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From Security Guard to Top Dealer Principal

Johannesburg: Hyundai Automotive South Africa is proud to shine a spotlight on one of its most inspiring leaders: Zweli Sibiya, Dealer Principal of Hyundai Benoni; who rose from humble beginnings to lead one of the top-performing dealerships.

44-year-old Sibiya, who was born in Soweto and joined Hyundai in 2020, leads a 38-member sales team in the highly-competitive Gauteng automotive space. What makes Sibiya’s story remarkable are not just sales figures but the journey that brought him to where he is today.

“With no formal tertiary education, I began working as a Security Guard. To supplement my income, I tapped into ‘my natural selling bug’ where I started selling vegetables at Johannesburg Park Station. It was here that I discovered my sales passion,” he added.

What began as an effort to make ends meet soon shaped his natural ability to connect with people, when Sibiya joined Hyundai Benoni team as Sales Executive. “My journey taught me to never stop dreaming, to stay consistent and the courage to start over, even after my vegetable business failed,” Sibiya reflected. “Most importantly, it taught me to respect everyone, no matter their background or socio-economic status.”

His turning point came when Promise Twala, the current Dealer Principal at Hyundai The Glen dealership who was Sibiya’s mentor back in 2020, noticed his talent. “Zweli attracted my attention through his passion, impeccable work ethic, positive attitude and humility. Seeing potential where others might have unintentionally overlooked it, I offered him an as position as Sales Manager at Hyundai Benoni.”

Sibiya embraced it fully and when Twala was promoted to lead Hyundai The Glen, Sibiya became a natural choice to succeed her as Dealer Principal at Hyundai Benoni dealership. “Zweli is very teachable and has a strong ability to take punches (constructive criticism) without sulking. He nailed each task that was given to him, with excellence,” added Twala.

Stanley Anderson, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa said promoting from within is one of Hyundai’s greatest strengths.

“Our employee-first culture contributes to an individual’s growth and our company’s success. Zweli’s inspirational story exemplifies the very culture Hyundai champions: where talent and dedication are nurtured, regardless of formal education or background.”

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