The beginning of Dennis Toyota,
Dennis Blackbeard finished his apprenticeship at D.H Saker Limited in Johannesburg in 1941 and then returned to Botswana and opened Dennis Service Station.
He started the business with 4 Pounds Sterling and his Bonney Toolbox which his son, Gavin Blackbeard still has today. Dennis managed to rent a small mud and brick warehouse. This was during the Second World War and there were very few vehicles around so, his business started with repairing bicycles and welding jobs and ox wagon repairs.
People needing parts were asked to pay upfront. The beginning of the success of Dennis Service Station was obtaining the Government contracts to service and repair vehicles.
Ronnie Blackbeard his eldest son, also did an apprenticeship with Duly Motors in Bulawayo. Once he had qualified, he came back to Serowe and joined his father in the family business. It was not long after Ronnie joined the business that Dennis decided to sell his shares to Ronnie and start a Safari Company.
Ronnie acquired the Massey Ferguson Franchise and Dennis Service Station started assembling and selling new tractors. These came in crate form (CBU) from England. Gavin the youngest son, joined Ronnie in 1970 and bought shares in Dennis Service Station. In 1976 Gavin became the sole owner of Dennis Service Station and brought in his good friend Raymond Watson as a partner.
In 1980 Dennis Service Station approached Toyota South Africa and became franchise holders. Gavin and Raymond were in Partnership for over forty years, until Raymond wished to retire from the business. In July 2017 Raymond Watson sold his 50% shares of Dennis Toyota to Ngami Motors
(Pty) Ltd – Halfway Toyota. Today Dennis Toyota is owned 50% by Ngami Motors (Pty) Ltd, 40% by Gavin Blackbeard and 10% by Michael Tuffek our Dealer Principal. Dennis Toyota has always been a family run business with Justine, Gavin’s wife, having been in the business for over thirty years, Michael (our son in law) for nearly 20 years and now his wife, Melody our daughter, has joined us in 2018 as our sales manager.