By Staff Writer
As Women’s Month draws to a close, we meet three women building careers in trucking and helping to keep businesses, goods and communities moving.
Every truck travelling between a factory, warehouse, farm or retailer carries more than its load. It forms part of a vast network that keeps South Africa’s economy moving.
Behind these vehicles are people making critical decisions about how they are built, sold and supported. At Hino South Africa, Dikeledi Mjilo, Shanaaz Khan and Samantha Visagie are among the women taking their place across this traditionally male-dominated industry.
Dikeledi Mjilo: Building trucks that build businesses
Mjilo is a principal engineer at Hino’s assembly plant in Prospecton, near Durban. She joined the company as a graduate trainee and worked her way through the ranks before moving into her current position nine years ago.
Her responsibility is to help ensure that trucks are built safely, efficiently, on time and to the required quality. It is demanding work, but its wider purpose is never far from her mind.
“I find personal reward in knowing that the work I do is contributing to building reliable trucks that will keep businesses moving.”
Mjilo’s career milestones include graduating cum laude while studying part-time, caring for a newborn and adjusting to married life. She was also part of the team that relocated Hino’s production operations to its current site.
A wife and mother of three, she extends her sense of service beyond the factory floorthrough community projects providing school shoes, homes and furniture to people inneed.
Shanaaz Khan: Growing through every opportunity
Khan joined Hino as an administrative clerk and personal assistant in 2013. She progressed to assistant manager in administration, sales and tenders before becoming fleet manager in 2022.
Today, she manages strategic fleet accounts, supports dealers and develops customer relationships while identifying opportunities for growth.
“Joining Hino opened the door to an industry I quickly became passionate about. My passion grew as I progressed through various roles in the company.”
That commitment continues at home. Khan and her fiancé fostered a two-year-old child while helping his mother enter rehabilitation. They remain involved in initiatives supporting people affected by substance abuse.
Samantha Visagie: Leading with purpose
Visagie is the senior manager responsible for Hino sales and its dealer network. Her career began with an engineering bursary and a graduate trainee position at Toyota South Africa Motors’ HiAce assembly plant.
She later managed engineering operations, worked in human resource development and talent management, and led truck production at the Hino plant. Her achievements include spearheading the launch of the Hino 700 Series in 2022 following the plant’s restart after the KwaZulu-Natal floods.
“My career has significantly exceeded my expectations. I never imagined reaching management level, making my current position a truly rewarding achievement.”
Now responsible for supporting Hino’s national sales performance and dealer network, Visagie brings together engineering experience, an MBA and a people-centred leadership style.
As Women’s Month ends, the journeys of Mjilo, Khan and Visagie remind us that women are not simply entering the trucking industry. They are helping to shape it, strengthening the businesses and transport networks upon which South Africa’s economy depends.
