August was Women’s Month in South Africa but the growing contribution of women to the country’s trucking and transport industry is no longer a once-a-year talking point. Across the sector, women are increasingly taking on technical, operational, commercial and leadership roles that have traditionally been dominated by men.

Hino South Africa provides a good illustration of this changing landscape. Women are making their mark across the organisation, from engineering and production to fleet management, sales and dealer network leadership. Three of them – Dikeledi Mjilo, Shanaaz Khan and Samantha Visagie – demonstrate the very different career paths that can lead to influential roles in the commercial vehicle industry.

Bearing in mind that trucking is a critical part of the economy, the skills, perspectives and leadership of women are becoming an increasingly important part of keeping the complex road freight system moving.

From graduate trainee to principal engineer
Dikeledi Mjilo is a Principal Engineer at Hino’s assembly plant in Prospecton, near Durban, a position she has held for the past nine years after joining the company as a graduate trainee.

For the four years before moving into her current role, she worked in the Production Engineering and Planning Department, supporting the various disciplines within the assembly plant. This included projects in the Hino operational areas, where the production teams were effectively her customers in terms of tooling, equipment and facility requirements. Today, she is part of that team.

“Honestly, I never imagined I would work for a major truck manufacturer but I am proud of how, unexpectedly, my career journey has unfolded,” comments Dikeledi.

Her responsibilities are firmly rooted in the fundamentals of manufacturing excellence: “My role at Hino is to ensure we build high-quality trucks safely, on time and as cost effectively as possible. These goals are achieved by using tools such as time studies, line balancing, continuous improvement (Kaizen), ergonomic risk assessments, defect reduction processes and root cause analysis.”

But it is the human side of engineering that gives Dikeledi particular satisfaction. “I derive a great deal of enjoyment from my career, particularly the interaction with team members on the shop floor, such as finding out the challenges they face in performing their various tasks and then supporting them to improve and optimise their operations. Seeing them happy makes me happy too!” she says.

Her career has already delivered several significant milestones, including graduating cum laude in one of her qualifications while studying part time with a newborn baby and adapting to married life. She was subsequently part of the project team that successfully moved Hino production to its current site and later completed a management development programme that introduced her to self-mastery, deep introspection and learning to lead from within.

Married and a mother of three, Dikeledi also contributes to community initiatives outside working hours. Part of a team initiated by a fellow Hino employee, she helps support communities in practical ways, from providing school shoes to pupils to building and furnishing a house for elderly people.

“Above all else, my most important milestone occurs daily and that is coming to work and being happy while contributing to the outputs of an inclusive team in a healthy environment,” says Dikeledi.

Building relationships and careers
Shanaaz Khan offers another example of how opportunities within the commercial vehicle industry can develop into a long-term career. She joined Hino in 2013 as an Administrative Clerk and Personal Assistant before progressing to Assistant Manager: Administration, Sales and Tenders in 2017. In 2022 she was promoted to Fleet Manager, a position she has held for the past four years.

Her career progression has given her broad exposure to the business. “During my varied career I have developed a strong understanding for business ethics, dealer network operations, sales administration and customer service, all of which prepared me for my current position.

“As Fleet Manager I am responsible for managing strategic fleet accounts, developing customer relationships, supporting the dealer network in developing fleet business, identifying business growth opportunities and driving sales in the fleet environment,” explains Shanaaz.

She did not set out with a specific ambition to reach a senior position in trucking.

“I certainly did not envisage a career path that has seen me now filling an important position at Hino. My focus when I began working was on gaining experience, developing my skills and making meaningful contributions to the company when opportunities arose.

“Joining Hino in 2013 opened the door to an industry I quickly became passionate about and my passion grew as I progressed through various roles in the company.”

For Shanaaz, the people dimension of the business remains particularly important.

“The most enjoyable part of my work is the opportunity to build and maintain meaningful relationships with customers, dealers and colleagues,” she says.

Completing her Marketing Management NQF Level qualification was one of her career milestones but she sees success in broader terms – particularly when it comes to helping others. “My major milestones have come from helping people grow, succeed and create better futures for themselves,” adds Shanaaz.

That philosophy extends well beyond her professional life. Shanaaz is part of a blended family with eight children and, together with her fiancé, fostered a two-year-old toddler whose mother was struggling with drug addiction. They subsequently helped facilitate the mother’s admission to a rehabilitation centre and continue to support the centre and other community initiatives focused on substance abuse.

“I am especially grateful to Hino for valuing employee development and providing opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement,” Shanaaz says.

Engineering experience meets commercial leadership
Samantha Visagie brings yet another perspective, combining an engineering background with business management, manufacturing and now senior sales and dealer network responsibilities.

Seven months into her role as Senior Manager of Hino Sales and Dealer Network, Samantha brings extensive experience of the automotive and commercial vehicle environment.

Her career began with an engineering bursary that enabled her to join Toyota SA Motors (TSAM). She started as a graduate trainee at the HiAce assembly plant in Prospecton, gaining hands-on manufacturing experience before progressing to Engineering Manager for HiAce Assembly and Logistics.

It was during this period that her interest in the commercial vehicle segment developed. Samantha subsequently graduated with distinction in a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management and earned an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).

Her career then took her through Human Resource Development and Talent Management before returning to the Hino Assembly Plant. There, she was responsible for truck production and spearheaded the successful 2022 launch of the new Hino 700 series, following the plant’s pioneering post-flood restart. She later moved into Business Planning as Senior Manager before relocating to Sandton to join Hino’s Sales and Marketing team.

“My career has significantly exceeded my expectations. I never imagined reaching a management level, making my current position at a leading South African truck manufacturer a truly rewarding achievement,” she says.

Her approach has been shaped by the variety of roles she has undertaken: “My journey here has been defined by multiple rotations, and rather than simply adapting, I’ve learned to truly embrace change, finding energy in hands-on, practical learning.”

In her current position, Samantha is focused on supporting annual sales performance across Hino’s dealer network, developing incentive and sales support programmes and improving dealer operational efficiency while maintaining franchise standards.

“Beyond the numbers, I genuinely enjoy encouraging collaboration as part of the Hino Dealer Council, bridging the gap between our dealers and leadership,” Samantha states. She also represents dealer interests nationally and works to align the network with TSAM’s transformation objectives.

“I am enjoying the diversity that my current role offers with each day being different. I am learning constantly and always working on a variety of projects. I am particularly proud to be a member of the Hino South Africa team as it is a great brand backed by values that I align with and a culture that puts people first,” concludes Samantha.

Editor’s comment: The stories of Dikeledi, Shanaaz and Samantha demonstrate that there is no single route into the trucking industry – or into leadership. Their careers have been built through trajectories spanning diverse trucking disciplines. That diversity is increasingly important as South Africa’s trucking industry evolves. Women are not simply entering the sector; they are helping shape the way it operates, from the assembly line and engineering department to customers, dealers and the boardroom. And while August provides an important opportunity to recognise that progress, the real measure of change is what happens throughout the other 11 months of the year.

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