Farewell Kobus

It is with HUGE sadness that we wish to let you know that Kobus van Zyl, former executive director of Daimler Trucks and Buses, passed away on Tuesday, June 13.


Kobus had “diesel in his veins” and was a true captain of the South African truck and bus industry. He was passionate about Mercedes-Benz, trucking and customer service.

Kobus joined Daimler in April 1999, having previously worked as a portfolio manager and financial analyst for various other companies.

His first position at Daimler was in financial services, after which he moved to sales and marketing. He took the helm of the commercial vehicle operations, from a sales and marketing perspective, in 2008.

In October 2016, Kobus embarked on a new adventure after being appointed general manager for National Automotive Industries in Saudi Arabia, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz Trucks and EA Juffali and Brothers. Kobus was responsible for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Vans, Buses and Special Trucks as well as Western Star and Freightliner Trucks.

Kobus adored his family. He was also one of the nicest guys around (one of the many things that we loved about him was his down-to-earth nature).

Kobus is survived by his wife, Lynette, and children Pierre, Mignon and Marlon.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues and friends. Kobus, we will all miss you so much! We will pay tribute to Kobus in the July issue of FOCUS.

We will share details regarding the funeral arrangements via our social media channels.