With the motto to start from the bottom and work your way up, and a lifelong experience as a versatile specialist in the automotive diesel electric business of William Swarts from Worcester who has just retired after more than four decades in this trade.
William is on accumulated leave before his official retirement at the end of September 2020 after working as Parts Sales Executive at Diesel Electric Worcester for 41 years.
Born and bred in this Western Cape town, William started his career as parts clerk at Diesel Electric after a short stint at Nautilus Marine in Cape Town. He finished school after gaining his matric certificate in 1972, earning up to R30 a month until he joined Diesel Electric in his hometown on the 8th of August 1975.
“I started at the bottom, stripping parts from old vehicles, cleaning and repairing them and eventually ending up in the parts sales division where I served thousands of customers over the years.”
Apart from attending various training courses, William was one of a handful of candidates from across the country who won a trip to Germany in 1987 for training at the Bosch headquarters and a week of sightseeing.
He also visited Zimbabwe to gain further knowledge of the products supplied by his company, but for the rest of his career, he never worked beyond the borders of Worcester.
Highlights of his private life include his marriage to Clarisa and the birth of their two daughters, Natasha and Sue-Ann.
William is an active community member in Worcester where he serves on the church of the VGK Worcester East community church, including field work in neighbouring areas, inter alia, Nuy, Overhex and De Doorns. He is also actively involved with the Christelike Afhanklikheidsbediening (CAB).
“I am a community person. I love serving the people in our community, and I serve as chairman of the Worcester-gemeenskapsleersentrum (ABET). I am an active management member of the Bruin Belange initiative and for the last 25 years, I have been chairman of the welfare initiative, Chipros.”
Asked about his life-long work experience and advice to youth leaving school soon, William is not shy to say what he thinks: “Get off the streets. You have to be prepared to start from the bottom and work your way up."
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.
South Africa’s domestic new-vehicle market strengthened in September, recording 61 645 sales, its highest monthly total of 2026. Sales increased by 3 747 vehicles, or 6.5%, from August’s originally reported total and were 12.7% higher than in September 2025.
Advertisement
Advertisement
I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
You just must drive the new Mazda CX-5 to understand why this could be a game changer for the iconic legacy brand that was once one of the top-selling brands in South Africa.
The opening of GWM Hyde Park marks a return to familiar territory for dealership owner Bradley Scorer, whose career in the South African motor industry began in the same area decades ago.
Mitsubishi Motors Bedfordview has been awarded the prestigious Overall Dealer of the Year title in the brand’s annual dealer evaluation and awards program, recognising its outstanding performance and commitment to excellence across all areas of the business.
