SAMBRA initiative puts young automotive talent in the spotlight

As South Africa observes Youth Month, organisations within the automotive aftermarket in the Eastern Cape are creating meaningful opportunities for young people to develop and demonstrate their technical abilities. Through practical competitions and targeted training, learners are gaining valuable industry exposure while discovering career opportunities in the automotive field.

On 6 June 2026, the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA) will hold its annual Motor Mech Competition at Port Rex Technical High School in East London. Alongside this event, the South African Motor Body Repairers' Association (SAMBRA) will introduce its first learner competition dedicated to panel beating and spray painting at Baysville Technical High School.

In preparation for the event, Apex Paint Company will deliver specialised in-house training to learners enrolled in the school’s spray painting and panel beating programmes on Friday, 5 June. The session will focus on important areas of the refinishing trade, including automotive paint systems, surface preparation, spray-painting methods, workplace health and safety, personal protective equipment, handling hazardous materials, and career prospects in the industry.

Once the training is complete, the competition will follow on the same day. Each team, made up of a panel beater and a spray painter, will be tasked with repairing and refinishing damaged vehicle panels under timed competition conditions.

Abie Kriek, SAMBRA Regional Representative for the Eastern Cape, explained that panel beating contestants will need to inspect damage, reshape and align panels, use filler where required, and prepare surfaces to a standard suitable for painting. Spray painting participants will then complete the refinishing stage, which includes preparation, priming, colour application and clear coating, all while meeting strict safety and quality requirements.

Kriek said every skilled artisan begins with a chance to learn, practise and prove their ability. He noted that although the competition may be modest in scale, it marks an important step in introducing young people to the highly skilled and increasingly advanced careers available in the motor body repair sector. He added that the long-term future of the industry depends on drawing in and developing a new generation of artisans.

The event forms part of the wider Motor Mech Show initiative, where aspiring mechanics and technicians will also compete in the MIWA Junior Motor Mech Competition. Winners from both the MIWA and SAMBRA competitions will be announced at Port Rex on Saturday, 6 June.

Together, the two competitions aim to strengthen links between technical education and industry while highlighting the abilities of young up-and-coming technicians. They reflect the sector’s continued commitment to youth development and to keeping technical careers visible, relevant and within reach for young South Africans.

Kriek concluded that Youth Month serves as a reminder that talent can be found in classrooms and workshops throughout the country. He said it is the responsibility of industry to ensure that such talent is recognised, supported and developed into the skilled professionals who will shape the future of South Africa’s automotive sector.