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 Modified Saloon Car category at the Simola Hillclimb has always delivered an epic battle of power and performance. The 15th edition, which takes place from 1 to 4 May 2025, ups the ante even further with an exceptional list of serious contenders for the title, including a superstar international driver.
Hino, which has been the dominant brand in Datatrack Management’s long-running comparative customer-care survey conducted among local truck operators for the past several years, has kicked off 2025 with another strong showing.
Filtration specialist MANN+HUMMEL has opened a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.
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If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will.
Bob Hooey
The Halfway Group has opened the doors to a brand-new Lexus dealership, located in Lynnwood, Pretoria, with Chris Jones as the Dealer Principal.
With premium brands in South Africa taking the brunt of the economic hardship facing customers, challenges at dealership level are creating a new reality.
FAW Trucks Southern Africa recently convened its annual Dealer Conference and Awards, uniting its extensive network from across the region for a week dedicated to strategic alignment, collaborative growth and recognising excellence, it states.
