Johannesburg, 4 February 2025 – Kia South Africa marked another milestone in automotive excellence this past weekend by recognising and rewarding its top-performing dealerships across the country. The 2024 Kia Dealer of the Year Awards, covering achievements from July 2023 to December 2024, took centre stage at the brand’s leadership conference held at The Marriott in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg.
A Gathering of Industry Leaders
The event, hosted by Kia South Africa’s CEO Paul Turnbull, brought together senior figures from the full dealer network alongside industry stalwarts from Motus Holdings, including CEO Ockert Janse van Rensburg and CFO Brenda Baijnath. The presence of Kia Middle East and Africa’s top executives, Mr SH Chang (President) and Yaser Shabsogh (Vice President of Operations), further underlined the significance of the evening.
Reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of the past year, Turnbull stated,
“The past year has been one of significant change for the Kia brand in South Africa, but despite challenging market conditions, the resilience of our dealer network remained a key characteristic for success. It’s important to give credit where it’s due, and our annual awards do exactly that. We are excited about the renewed energy and focus for 2025.”
Honouring Individual Excellence
The night commenced with accolades recognising outstanding performance in aftersales. Special attention was given to the pivotal role of service advisors. The awards were segmented into three distinct levels:
- Certified Level: Anna Kwedi from Kia Northcliff was honoured as Service Advisor of the Year.
- Expert Level: Nicole Kuhn from Kia Nigel received recognition for her exemplary service.
- Master Level: Nokuphiwe Bawana from Kia Pietermaritzburg stole the spotlight, being declared Service Advisor of the Year for the Master level for the third consecutive year.
Celebrating Sales Leadership
The awards ceremony also shone a light on the prowess of top-performing sales executives. Winners in the Sales Executive of the Year category, segmented by dealership sizes, were:
- Category D Dealerships: Rehard Quickfall from Kia Paarl.
- Category C Dealerships: Stuart King from Kia Hermanus.
- Category B Dealerships: Phillip Nagel from Kia Sandton.
- Category A Dealerships: Duncan Boya from Kia Alberton.
These professionals exemplified innovative sales strategies and robust team collaboration in the face of a challenging market.
Excellence in Dealership Operations
Recognising that true excellence spans beyond individual roles, Kia consolidated previous accolades to reward overall dealership operations:
- Aftersales Dealer of the Year:
Awarded for excellence in training, parts management, aftersales support, and customer satisfaction, the winners were:- Kia Tzaneen (Category D)
- Kia Hermanus (Category C)
- Kia Ballito (Category B)
- Kia East Rand (Category A)
- Sales Dealer of the Year:
These awards acknowledged superior market presence and effective sales strategies, with winners including:- Kia Eswatini (Category D)
- Kia Vereeniging (Category C)
- Kia Sandton (Category B)
- Kia East Rand (Category A)
The Pinnacle: Dealer of the Year
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Dealer of the Year awards across all dealership categories, acknowledging those that excelled across every aspect of operations. The category-specific winners were:
- Category D: Kia Paarl
- Category C: Kia Vereeniging
- Category B: Kia Brackenfell
- Category A: Kia East Rand
In a display of unmatched consistency and dedication, one dealership outshone the rest. Dealer Principal Sean Simpson and his team at Kia Vereeniging were crowned the 2024 Kia Dealer of the Year, having delivered the best overall results in both sales and aftersales amidst tough market conditions.
Looking Ahead
The 2024 Kia Dealer of the Year Awards not only celebrated the remarkable achievements of Kia’s dealer network but also set the tone for a promising 2025. As the automotive landscape continues to evolve, the resilience, focus, and commitment demonstrated by these teams serve as a testament to the brand’s enduring strength and innovative spirit.
Kia South Africa’s commitment to excellence is clear: by acknowledging success across all facets of dealership operations, the brand is poised to continue driving forward with renewed energy and strategic focus in the coming year.
