The Category winners and official winners of the 2022 SA Car of the Year, scheduled for 6 June 2022, will be revealed via a Social Media Takeover. Seven members of the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) have been given carte blanche to announce the winners in whatever creative means they wish, including sharing announcements. The team comprises:
Sisanda “Dozer” Mbete (joined SAGMJ in April 2016): Sisanda is the most senior on our team. He is known for his epic road trips and off-roading exploits. Sisanda has been a member of the SAGMJ going on eight years and SA COTY juror for three years and is thus a dead cinch to take it a step further and be involved in the announcing of a winner.
Justin Jacobs (joined SAGMJ in August 2018): Justin has had a deep passion for all things car-related since his childhood. In pursuit of his passion, he achieved his dream and ended up becoming a motoring content creator and writer. He has been sharing his opinion on the latest cars in several newspapers, television, and social media for the past 12 years. He has also appeared on several radio shows and podcasts. His career has seen him experience some of the finest metal on four wheels throughout South Africa and abroad with many international test drives. This wordsmith believes that a car has a personality and that it needs to be discovered, learned, and understood.
Samuel Da Fonseca (joined SAGMJ in March 2019): Before he could even walk, cars fascinated little Sam. Years later, what started as a simple Instagram page to share a passion for cars and four years of hard work, Sam’s social media presence skyrocketed. Sam is now living his wildest dreams in the motor industry. He lives for the smell of burnt rubber!
Javon Francis (joined SAGMJ in September 2020): With ten years of experience in the motoring industry and seven years in the social media industry, Javon has seen it all, from tearing up some of South Africa’s fastest GTRs to building his own streetcar. Javon is set to bring some flair and spice to our reveal.
Kumbi Mtshakazi (joined SAGMJ in January 2021): A contributor to multiple motoring publications and a passion for all things on wheels and social media, Kumbi is an independent automotive reviewer and a social media content curator. The quietest of our team, we hope that his COTY experience will raise him to new heights.
Shawn Brett (joined SAGMJ April 2021): Shawn hails from the East Rand, the home of the cone filter and free-flow exhaust system. With a passion for cars and a mind for business, he has spent the last eight years developing his branding business and the last four years writing and developing motoring-related content. He is a creative, a writer, a coffee addict, and a proud member of the LGBTQ rainbow family, sharing his passion with all like-minded followers.
Vann van Staden (joined SAGMJ in August 2021): Fate intervened over a decade ago when Vann began her career in motor journalism. What started as a fluke quickly became a passion, and that passion has earned her a name in the industry. From humble beginnings writing for local newspapers to having launched one of SA’s hottest new motoring magazines, APEX, she has put the pedal to the metal, and there is no stopping this car nut! Forget long walks on the beach; this girl’s all about fast days on the track.
The SAGMJ, the founders and custodians of COTY, selected the COTY Takeover Team from members who display both journalistic and social media talents. “There is this perception that you can either be a good journalist or a social media content creator. The two are not mutually exclusive anymore. We are seeing digital journalism converge with influencer culture. We want to encourage the new generation of talented journfluencers. This team was selected for their passion for the motor industry, the quality of their social media automotive content, and because we see their immense potential and are proud to call them SAGMJ members,” says Carl Wepener, Chairman of the SAGMJ.
“COTY has been evolving since 1986 and continues to do so. The foundation for the future of mobility and how we communicate about it is being laid right now, and identifying the next generation to carry the COTY torch forward is important to COTY and the SAGMJ. Handing this team the opportunity to announce the winners of our prestigious competition shows how committed we are to it,” added Graham Eagle, Chairman of the 2022 COTY committee.
Category winners will be announced in no particular order, but plenty of hints are available on social media! The programme will be as follows:
09h00: Samuel Da Fonseca
09h30: Sisanda Mbete
10h00: Kumbi Mtshakazi
10h30: Javon Francis
11h00: Justin Jacobs
11h30: Samuel Da Fonseca – MOTOR ENTHUSIASTS CHOICE AWARD
12h00: Vann van Staden
12h30: Shawn Brett
13h00: Javon Francis – JURORS EXCELLENCE AWARD
13h30: Kumbi Mtshakazi – OVERALL WINNER
14h00: Justin Jacobs – SAGMJ OEM OF THE YEAR
14h30: Sisanda Mbete – SAGMJ PR OF THE YEAR