The Marcia Mayaba Foundation, working with the Impumelelo Institute, has opened applications for a fully funded leadership course aimed at five high-performing women aged 25 to 35 in the automotive value chain. The R27 500 Effective Personal Productivity (EPP) programme is designed to help address the sector’s ongoing leadership gender gap. The closing date for applications is 15 June 2026, and shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly.
Programme launch and purpose
As Youth Month gets under way in South Africa, the foundation and the institute have introduced this six-to-eight week, fully online leadership development opportunity. It targets young women already working in the automotive value chain and focuses on time management, accountability and team leadership skills. Participants can continue with their jobs while completing the course. The EPP curriculum follows a well-known LMI-licensed model that emphasises behaviour change and practical application in the workplace.
Why this matters for the auto sector
Industry discussions and research indicate that women remain underrepresented in South Africa’s automotive workforce and leadership ranks. Recent sector analyses suggest women make up roughly 10% to 20% of the automotive workforce, with even fewer in senior and executive roles. This is seen as a structural weakness, particularly as women increasingly influence consumer demand in the industry. Another industry snapshot puts women at around 15% of the workforce, with most employed in administrative rather than technical or managerial positions.
Marcia Mayaba is known in industry and community circles through the ISUZU Foundation and dealer networks. She has been involved in education and child welfare projects, fundraising partnerships and school infrastructure upgrades, showing how corporate platforms can translate into community impact. The foundation’s new leadership cohort aims to apply that community focus to human capital development specifically for women in the automotive sector.
Who should apply and how
The programme is open to female professionals aged 25 to 35 who are employed anywhere in the automotive value chain and can demonstrate strong performance, growth potential and a commitment to development. Only five candidates will be selected. Applicants need to send a short motivation letter outlining their leadership journey, achievements and aspirations to Awodwak@mmayabafoundation.co.za by 15 June 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly by the foundation.
What success looks like – and the challenges ahead
If the programme succeeds, it is expected to create a small but focused pipeline of women ready for mid-level and senior roles. That would tackle one of the sector’s persistent bottlenecks: the gap between women’s growing influence as consumers and their low numbers in decision-making positions. However, industry observers note that training alone is not enough. Mentorship, sponsorship and deliberate recruitment and promotion practices across OEMs, suppliers and dealer networks are also needed to turn development into lasting leadership change.
Key facts
- Fully funded programme worth R27 500 per participant
- Online course lasting six to eight weeks
- Five places available
- Apply by 15 June 2026 to Awodwak@mmayabafoundation.co.za
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