Amasi Mwela

Amasi MwelaOct 16, 2026

Last night, we received the Auto Media Award for Top Media House of the Year at the naamsa Accelerator Awards 2026, sponsored by WesBank. One of our automotive journalists, Ryan Bubear, also won the Top Automotive Journalist of The Year Award. These awards recognise our contribution to the industry over the past year, and I’m proud of how our team has gone about this work. Alongside helping consumers make informed decisions, we have launched several B2B initiatives to give the industry a voice, share its stories and bring people together. I get to see the preparation, the debates, the early starts and late finishes behind it all. There are so many people who contribute, often without their names ever appearing on the work. Seeing that effort recognised last night was special. Congratulations team Cars.co.za!! I’m proud of who we are, how we do things and the heart we bring to it all. Congratulations as well, to all the winners, and many thanks to naamsa and WesBank for creating this platform and recognising the work being done across our industry.

Amasi MwelaOct 16, 2026

We were at SA AutoWeek at the Durban ICC this week, where I joined a panel on vehicle affordability and economic recovery. The need for vehicles remains strong. Consumers are making a plan, searching more widely and considering options they may previously have overlooked. Many are buying down, and our survey shows that Gen Z buyers are far less brand loyal than older consumers. There is much more choice, and increased competition has given consumers more options and better value. I also spoke about making the total cost of ownership clear before someone commits to a car. Beyond the instalment, consumers need to budget for insurance, fuel, servicing and maintenance. Our recent launches of DrivePass and MyCars are a response to these needs: giving consumers more flexible ways to access a vehicle and helping them better understand and manage ownership costs. Both form part of our work to make mobility more accessible. On industry partnerships, my point was simple: we may operate as separate businesses, but all these costs come out of the same household income. Working together should make that burden lighter, helping consumers stay on the road and sustaining our industry over the long term. Thank you to naamsa | The Automotive Business Council for yet another successful SA AutoWeek and for bringing the industry together.

Amasi MwelaOct 19, 2026

One of the things I wish someone had told me earlier in my career is the importance of recognising the gap between being chosen and being ready. The fact that you have been chosen does not mean you are ready. Often, we find that out the hard way. An appointment reflects someone’s confidence in your ability and potential. The responsibility that follows may require judgement, knowledge and emotional maturity that you are still developing. Once appointed, there is pressure to prove that you deserved the opportunity. That pressure can make you reluctant to ask questions, seek help or admit what you do not know. Protecting your credibility starts to interfere with the very learning you need. Becoming ready requires honest reflection and deliberate work. You have to understand what the role demands, recognise where your experience falls short and learn from people who can help you grow. You may not be fully ready when the opportunity comes. Recognising that does not make you less deserving of it. It makes you more willing to do the work that the responsibility requires.