Heléne Griffiths biography

Heléne is married to Wally and they have two adult sons and two granddaughters.

Heléne's motoring career started in the late '70s as a rally driver, participating in club and regional events as well as blind-navigators rallies. Gill Findlay navigated for Heléne for many years and together their greatest achievement was winning their class in the Total Economy Run.

For two years Heléne worked as Radio Jacaranda's motoring and motorsport announcer in Pretoria prior to their relocation to Durban in 1987. Just before Heléne 'retired' as a rally driver in 1991, her eldest son, Roger, partnered her as her navigator in the annual Total Economy Run.

Once the Griffiths family was settled in Durban Heléne started her own business, Griff's Graffiti Public Relations and Promotions and worked as a freelance motoring journalist for several publications. In 1993 she started her own community newspaper, the Umhlanga Globe, the first ever 'good news/positive news newspaper' that incorporated a motoring section.

In 2001 Heléne, Wally and their youngest son, Roy, started a stand alone motoring publication,  Globe'nGearz, which became the first 'pint size' full colour A4 motoring newspaper. Four years later, due to the exorbitant printing costs for this unique newspaper, it was incorporated into the Umhlanga Globe.

In 2003 the Umhlanga Globe was one of the top 10 'Best Community Newspapers in the Country' in the Sanlam Community Newspaper competition and the runners-up in the Promotional Pages category.

Heléne was one of the first female members to join the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists and has been one of the 32 strong jury that select the South African Car of the Year since the second competition, 21 years ago.
Because the motoring world is perceived as a male domain, Heléne has, over the years, shared her motoring knowledge with other women, presenting motoring courses, Women's Motoring Forum, a basic motoring course especially for women.

She is also a public speaker and her topics range from motoring and motor safety to motivational talks and include one entitled 'From wheelchair to businesswoman via motorsport'.
In 2000 Heléne won the Chamber of Business' Umhlanga Business Personality of the Year.

At the beginning of the year Heléne entered another 'male domain' - her third business - and has joined her eldest son as his partner in a plumbing business, Roger's Pro Plumbing Services.

Last but not least, Heléne is very involved in community work and is a Past President and founder member of the Umhlanga Women Achievers, has been the Chairman of the Beautifying Umhlanga Together Association since 2003, is a member of the Umhlanga Tourism steering committee as well as a trustee for the eThekweni Association of Clean Communities.