All Episodes
Real conversations with mechanics, panel beaters, auto electricians, workshop owners, and trade-qualified professionals from across South Africa.
80+
Episodes
60+
Guests
9
Provinces
50k+
Monthly listeners
12 episodes
Kagiso Sithole
Workshop Owner, Soweto
"Nobody handed me anything. Every tool in that workshop I bought with my own sweat."
Kagiso started sweeping floors at 16 and today runs one of Soweto's most respected independent workshops. In this episode he talks about the grind, the setbacks, and why he still gets his hands dirty every single day.
Nomsa Dlamini
Panel Beater, Durban
"The car doesn't care who's holding the hammer. It just needs to be straight."
Nomsa was told panel beating was a man's trade. She ignored that, qualified top of her class, and now mentors young women entering the industry. A conversation about grit, craft, and changing the culture.
Thabo Nkosi
Auto Electrician, Johannesburg
"The fundamentals don't change. Electricity is electricity. But you have to respect the voltage."
Thabo has been working on vehicle electrical systems for 15 years. Now he's retraining for EVs and he has strong opinions about what the industry needs to do to prepare the next generation of technicians.
Ruan van der Merwe
Workshop Owner & Trainer, Cape Town
"A learnership without mentorship is just cheap labour with paperwork."
Ruan has taken on over 30 apprentices in his career. He's blunt about what's broken in the learnership system and what workshops can do right now to actually develop talent instead of just ticking boxes.
Anél Botha
Spray Painter & Business Owner, Pretoria
"The finish has to be perfect every time. One bad job and you're the person who does bad jobs."
Anél opened her own spray shop at 28 with a second-hand compressor and a lot of determination. She talks about the business side of the trade — quoting, cash flow, and building a reputation that brings repeat work.
Solomon Mahlangu
Diesel Mechanic, Limpopo
"When that machine breaks, the whole mine stops. That's pressure. But it's also why they need you."
Solomon has spent 18 years keeping mining equipment running in Limpopo. He talks about the isolation, the money, the physical toll, and why he wouldn't trade it for an office job.
Dr. Priya Naidoo
Occupational Psychologist
"Asking for help is not weakness. In a workshop, it's actually the safest thing you can do."
The trades have a mental health problem nobody talks about. Dr. Priya Naidoo joins Lesego and Rosina to discuss burnout, isolation, and what workshop owners can do to create healthier environments.
Moses Khumalo
Trade Test Examiner, Ekurhuleni
"I'm not trying to fail you. I'm trying to see if you're ready. There's a difference."
Moses has examined hundreds of trade tests. He breaks down the most common reasons candidates fail, what preparation actually looks like, and why attitude matters as much as skill on the day.
Farouk Hendricks
Motor Mechanic, Cape Town
"Someone gave me a chance when they didn't have to. Now I try to be that person for someone else."
Farouk grew up in Mitchells Plain with no connections to the industry. He talks about finding his way in, the mentors who changed his trajectory, and why he now volunteers at a youth skills centre on weekends.
Sipho Zulu
Panel Shop Owner, Pietermaritzburg
"Turnover is vanity. Profit is sanity. I learned that the hard way."
Sipho built his panel shop from a single bay to a 12-bay operation over 10 years. He gets into the numbers — margins, insurance work, staff costs — and shares the mistakes he made so you don't have to.
Lerato Mokoena
Motor Mechanic & Entrepreneur, Bloemfontein
"People underestimate me twice. Once because I'm young, once because I'm a woman. I use both."
At 24, Lerato is already running a mobile mechanic service and building a client base. She talks about the hustle, the scepticism she faces as a young woman in the trade, and her five-year plan.
Jan Booysen
Fleet Manager, Johannesburg
"A truck that's not moving is money bleeding. My job is to make sure that never happens."
Jan manages maintenance for a fleet of 200 trucks. He talks about the systems, the pressure, the people, and why a good diesel mechanic is worth their weight in gold in the logistics industry.
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