Johan Cloete passes

Johan Cloete passes

South African commercial-vehicle industry stalwart, Johan Cloete, has sadly passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

An affable, friendly man, Johan was well known to the local commercial-vehicle industry, having served in various roles at a number of local original equipment manufacturers.

He began his career in 1972 as a retail truck and bus salesman for Clows Mercedes-Benz in Pretoria. In 1975, his stint in the automotive industry was interrupted as he took on the role of operation and cold storage manager on the logistics side of the industry.

February 1977 saw Johan return to the Mercedes-Benz organisation where he became divisional manager Freightliner and Fuso; a role held for more than 30 years.

This was followed by a move to Volkswagen South Africa as general manager of commercial vehicles. In 2009, Johan joined MAN Truck & Bus South Africa where, as a management board member, he was tasked with national truck sales and product development for MAN and Volkswagen trucks.

Johan’s most recent appointment came in 2015, when he joined Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa (now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). Here he embraced the role of project manager Fiat development, for Fiat Professional – the company’s light commercial-vehicle (LCV) brand.

As part of his LCV development programme at Fiat Professional, Johan oversaw the local launch of the brand’s first double-cab bakkie, the Fullback, in June 2016.

The FOCUS team sends its heartfelt condolences to Johan’s family, friends and colleagues.

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Focus on Transport

FOCUS on Transport and Logistics is the oldest and most respected transport and logistics publication in southern Africa.
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