Ayob Motors moves to CBD

One of the beacons along the N1 where it passes the town of Louis Trichardt has disappeared. The well-known Ayob Motors fuel station and motor dealer, has moved to the centre of town, more than 35 years after opening in what was then described as the “outskirts” of the town.

The history of Ayob Motors started long before the fuel station and garage were opened in December 1981. Yassin Hussain Ayob (commonly known as Charlie Ayob), the businessman who started Ayob Motors, was born in Louis Trichardt in 1935. His mother, Mariam, was the daughter of AV Mohammed, one of the first Indian traders in the district who arrived here in the late 1890s.

When he first started off in business, the young Charlie Ayob sold fruit and vegetables from a premises in the centre of town. He gradually changed his business into a curtain shop and, together with his brother, worked hard to turn “Charlie’s Den” into a household name. Initially cars were sold on a part-time basis, but it soon became apparent that this was a worthwhile business venture. In 1960, Charlie opened Ayob Motors in the then Trichardt street.

In the 1970s the Indian traders were forced by the government of the time to sell their property and move to an area demarcated just outside of town. This move met with a lot of resistance, not only from the Indian traders, but also from certain sections of the local business community. The only bit of good news was that a new bypass was being constructed, effectively avoiding the centre of town and passing within a few hundred metres of the newly established Eltivillas.

In 1977, Charlie Ayob purchased a piece of land on the corner of Main and Commercial Street, but construction work on the new fuel station and vehicle display room could only start four years later, pending the council’s approval. The Indian traders found it difficult to leave their stores in the CBD behind. In some cases, the municipality had to use force to remove the belongings of the Indian traders out of the buildings before the bulldozers arrived. “The Indians had no choice but to move out. The people are bitter,” Charlie Ayob told a reporter of the Tribune newspaper at the time.

Through hard work and dedication, the Indian traders made the most of their opportunities and grew their businesses. Ayob Motors became a landmark next to the N1 on the route to the north. The second-hand car dealership quickly grew into the biggest in the region and customers came from all over to buy their vehicles here.

Charlie’s two sons, Faizal and Hussain, joined him in 1981 and 1985 respectively, and gradually took over most of the management duties of the business. When Charlie Ayob died of a heart attack in May 2002, the business was one of the most successful in the north.

Faizal, the eldest son, retired in 2000, following brain surgery to remove a tumour, and it was left to Hussain Ayob to keep the wheels rolling. This he did very well, using his skills as salesman and drawing on his extensive knowledge of the motor industry. On several occasions the service station was nominated as one of the Top 50 Total service stations in the country. In 2004 Hussain opened the Tiger Wheel & Tyre franchise opposite Ayob Motors.

A couple of months ago Hussain was approached by Vahid and Ajas Bambawala, who wanted to buy the premises. Their idea was to expand the filling station and combine it with a fast-food outlet. “The offer was a good one and it gave me the opportunity to scale down a bit and focus on second-hand vehicles. We also have the second premises on the corner of Krogh and Joubert Street, which meant that we could simply move our main office and vehicles,” Hussain explained.

The building at the Krogh Street branch was renovated and expanded to make provision for the additional staff members. The display area for cars was also adapted, allowing Ayob Motors to display their full inventory of stock.

“The same excellent service that customers were used to for so many decades will still be available, only at a different premises,” Hussain said. Hussain thanked all the clients for their loyal support over the years and he invited them to drop in at the Krogh Street branch for a cup of coffee or tea.

News - Date: 05 November 2016

Anton van Zyl

Anton van Zyl has been with the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror since 1990. He graduated from the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg) and obtained a BA Communications degree. He is a founder member of the Association of Independent Publishers.

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