Sa'S Self-Made Motoring Mogul

It started in 1981 with a Suzuki Speed Centre in Westonaria. Today, motoring mogul Toby Venter’s companies own the Kyalami Racetrack, and are also the local distributors for Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley. And, then there’s the exclusive Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards that also belong to him. This is his motoring story.

- Toby Venter

Toby Venter grew up in the North West university town of Potchefstroom, finishing his schooling at Potchefstroom Boys High School.

A stint in the army followed, and he was based at Oudtshoorn and Potchefstroom. After his compulsory army service, he enrolled for a degree in law and economics at the Potchefstoom University.

Ever since he could remember though, he had been in love with all things automotive. So in between his studies, he worked in the motoring industry, and in 1978, he became a factory motocross rider for the Shell Suzuki team. In 1981, he opened the bike stop in Westonoria, and soon after, added Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda in Potch and Westonaria.

The next step was cars and by 1985 he started up Venter Motors, a General Motors franchise, in Westonaria. By 1995, he was appointed chief executive officer of Porsche and he acquired this business the next year. From there he never looked back.

Where, when and in what did you learn to drive?

In a Ford Fairlane 500 on the farm roads in Potchefstroom. I was 11 years old at the time.

Any funny tales during that learning experience?