The young racer believes every generation adds something new to the cultural story, and she hopes motorsport can become one of the things her generation leaves behind.
South Africa (10 September 2026) – When we think about South African heritage, we might picture traditional clothing, music, food, language and customs passed down through generations. But 17-year-old racing driver Vatiswa Mokhonoana believes there is room for something with a little more horsepower.
Vatiswa discovered motorsport for herself rather than growing up around it. She started karting at 15 before making the move into national circuit racing, becoming the first person in her family to pursue the sport.
And that is exactly what makes Heritage Month interesting for her.
“Maybe motorsport wasn’t part of my family’s story before me, but it can be after me. That’s what excites me. Something I’m doing now could be completely normal for somebody years from now.”
Vatiswa believes culture is not something that simply gets handed down unchanged. Every generation adds its own experiences, interests and achievements to the mix, and she wants motorsport to be one of the things her generation leaves behind.
“African cultures have room for things that weren’t necessarily part of our parents’ or grandparents’ everyday lives. More young Black South Africans are racing, engineering, building cars, and creating their own communities in motorsport. What our generation becomes passionate about, like racing, can become part of the story and culture that comes after us.”
For her, making space for new interests does not mean turning away from the traditions that came before.
“Our heritage is what grounds our identities. But loving racing cars, engineering, or discovering new interests does not suddenly make us any less connected to our heritage or where we come from.”
Instead, she sees it as an opportunity for young South Africans to take their identity with them into spaces where they may not have traditionally been represented.
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She hopes that changing perception will help create a future where seeing a young Black South African behind the wheel is no longer considered unusual.
“Ten or twenty years from now, I want people to look at African motorsport and proudly say that this is part of our heritage now.”
Vatiswa also believes young people have a responsibility to contribute something of their own rather than simply protecting what previous generations built.
“Yes, we must protect what the generations before us have built and passed down, but we must also have the confidence to add something of our own.”
And if Vatiswa gets her way, future generations may not see motorsport as something outside the heritage conversation at all.
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