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With just one week to go, excitement is in the air as countdown begins in preparation for the first-ever Western Cape Motor Mech show, which will be held at HTS Drostdy on Saturday 9 March. HTS Drostdy is the only fully-fledged technical high school in the Boland, in collaboration with the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).
MIWA Western Cape Chairman, Deon Goch, says Motor Mech is the ideal showcase for the automotive industry to attract upcoming mechanics and to demonstrate how passionate our industry is about training and drawing young talent into the sector.
“We are serious about fostering future careers in the automotive industry and it is a privilege to be collaborating with HTS Drostdy on this event,” he says.
This will in fact be the fifth Motor Mech show MIWA is hosting with other top technical schools around the country. The show attracts a regular stream of spectators and the organisers are sure the Western Cape show will be equally popular.
Commenting on the competition itself, Johan Havenga, Lecturer at HTS Drostdy, says top Mechanical Technology Automotive students will compete for the title of ‘Junior Motor Mech 2024’. The structure of the show will follow a similar format to the Eastern Cape shows. 12 competitors will participate in the preliminary round. Nine competitors will then be eliminated over the next two rounds (six during the first round and three in the second), leaving the top three to battle it out in a nail-biting final.
In addition to the competition one of the main attractions will be a workshop especially tailored for women. It will be geared around hijack awareness tips, defensive driving techniques as well as some important hints and tips on what to do for example if you have a flat tyre/tyre blowout as well as general car maintenance tips.
For the younger audience there will also be inspirational talks from women in the industry and plenty of career advice for anyone interested in looking at the auto industry as a career choice. The workshop will be schedule between 11:00 and 14:00.
As if this wasn’t enough there will be a number of interesting and informative displays from MIWA workshops showcasing their offerings; car displays from dealers and exhibits from local clubs and motor industry suppliers.
MIWA Associational Representative for the Western Cape, Brione Schoeman, says the response from suppliers has been outstanding. “Every day we get confirmation from a new exhibitor that they want to participate in this event. With so much interest it will be a wonderful showcase for visitors to see what the industry has to offer,” says Schoeman.
Spectators will also be given plenty of opportunities to participate in lucky draws and there will be a convenient hospitality arena and a children’s area to keep the smaller kids occupied.
“If you are in the area on the day, we would love to welcome you to the event. Come and support the students competing for the title!,” says Goch.
Doors open at 10:00 until 16:00 at HTS Drostdy, 40 Somerset Street, Worcester, Western Cape and entry is only R20 per adult. Kids u/12 free if accompanied by an adult.
