When Yoshika Naidoo
set out in the early 2000s to study at Rhodes University in Makhanda, she could
not possibly have imagined what the move would mean for her.
Like many students in
the town, she worked part-time to earn extra cash. As it so happened, one of
these jobs was as a receptionist at the then Kenrich Motors, a car dealership
known to generations of families in the Makana district.
In January this year,
Naidoo (39) became dealer principal (DP) at the business that is now Kelston
Isuzu Grahamstown – some 16 years after she first set foot in the building as
an industry greenhorn.
“I really thought it
would take a few more years before I was given this position. It’s not something
I really anticipated – an Indian girl from Durban being in a small little town
in the Eastern Cape,” said Naidoo.
If she seems
surprised at her success and where she has found it, it’s because she is.
The industrial
relations graduate was convinced she would go on to a career in human resources,
but destiny had other plans for her.
“After I finished my
degree, I stayed on and worked my way through the dealership.
“I did a bit of
service advising when the gentleman in that position was on leave. I also did a
bit of work in the parts department and was given the opportunity to do sales.
“I then tried to
leave. I went to my boss at the time and said, ‘You know I’ve studied
industrial relations and it’s more in the HR field that I need to work’. But
then he wanted to give me the HR function as well.”
Such was his faith in
Naidoo that she was even made general manager.
“Unfortunately, my
mother passed away from cancer and I had to move back to Durban to be with my
family. That’s where I was for the next six years,” said Naidoo.
“But in all those
years the DP kept asking me, ‘When are you coming back?’”
While she was in
KwaZulu-Natal, General Motors pulled out of South Africa, necessitating him to downsize
the business and move premises. From that point on, its focus would be Isuzu
alone.
Finally, her former
boss’s pleas for Naidoo’s return worked and she rejoined the business in
October 2019 as operations manager.
What she did not know
was that he was in negotiations to sell to the Kelston Motor Group.
“They took over on
March 1, 2020. We were so lucky because the COVID-19 lockdown started on March 26.
They literally saved our bacon.”
At the time, Naidoo
was a sales admin manager, later becoming sales manager running the parts and
service department for the Isuzu dealership.
That portfolio was
expanded to include the dealership next door, which suddenly meant Naidoo was
managing parts and services for multiple brands.
It would also prove
to be the springboard to greater things.
“In October or
November last year Mike McNaughton (Kelston MD) called me in to say that I had
been earmarked for the DP job at Isuzu. So, on January 1 this year I became dealer
principal,” said Naidoo.
She said the Kelston
takeover had been wonderful for the dealership. Not only was there a more
structured environment, but more stability and support were offered.
“I was sent on a
management course, and that has really done so much for my career. I’ve got a
sales manager who started off as an apprentice mechanic, while my service
adviser started off as a driver. Everyone has a great story to tell.”
Since Naidoo came up
through the ranks herself, she is able to understand what staff members do, as
well as their challenges.
“Everybody has
conversations about what’s going on in their day and because of that we can
handle any issues immediately,” said Naidoo.
“I’ve had such
incredible support from each and every staff member. It boils down to the fact
that each person has respect for the other.”
She loves the fact
that Makhanda is a place where “everybody knows everybody” and the bonds
between her 15 staff members and the community are as strong as ever.
She is also excited
that, under Kelston, the dealership can start reaching other areas outside its
traditional farmer, game reserve and student markets.
