Sep 03, 2025 Kariega, Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), Motor Mech, Tashne Wait, Ruwayne Filmolter, Theuns Botes, Alles-op-Wiele,
Kariega celebrates skills, cars and community at Motor Mech & Alles-op-Wiele
The Motor Mech and Alles-op-Wiele show in Kariega this past Saturday proved once again why it has become one of the Eastern Cape’s most anticipated community events. Hosted by the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), together with Concept Crew Car Club and Daniel Pienaar Technical High School, the day combined motors, music, and more in celebration of technical skills and automotive passion.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the MIWA Motor Mech school competition, which showcased the incredible talent of the province’s future mechanics from THS Daniel Pienaar, Otto Du Plessis and McCarthy Comprehensive. On the day it was the students from Daniel Pienaar who scooped the top three places. For the first time ever a young lady, Tashne Wait, won first place, followed by Ruwayne Filmolter and Theuns Botes. All three impressed the judges with their technical skills, problem-solving ability, and teamwork. Judges praised the overall high standard of competitors.
Commenting on her win, Tashne said she loved the adrenaline hype of the competition, and in spite of being concerned about finishing in time, she managed to complete all tasks and the experience has made her even more interested in pursuing a career as a mechanic. Budding future mechanics, Ruwayne and Theuns, agree time was a challenge and the trick was staying calm.
Tashne walked away with 2 x toolboxes from Idemitsu, Ruwayne a 92-piece toolkit from MIWA and Theuns a trolley jack from Goldwagen. Midas and Wurth also provided prizes for 4th,5th and sixth place. The first stage of the competition was sponsored by Midas and the second stage of the competition was divided into four stations each sponsored by ATE, NGK, Universal Parts Group and Diesel Electric. All participants received goodie bags from Moto Health and MISA and Automotive Technologies. Big thanks to all these suppliers for prizes.
Significantly, the participants were also awarded the opportunity for a fully funded technical training grant as part of RMI’s Project Dineo. Each year the standard of the competition just gets better and better and this year, during Women’s Month, it was especially fitting that the event crowned its first-ever female winner.
Lance Kettles, the MIWA representative in the Eastern Cape, was instrumental in putting together the skills section of the competition. “This year we designed the competition in such a way that it really favoured the technically smart students and not just the academic students. There were a lot of practical sections which required a more in-depth understanding and experience of working on a vehicle. Tashne epitomises the passion and technical ‘smarts’ we were really looking for.” Kettles added, “We are proud to provide this platform that inspires learners to consider a career in the trade.”
Final judging was conducted by Kettles together with Jack Finn, who echoed the sentiment. “Lance did a great job setting up the competition; it was challenging for a student level. What stands out for me is when a competitor takes a step back, assesses the situation, and then works methodically rather than rushing in. Technical knowledge and practical problem-solving ability are equally important - you must be able to understand what needs doing and then be able to do it. The competition also prepares learners for real-world challenges by testing them under pressure, just as they will experience in the workplace where vehicles need to be returned to customers within strict timeframes.”
Finn’s advice to aspiring technicians was clear, “There is so much free technical information available online - knowledge is king. Make the most of it. Get hold of old engines and parts, practise at home, and strive to be the best in your industry.”
Teachers also involved in the judging process including Paul Ludeke and Abrie van Tonder from Daniel Pienaar both agreed on the importance of balancing technical knowledge with practical skills. They highlighted qualities such as confidence, planning, time management, and perseverance as essential to success in the trade. Their collective message to participants was encouraging - keep working hard, engage in as much hands-on practice as possible, and never let setbacks hold you back from achieving your dreams. Jacques Ridder from McCarthy Comprehensive School agrees saying the technical knowledge is important for laying a foundation, but the practical and problem-solving skills enhance the learner’s understanding of their theoretical knowledge. His message to all participants was clear, “Keep on working hard towards achieving your dreams and never let loss or disappointment keep you from pushing to succeed.”
Dirkie Greef from Otto du Plessis’s advice for those participants who were not lucky enough to win this time is that they should try and engage more in practical work to give them a better understanding of the steps to follow in fixing a motor, as well as a better understanding of the different ways things work. In addition to the competition, aptitude testing was made available for learners interested in exploring career opportunities in the motor industry. Harambee, a youth employment accelerator, was also on site to register unemployed youth, giving them a direct pathway to connect with work and training opportunities.
Thanks to Peter Van Mosseveld, Jack Finn and Jeff Stubbings from GUD for hosting our Women’s Workshop which was equally well supported. Additional thanks to the generous sponsors for their vital support, the dedicated organisers for their exceptional work and the judges for their invaluable contribution in making this event a resounding success.”
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