The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) elected a new Executive Committee (EXCO) at its Annual General Meeting on 27 June 2026.
Brendon Staniforth has been elected Guild Chairperson. A longstanding Guild member, Staniforth serves on the South African Car of the Year (COTY) committee and is a COTY juror. He succeeds Mabuyane Mabuza, who served as Guild Chairperson for the past three years.
“Serving as Chairperson of the SAGMJ has been a rewarding experience. Working alongside an experienced team to help shape the future of our organisation has been an honour. I wish the incoming EXCO every success as they fulfil their important responsibilities,” says Mabuza, the new President of the SAGMJ.
Thami Masemola was elected to a second term as Guild Vice Chairperson, a role that includes the COTY Chairmanship. Azim Omar was re-elected as Guild Treasurer, while Bernard Hellberg Jr remains Honorary Secretary.
Liana Reiners completes the team as head of the Membership Portfolio. She is no stranger to the Exco, having served for more than two decades under seven former Guild chairpersons.
Staniforth thanks members for entrusting him with the role of chairman, “Mabuyane and the previous Executive Committee have done a sterling job in revitalising the South African Car of the Year competition, and I look forward to refocusing on some basic responsibilities that the Guild has represented for decades. I am committed to working with the new Executive Committee to deliver on the Guild’s mandate to its members and the motor industry at large.”
We congratulate the newly elected officials and look forward to the next chapter in the Guild’s legacy of more than six decades.
