Scrapping of VAT increase, widely welcomed
The National Treasury’s announcement on the scrapping of the proposed increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) has been widely welcomed.
- Industry News
- 24 April 2025
We are all excited about our new brand we added to our multi-franchise dealership. The new Suzuki dealership will definitely have a huge and positive impact on business.
So says Adelene le Roux, Dealer Principal, at Morgan Group’s Nissan, Mitsubishi and now also Suzuki multi-franchise in Mashishing (previously Lydenburg) in the northern part of Mpumalanga.
She says they recently celebrated the official opening of the dealership and are now eagerly waiting for the much-anticipated new Suzuki Swift that is on its way to the dealership. “The Suzuki brand has an excellent track record in South Africa and is already popular in our region, she tells Dealerfloor.
Adelene says the new Suzuki dealership forms part of the existing multi-franchise with its Nissan and Mitsubishi dealerships. “We revamped the set-up around our used car division to accommodate a showroom for Suzuki.
“We have also appointed a new parts salesperson for Suzuki, and our current technical staff have done all the necessary training on the brand. Our sales team is also up to date with the new addition to our business,” she says.
Adelene tells Dealerfloor that with the demise of the popular “cash cow” on the Nissan side, the NP200 bakkie, the Suzuki Eeco panel van and Super Carry bakkie are ready to step in and handle virtually all the tasks that made the NP200 so popular as a commercial vehicle.
She says that business conditions in Mashishing are tough like in most other, similar environments in the country. “Our area consists of a large agricultural sector (citrus, mixed and game farming), and we have platinum and chrome mines in the area.
“Notwithstanding that, we have a lot to be thankful for and with the addition of Suzuki, business is sure to blossom. Suzuki is a volume brand with a strong value-for-money approach and a favourable entry price that will boost our business. Currently, the Suzuki Fronx and the Ertiga are among the most popular models so far,” she says.
In the meantime Adelene says they are looking forward to the official Suzuki Swift launch and to introduce this top seller in the Japanese brand portfolio to the local customers in the region. She says from the Suzuki side, they will cover an area all the way to places like Graskop, Sabie, Pelgrim’s Rest, eMakhazeni (previously Belfast) and Dullstroom.
The National Treasury’s announcement on the scrapping of the proposed increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) has been widely welcomed.
A Cape Town vehicle repairer, who has had a consumer’s vehicle for almost two years and failed to complete repairs to the vehicle by an agreed date, has been fined R100 000 by the National Consumer Tribunal and ordered to refund the vehicle’s owner the R77 000 he paid for the repairs.
Widespread rains over large parts of South Africa recently led to rivers breaking their banks and, in some cases, flooding streets and homes. The volume of water has raised concerns among agricultural economists over possible damage to crops.
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In the face of a shifting premium automotive market, Audi South Africa is also currently re-aligning its retail operations according to the new reality where the premium vehicle sector has contracted to nearly a third of its size compared to a decade ago, with 2024 marking the lowest level yet.
The commercial vehicle industry has seen a complete shift in the market over the past year. Despite challenging market conditions, Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA), along with its dealers and general distributors, successfully navigated the landscape to deliver great results, it says.