March is International Women’s Month, a time when the world pauses to recognise the women who shape industries, rewrite narratives and quietly and sometimes boldly, change the course of history. In South Africa’s high-octane motorsport landscape, the South African Endurance Series (SAES) is doing exactly that.

Long associated with roaring engines, speed and male-dominated pit lanes, motorsport has historically been an exclusive club, particularly in South Africa, where the sport has been largely defined by white male leadership. But a new chapter is unfolding.

At the centre of this transformation stand three remarkable women: Liyema Letlaka, Cindy Van Der Laan, and Mihlali Mehlomakhulu. Together, they form the strategic backbone of SAES, guiding the championship with a vision that is as inclusive as it is ambitious.

Their leadership signals something powerful: the future of motorsport leadership in South Africa is not only diverse, it is female.

Rewriting the Story of Motorsport

The South African Endurance Series was founded to pioneer endurance racing on the African continent but its mission extends far beyond the race circuit.

Owned by businessman and racing driver Xolile Letlaka, the championship was built on a bold premise: motorsport in South Africa should reflect the country it represents.

Diverse. Ambitious. Forward-thinking.

“Motorsport should not be an exclusive arena,” Letlaka has often expressed through the ethos of the series. Instead, it should be a platform for innovation, transformation and opportunity.

And within SAES, that vision is not theoretical, it is operational.

Liyema Letlaka – Chief Executive Officer

In the executive suite of SAES, Liyema Letlaka occupies a position rarely held by women in global motorsport: Chief Executive Officer.

As CEO, she carries the responsibility of strategic direction, stakeholder engagement and the long-term commercial sustainability of the championship.

In an industry where executive decision-making has historically excluded women, her presence represents both progress and intent.

“Women belong in every space where decisions are made, including motorsport,” Letlaka says.
“Our role at SAES is not symbolic. We are here to build, to lead and to win.”

Under her guidance, SAES is positioning itself as a commercially competitive and globally relevant racing property, rooted firmly in South African excellence while embracing international standards.

Liyema Letlaka – Chief Executive Officer

In the executive suite of SAES, Liyema Letlaka occupies a position rarely held by women in global motorsport: Chief Executive Officer.

As CEO, she carries the responsibility of strategic direction, stakeholder engagement and the long-term commercial sustainability of the championship.

In an industry where executive decision-making has historically excluded women, her presence represents both progress and intent.

“Women belong in every space where decisions are made, including motorsport,” Letlaka says.
“Our role at SAES is not symbolic. We are here to build, to lead and to win.”

Under her guidance, SAES is positioning itself as a commercially competitive and globally relevant racing property, rooted firmly in South African excellence while embracing international standards.

Cindy Van Der Laan – General Manager

If the CEO defines the vision, the General Manager ensures the machine runs flawlessly.

At SAES, that responsibility belongs to Cindy Van Der Laan, whose role spans logistics, partnerships, operational planning and team coordination.

On race weekends, when precision, timing and resilience determine whether an event succeeds – Van Der Laan orchestrates the intricate ecosystem behind the scenes.

“Motorsport demands precision, resilience and strategic thinking, qualities women bring naturally,” she says.

Her leadership underscores a critical truth: women are not visitors in motorsport. They are engineers of its success.

Just as the drivers rely on their teams in the pits, SAES relies on operational leadership capable of managing complexity with calm authority and Van Der Laan does exactly that.

Mihlali Mehlomakhulu – Marketing Director

In modern sport, the race is not only won on the track, it is also won in the stories that capture the imagination of audiences.

That responsibility rests with Mihlali Mehlomakhulu, SAES’s Marketing Director.

Her mandate is to position the championship as both a sporting spectacle and a cultural movement, one that resonates with a new generation of fans.

“Representation matters,” Mehlomakhulu explains.
“Young girls need to see women not just as grid models or spectators, but as decision-makers, strategists and leaders.”

Through storytelling, media partnerships and dynamic campaigns, she is ensuring the SAES brand speaks to an audience that is younger, more diverse and proudly African.

In doing so, she is reshaping the perception of what motorsport culture looks like in South Africa.

Transforming a Historically Exclusive Sport

For decades, motorsport, globally and locally has struggled with issues of access, diversity and representation.

The barriers have been structural: high costs, limited development pathways and an industry culture that historically excluded women and people of colour.

But SAES is attempting to disrupt that legacy.

With Black ownership under Xolile Letlaka and a women-led executive team, the championship offers a new blueprint for motorsport leadership in South Africa.

It is a model that acknowledges history but refuses to be defined by it.

And during International Women’s Day and the broader celebrations of International Women’s Month, the work being done within SAES serves as a powerful reminder that transformation is not only possible, it is already happening.

Beyond the Track: Building Opportunity

The vision of the South African Endurance Series extends far beyond the roar of engines and the thrill of the podium.

The organisation is committed to building meaningful pathways for women across the motorsport ecosystem, including:

• Encouraging young women to pursue careers in motorsport
• Supporting development programmes for women drivers
• Creating leadership opportunities in engineering, logistics, media and race management
• Ensuring transformation is measurable not merely aspirational

In doing so, SAES is recognising an essential truth about the future of sport: representation drives participation.

When young women see themselves reflected in leadership in the boardroom, the garage and the control tower – the boundaries of possibility expand.

Motorsport is, at its heart, a sport about endurance.

It rewards those who understand that victory is not always about the fastest lap, but about strategy, persistence and vision.

For the South African Endurance Series, the journey toward a more inclusive and representative industry is still unfolding.

But with leaders like Liyema Letlaka, Cindy Van Der Laan, and Mihlali Mehlomakhulu steering the wheel, the direction is clear.

The next generation of motorsport leaders will not be defined by the past.

They will be defined by who dares to lead the future.

And at SAES, that future is already accelerating.