The Automotive Manufacturing Employers’ Organisation has announced a new three-year wage agreement with a key labour union.   The wage increases and benefit structure agreement is for the 2016 – 2019 period.   The negotiations were concluded in Port Elizabeth on Friday between the automotive manufacturing sector and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).   The agreement holds the promise of a.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

 The DA in Mpumalanga welcomes the decision by eMalahleni Municipality to reverse the purchase of a R1.5 million luxury vehicle for its new Mayor, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.   This decision comes after the DA publicised this wasteful expenditure and called on Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, to reject the car. The money for this luxury vehicle was to be sourced from service delivery budgets.   This is not only a victory for the.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

 RMA Motors Kenya has been named one of East Africa's 53 heavyweight brands as it approaches its third year operating in the region. "We have the leading premium brand in the country over Mercedes and Porshe. One out of every three luxury cars on the road is ours," RMA Motors Kenya CEO Sanjiv Shah said.   The Superbrands rankings will feature the First Lady's Beyond Zero foundation for its exceptional work in reducing.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 14th September 2016

 Volkswagen will resume producing cars in Kenya by the end of the year as it looks to sell more vehicles across the East African region.   After a four decade pause in production by the German carmaker in Kenya, VW will establish an assembly plant to initially produce its Vivo model, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Thomas Schafer, Volkswagen South Africa’s chief executive, said.   Emerging market production is familiar.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th September 2016

 NEW DELHI: Indian arm of Japanese automaker Nissan has started export of Datsun GO+ to South Africa. Produced at the Renault-Nissan Alliance plant in Oragadam near Chennai, sales of Datsun GO+ began on August 31, 2016 in South Africa.   Guillaume Sicard, President, Nissan India Operations, said "We are delighted to see the Datsun GO+, manufactured with pride at the Renault-Alliance plant in Chennai, introduced for sale in South.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

 Car makers in South Africa signed a new three-year wage deal with militant union Numsa on Friday, industry officials said, easing concerns of a labour dispute in a key export and manufacturing industry.   South Africa's local motor industry, the largest in the continent with hubs in the capital Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, contributes 7.5 percent to GDP and around a third of the manufacturing output in Africa's most industrialised.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

 Volkswagen has signed a deal to use the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers in Thika to assemble its popular models beginning with the Volkswagen Vivo.   The first fully Kenya assembled Vivo is expected to roll out of the Thika plant by December this year.   Making the announcement Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the plant will then expand into a fully fledged assembly operation producing a range of vehicle.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016

 Local assembly of motor vehicles has received a big boost after Volkswagen South Africa signed a deal with the government, to assemble vehicles in Thika. The deal will see Volkswagen use the Kenya vehicle manufacturer’s facility in Thika to assemble popular models beginning with the Volkswagen vivo. The first fully Kenya assembled vivo is expected to roll out of the Thika plant by December this year. The return of Volkswagen is a.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016

 The development and promotion of a cohesive automotive strategy for the African continent is gaining new impetus due to the strategic vision and guidance of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM).   A delegation from AAAM, led by Jeff Nemeth, Chairman of AAAM as well as President and CEO of Ford Motor Company Sub-Saharan Africa Region, is currently visiting Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, to engage with.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 7th September 2016

 A Chinese state-owned car manufacturer agreed to build an 11 billion-rand ($759 million) auto plant in South Africa, the biggest investment in a vehicle-production facility in the country in four decades. The Beijing Automotive International Corp. plans to start production at the facility in 2018, International Chief Executive Officer Dong Haiyang told reporters in the southern coast city of Port Elizabeth on Tuesday. The plant will be.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 3rd September 2016

 VEHICLE exports bounced back strongly in August after two months of treading water, reviving hopes that South African motor industry production will achieve record levels in 2016.   Local motor companies exported 35,620 cars and commercial vehicles last month, 27% more than they managed in August 2015. As a result, exports for the year to date – 232,324 – rebounded from a deficit at the end of July, to an overall.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 2nd September 2016

 Beijing Automotive International Corp. (BAIC), one of China's top automakers, said it will build a US$ 800 million auto plant in South Africa, the largest foreign investment in the country in four decades, as Chinese car brands look to expand overseas. The announcement comes as China's own car industry has slowed sharply in the last two years, making it bloated with excess capacity after years of explosive growth. China is the world's.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 2nd September 2016