SAES CEO speaks on barriers in motorsport

When Liyema Letlaka was named the acting chief executive officer (CEO) of the South African Endurance Series (SAES), she had the shoes of her father, Xolile Letlaka, to fill. Xolile founded the series alongside Izak Spies in 2011.

“I've always been around motorsports, around cars, around Zwartkops. [My father] then eventually decided that he would like to own a series because he saw the lack of minority people in motorsports,” Liyema remembers of her beginnings in motorsports.

When Xolile founded the series, it became a first for South Africa.

“It became the first black-owned, black-run motorsports series. I was in the background of that for a very long time. And then, eventually, when the time came, I was like, I'm ready to do this,” she shared in conversation with Lights Out Africa.

At just 24 years of age, Letlaka said the presence of young talents and diverse representation in motorsport is becoming increasingly important.

"Motorsports in South Africa is full of a very ageing population. And while it's ageing too, it's very white-dominated,” she explained, noting that she noticed that she was different from the group as a young driver.

“I think growing up in motorsports, it was one, I'm female. Then, I happened to be black. So, there were a lot of things that were going against me at the time. I was one of the very few black people and one of the very few girls on the track. I wouldn't say I felt it directly, but you could feel the passive aggressiveness at the time. You can tell …”

Liyema, however, remained determined and says she later learned to adapt. 

“I never let that get to me … you learn how to manoeuvre in the spaces, take up the spaces, and make it work,” she says.

After overcoming barriers of race and gender, Liyema explains that a new barrier is rearing its head as she navigates her role at the head of the series.

“I think the first time I ever felt I'm in now was last year when I was announced [as CEO]. Then it stopped being about being female and black, but the ageism, – now I'm young. So, I just had to constantly prove myself. I think that this is the first year of my seat, and if I do say so myself, I think that we've made a lot of progress with my time in the chair,” she said.

Liyema explained that diversity is more than a box to tick, but produces a tangible difference on track.

“You can just tell when there's more females on the track, everything runs more smoothly — the care, the nurture that we take into our competitors as well,” she said, noting that the SAES is currently experiencing an influx of women hoping to become marshals. 

Watch Liyema’s full interview with Lights Out Africa this evening on Network Television, DStv 285 and GOtv 25, as well as oneuptwo.com.

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