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SAB Kickstarts auto electrical finalist

Nov 14, 2018 Auto electrical, B-BEE, Woman owned, parts, Spares, garage, workshop, aftermarket


SAB KickStart, a long running and successful youth development programmes, started in 1995, and is now aimed at creating meaningful jobs in South Africa by growing sustainable youth-owned businesses.

To date, SAB KickStart, targeted at youth between the ages of 18 and 35, has upskilled more than 25 000 entrepreneurs and empowered over 3 500 youth-owned businesses in South Africa. 

One of these businesses that the programme identified as a finalist, is owned by Gabisile Octavia Mashilwana. 

Mashilwana established Excserpro in 2015, an auto electrical solutions business that also provides remanufacturing services. Offering a wide range of auto electrical services, the business covers repairs to stators and alternators, vehicle and machine wiring, winding of stators, rotors and armatures, vehicle diagnosis and the supply of auto electrical parts/spares. 

What sets Excserpro apart from its competitors, is that it remanufactures parts instead of just replacing them. At the same time, it acts as a ‘one-stop-shop- supplying spare parts to save customers time.

Excserpro boasts a Level 1 B-BBEE status and is a 60% woman-owned business. Mashilwana currently employs three people and plans to employ up to nine by 2023. Other goals include aims to employ a qualified auto-electrician, which follows into her next goal of introducing female auto-electricians into the business.

Long term, Gabisile would like to be recognised as a leading auto electrical solutions company in her region as well as to open three departments – repairs, spares and remanufacturing – and employ four people per department. 

As a SAB KickStart Boost finalist, Gabisile wants to take what she has learnt from the programme and gear her business up to be a supplier and market ready. She would like market access into bigger corporates and assistance in obtaining compliance within the motor industry.

“ I love my business and I love what I do – I also I love that I am a woman in a male dominated industry. This coupled with the love for my children, means my drive comes naturally.” She adds: “Never give up and in business, you need to be patient. It is not easy -  if it was, everyone would be doing it. In 2015, I was unemployed and battling to find work so I became an entrepreneur and essentially, employed myself. I started my business in a male dominated industry, which could have been intimidating but it actually isn’t – if anything, it motivates me more to succeed.”

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