Staff Writer
Jobs, local manufacturing and the transition to new energy vehicles dominated discussions as South African Auto Week brought manufacturers, government and investors to Durban from 13 to 16 October.
Convened by Naamsa in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal government and eThekwini Municipality, the fifth edition combined industry discussions with celebrations of automotive achievement.
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau made a significant announcement. According to Reuters, the government will phase out policy support for semi-knocked-down assembly, which relies on imported, near-complete vehicle kits, to encourage deeper local manufacturing. Medium and heavy commercial vehicles are excluded.
“There was also alignment that any additional protection should be accompanied by reciprocal commitments relating to production, localisation, employment, transformation, exports, and investment,” Tau said, as quoted by Reuters, while discussing possible additional protection for the bakkie manufacturing segment.
Preparing people for the industry’s changing needs was another priority. Dealerfloor reported that the Absa Group CSI Trust committed R13.5 million over three years to Naamsa’s Dreams Academy, supporting 600 students with skills for the new energy vehicle sector. Discussions also addressed energy, infrastructure and logistics as foundations for competitive local production.
The Naamsa Accelerator Awards, powered by WesBank, provided a celebratory highlight on 15 October.
Toyota South Africa Motors reported five honours: Traditional Hybrid Vehicle of the Year for the Corolla Cross, Light Commercial Vehicle of the Year for the new-generation Hilux, and recognition for job creation, women’s empowerment and youth empowerment among local manufacturers.
Volkswagen Group Africa collected four awards. The Polo won Top Locally Manufactured Vehicle and Top Exported Vehicle, while the Polo Vivo secured Passenger Car of the Year in the sales-performance category. The company also received the Next Gen Workforce award for locally producing manufacturers.
“It has truly been a year of celebration for Volkswagen Group Africa,” said chairperson and managing director Christiane Zorn in the company’s statement.
Plant tours and networking closed the programme on 16 October, giving delegates a closer look at the manufacturing operations behind the week’s discussions.
