We will keep his legacy alive for future generations, says Pine Pienaar, Group Franchise Executive of the Human Auto Group, to Dealerfloor in reaction to the sudden passing of Jacques Strydom (54), owner of the well-known motor group.
Jacques was the third generation in charge of this family business founded by his grandfather, the late Barnie Human in 1950 as Human & Kie, which later on became Human Auto Motors Bloemfontein and grew to Human Auto, the Ford bastion in the Free State and Northern Cape, with dealerships in Bloemfontein, Welkom, Kimberley and Ficksburg.
In recent years, other brands like Chery and Foton were also added to the group’s portfolio.
Says Pine: “Under Jacques’ leadership Human Auto won the Dealer Group of the Year title at the Ford Dealer of the Year awards for four consecutive years as well as numerous other awards. Jacques had a unique leadership style, making sure that he got the strongest possible management team.
“He chose to spend most of his time on his farm with his family and was a leading figure in Saddlebred horse circles where he was at his happiest,” Pine says.
Jacques created the Be Human Middelwater Plaas with a conference and wedding facility and get-together venue, for the public, with concerts, flee markets and other social events being held there. It is also a place where his dealers and staff could engage with customers.
The Kia Carens nameplate makes its return to South Africa, this time as a seven‑seater designed with families in mind. It combines Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) styling with Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) practicality, offering space, comfort and efficiency, Kia says.
Volvo has confirmed that its vehicles will now integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system. This development builds on the company’s existing collaboration with Google, which already provides Android Automotive OS and Google services in Volvo models.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
CFAO‘s Mc Duling Motors under the leadership Allan Stiles as Dealer Principal scooped the top award as Dealer of the Year at VW’s recently held Grand Prix Awards.
The Isuzu Foundation, a collaboration between Isuzu Motors South Africa and its Dealer network, has raised more than R200 000 for thirteen children’s charities in Nelson Mandela Bay through its partnership with the IRONMAN4theKidz organisation.
Audi South Africa honoured the outstanding achievements of its national dealer network at the annual Audi Vorsprung Awards.
