The Retail Motor Industry Organisation, in partnership with merSETA and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, will launch Project Dineo on June 21 at Port Rex Technical High School to help revive East London’s legacy as a hub for skilled automotive mechanics.
The national unveiling will coincide with the 10th edition of the Motor Industry Workshop Association Motor Mech Show, a flagship event aimed at exposing pupils to career paths in mechanics, auto-electrics, and emerging vehicle technologies.
Project Dineo is a multi-year, public-private initiative designed to create pathways into skilled trades for SA youth, particularly young women, persons with disabilities, and historically disadvantaged communities. Over the next three years, it will select and train 100 high-potential candidates annually, providing them with access to apprenticeships, short skills courses, mentorship, and trade testing opportunities directly linked to the automotive and artisan sectors.
“This is about more than just training mechanics,” RMI CEO Ipeleng Mabusela said. “This is about giving young people a shot at a future with not just a job, but a livelihood. Through mentorship, structured learning, and industry partnerships, we want them to not only enter the workforce but thrive in it.”
The decision to launch in East London is both strategic and symbolic.
As part of a special economic zone with a rich industrial heritage but high unemployment rates, the city is a focal point for national skills and economic development initiatives. Port Rex, a school known for producing work-ready graduates in engineering, manufacturing, and skilled trades, was seen as a natural fit for the initiative’s debut.
“East London represents the heartbeat of economic transformation,” Mabusela said. “And Port Rex embodies the ethos of Project Dineo — practical, inclusive, and future-facing.”
Retired artisan John Bennet, who runs a youth skills programme in Buffalo Flats, welcomed the project, saying: “The rate of youth unemployment is so high. But if you’re equipped with great skills, you can make a living for yourself.”
The DA’s Dr Vicky Knoetze praised the programme, saying: “Project Dineo deserves recognition as an example of public and private stakeholders working together to tackle youth unemployment in the Eastern Cape.”
Knoetze called on the department of economic development & education to roll out a province-wide artisan and automotive skills development programme in collaboration with TVET colleges, employers, and industry bodies.
The DA’s shadow MEC for basic education Horatio Hendricks said: “To truly combat youth unemployment, we must transform how society views vocational and technical education.
“Our young people need to see trades not as a last resort, but as viable, respected career paths.”
With the automotive sector contributing 2% to SA’s GDP and supporting more than 300,000 jobs, Project Dineo signals a commitment to preparing a new generation of skilled youth to meet the demands of a changing economy.
