A story of a dream come true for Robert Maposa (43), a gardener at one stage and now an LLB-graduate receiving his first car.
Hard work, passion and perseverance paid off for Robert this month when he realised another one of his dreams: owning his own car.
It all happened with the help of multiple generous supporters, who raised more than R80 000 for his first car through a crowdfunding campaign, and the support of Kia’s Certified Pre-Owned Program, Kia Konfidence.
Robert is now the proud owner of a low mileage, fully tested, fully guaranteed Kia Rio 1.2 LS that will allow him to pursue his dream job.
He has tended the garden of the same Pretoria family for the last 15 years, but the Mamelodi-resident had much bigger dreams: a better life for his supportive wife, Hitahlula, and their two children, Wonderful and Timothy.
Robert’s first goal? Getting his matric, which he did at age 28. Then followed an LLB degree through UNISA, funded through various odd jobs, before graduating with distinction. The next step: finding a job in the field of law that he always dreamed about.
Personal mobility posed a big challenge for Robert, as he would need a car to deliver and collect documents from the courts and clients. That is where Jonathan Smith came in. The son of the family that Robert works for. Jonathan was so inspired by his story that he decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to get Robert behind the wheel of his own vehicle.
Soon their BackaBuddy campaign gained momentum, and to date they have raised more than R80 000. Following an appeal from the family matriarch, Ina Smith, Kia was so inspired by Robert’s story that the brand decided to match the funds raised by the BackaBuddy campaign and source a vehicle for Robert through the Kia Konfidence Program.
“Robert’s story of passion and perseverance is closely aligned with Kia’s belief that movement inspires ideas, and his incredible achievements are a huge inspiration to us,” says Gareth van der Westhuizen, General Manager of Kia Konfidence.
Says Robert: “Kia is one of my favourite brands. This Rio will allow me to excel when I get a job and to create more opportunities for my family. Thank you!”
VSL Manufacturing officially unveiled its new R750 million, purpose-built manufacturing facility adjacent to the Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) assembly plant in Struandale, marking a major milestone for South Africa’s automotive value chain, black industrialisation, and the Eastern Cape’s manufacturing ecosystem.
FAW Trucks Southern Africa recently welcomed the extended Southern African regional dealer network and teams as well as country managers, sales directors and technical heads from across the continent to its flagship manufacturing facility in the Coega Industrial Development Zone for the 2025 Export Dealer Conference.
With a passion for the brand and a commitment to delivering the best service and community involvement, MG’s new flagship dealer in Fourways is ready to take the iconic nameplate to new heights.
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You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
Henry Ford
With a passion for the brand and a commitment to delivering the best service and community involvement, MG’s new flagship dealer in Fourways is ready to take the iconic nameplate to new heights.
Mazda Southern Africa announced the addition of two new dealer groups to its national after-sales network, strengthening customer convenience and service support across key regions.
Korean automaker Hyundai has been an unmitigated success in the SA new car space. The relative newcomer to the market has been a consistent top-five feature on the new-car sales charts. There are many reasons for this, including good, reliable products at competitive prices. In part, the success is also driven by innovation.
