Year award went to Christopher Jones of Lexus Fourways. “A performance like this requires visionary leadership and a passionate, dedicated team – aspects that are firmly entrenched in this dealer’s DNA. It is an absolute pleasure to reward this outstanding performance and give this team the recognition it so rightfully deserves,” was the summary of their performance.
The Toyota Dealer of the Year went to Dirk van Rooy of Halfway Toyota Honeydew. “The performance of this dealership is proof that strong leadership and the right people make all the difference. The Dealer Principal has always been intentional about growing and developing his staff. He also allows his management team members to lead their own departments, resulting in a very innovative and highly motivated team,” according to TSAM.
Awarded annually, the Toyota dealer awards are based on a comprehensive set of metrics on which each Toyota/Lexus/Hino dealer is measured over the preceding year. These criteria include customer service, environmental protection, financial performance and vehicle sales.
Leon says while the evening was about celebrating TSAM’s dealers, the company was “proud to have been operating in South Africa for more than 60 years and manufacturing vehicles at the Prospecton Plant in Durban for 50 years, while we have also been retailing Hino trucks and buses in the country for the same period.”
Also recognised at the event was Glyn Hall, Team Principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing SA, for his pivotal role in the success of Hilux in the Dakar. This year saw four cars enter the 2022 Dakar Rally, including Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel; Giniel de Villiers and navigator Dennis Murphy; Henk Lategan and navigator Brett Cummings; and Shameer Variawa and navigator Danie Stassen. The 2022 Dakar Rally was, in the end, won by Al-Attiyah and Baumel, and all the cars made it safely to the finishing line.
TSAM’s President and CEO Andrew Kirby, together with Leon Theron, also presented the President’s Award to Lichtenburg Toyota (Small dealer category), eThekwini Toyota Westville (Medium dealer category), Halfway Toyota Scottburgh (Large dealer category) and Halfway Toyota Fourways (Mega dealer category).
Electric vehicles (EVs) have introduced a whole new vocabulary into motoring. Instead of simply talking about litres of fuel, cylinders and kilometres per tank, motorists are now confronted with kW, kWh, AC, DC, WLTP, regenerative braking and a host of other terms.
Young South African motorists are increasingly opting for more affordable and practical vehicles as the cost of living puts pressure on household budgets, while still maintaining comprehensive insurance cover.
The row over BMW’s Spider-Man promotion is not really about superheroes. It is about trust, control and the creeping feeling that modern cars are becoming digital platforms first and private possessions second.
Advertisement
Advertisement
You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
Unknown
Geely has joined the Volkswagen and Audi Used dealership in Rustenburg, expanding the Super Group operation into a three-brand dealership under the leadership of Dealer Principal Ryan Pepler.
Hyundai East Rand has been honoured as one of the 2026 Hyundai Global Top 100 Dealerships, placing it among the highest‑performing Hyundai dealerships worldwide.
Hyundai Springfield Park has capped an exceptional year by earning a place among Hyundai Motor Company’s 2026 Global Top 100 Dealerships, adding international recognition to its title as Hyundai Automotive South Africa’s Overall Dealer of the Year for 2025.
