In Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape, everyone knows her as the “Mother of Broken Cars” – the woman who takes neglected, forgotten vehicles and brings them roaring back to life. Now Nosipho Kholutsoane has something new to celebrate: a formal qualification to match her golden hands.
Kholutsoane graduated as a motor mechanic from the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) TVET College in Mthatha on 17 July 2026, alongside 69 other graduates of the Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) Programme, SAnews reports. She was one of only two women in the class of 70 – a milestone for women in the traditionally male-dominated automotive sector.
From passion project to thriving business
Through her business, Lereku Trading, Kholutsoane restores vintage and unique vehicles, with skills spanning vehicle body building, motor body repairs, spray painting and classic-car restoration. Her creations have been hired for weddings, matric dances and shows, and her work has even caught international attention: German broadcaster Deutsche Welle has featured some of her restorations.
The ARPL programme that recognised her skills was funded through a project of the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier and implemented by the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC) in partnership with KSD TVET College.
An investment that is paying off
After Kholutsoane answered a call for participants in the Automotive Aftermarket Support Programme in 2023, the AIDC-EC identified where support could help her business grow. In 2025, Lereku Trading received tools and equipment worth R474 747.30 through the AIDC-EC Tools, Machinery and Equipment Support Programme.
For Kholutsoane, the qualification is about far more than a piece of paper.
“The qualification formally recognises the expertise I have developed over the years and could help strengthen my credibility, unlock new opportunities and position my business for further growth.”
Breaking barriers in Women’s Month
As South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March, Kholutsoane’s story is a timely reminder of what happens when women’s skills are recognised and invested in: businesses grow, communities benefit and the next generation sees what is possible.
From a passion for broken cars to a formally certified artisan with a growing enterprise, the Mother of Broken Cars is proof that talent, backed by opportunity, can take you anywhere.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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