WesBank, in partnership with naamsa The Automotive Business Council, this week celebrated the successful completion of a one-year learnership programme by three exceptional graduates: Thabang Kalaka, Karabo Lebogo, and Owethu Mthabela.
The programme, which ran from July 2024 to June 2025, underscores WesBank and naamsa’s unwavering commitment to advancing transformation and cultivating a diverse pipeline of future leaders within South Africa’s automotive industry.
The graduates were carefully selected through a rigorous interview process facilitated by Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, an NGO renowned for its www.sayouth.mobi platform. This platform effectively connects unemployed South African youth with corporates offering suitable employment or training opportunities, ensuring that deserving young talent receives the chance to thrive.
The learnership programme offered invaluable mentorship, exposing Thabang, Karabo, and Owethu to a multitude of touch points across the automotive value chain. During their year, they gained practical experience working at naamsa and were also exposed to core WesBank operations, including insights into the dealer network and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). To further support their development, the graduates received a monthly learnership salary throughout the programme.
Ghana Msibi, WesBank CEO, said: “This learnership programme is a tangible representation of our commitment to nurturing the next generation of automotive professionals. Providing these talented individuals with a ‘foot-up’ into the industry by offering them comprehensive exposure and a solid foundation is crucial for both their personal growth and the sustainable development of the sector.
“We are incredibly proud of Thabang, Karabo, and Owethu’s achievements and look forward to seeing the impact they will undoubtedly make in the future.”
Mikel Mabasa, naamsa CEO, said: “This initiative is not merely a developmental programme but a deliberate step toward cultivating a diverse pipeline of future industry leaders. In line with WesBank and naamsa’s steadfast posture on transformation, we were deliberate in onboarding these female graduates to introduce them to the automotive sector – a significant contributor to the South African economy.”
The successful completion of the learnership programme provides the graduates with a significant advantage, empowering them to apply for full-time employment at WesBank, naamsa, or any other vacancy within the broader automotive sector.
Further demonstrating WesBank and naamsa’s dedication to ongoing youth development and transformation, a new crop of graduates has already been chosen to participate in the 2025/26 learnership programme.
Old Regret
Zareef Minty is making waves in South Africa\’s politics, law and business industries. ZRF Holdings houses a PR company, a clothing company and a law firm. He\’s also a best-selling author of Empire, which is aimed at a young audience in need of life and career guidance. Minty is a motivational speaker and a One Young World ambassador. He\’s been named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans by Mail & Guardian and he\’s on the Forbes 2018 list of 30 under 30 African\’s to watch.