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.
Ford will launch seven new models in Europe by 2029, it announced recently, as it seeks to grow its flagging passenger car sales, fend off fierce competition from Chinese rivals and maintain an edge in the continent's commercial vehicle market.
House lawmakers in the United States (US) have proposed bipartisan legislation that would require electric vehicles (EVs) to pay a R2 227 ($130) fee annually for road repairs, and R578 ($35) for some plug-in hybrid models, according to Reuters.
Taking on the challenge of restoring a legacy brand to a stronger position in South Africa is now the focus for Dealer Principal David Venter and his team at Mazda The Glen in the south of Johannesburg.
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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
Taking on the challenge of restoring a legacy brand to a stronger position in South Africa is now the focus for Dealer Principal David Venter and his team at Mazda The Glen in the south of Johannesburg.
Twenty-seven Lepas dealerships are now open across South Africa, and the brand is already planning more.
Stellantis South Africa announced the opening of a new SCW Mobility Group dealership in Cape Town, bringing seven of its leading automotive brands under one roof, Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep, Leapmotor, Opel, and Peugeot.
