Despite the severe drought in large parts of the Karoo, the motor business in Graaff-Reinet is stepping up with more brands being represented in this part of the world.
Dealerfloor spoke to Joggie Vorster, Dealer Principal at Kelston Hyundai and now also Kelston GWM/Haval, which opened its doors about a month ago in the fifth-oldest town in South Africa.
Opening a new showroom is never just plain sailing but mix in the usual concerns with stock shortages and the pandemic as well as a devastating drought in Graaff-Reinet’s case, which has hit both tourism and farming in the area.
“The Kelston Motor group took over the Hyundai dealership a year ago from its previous owners. Although we are already doing business on the GWM/Haval side, we are still in the process of completing the new dealership. It is an exciting time to be retailing a new brand here, which has proved popular from the outset.
“Yes, business conditions are anything but normal. With the assistance and back-up of the new owner, Kelston Motor Group, we have already increased our footprint,” says Joggie, who has been Dealer Principal at Hyundai since 2007.
“Our new premises for GWM/Haval is nearing completion and so far, the stock supply is good. The two dealerships are not located on the same premises. At both dealerships, we also stock used vehicles and have access to the group’s used car platform, Kelston Choice, with close to four hundred vehicles available,” Joggie says.
“I am very optimistic about the future. The new P-Series bakkies from GWM give us an entry point into the agricultural sector. Despite the drought, there is still a lot of activity with mohair and sheep farming.
“The important tourism sector also took a serious hit during the pandemic. Graaff-Reinet is also the home of the provincial Department of Education’s offices and some other industries, like the well-known Montego Group.
“We are located in the Eastern Cape, but in close proximity to the Northern and Western Cape provinces. We do business all over the country but are also a serious player locally. I believe in being involved in our community. We focus on schools because in a certain sense you can measure a town’s economy on the quality of its schools,” Joggie tells Dealerfloor.
“The arrival of the Kelston Motor Group as the new owners of the Hyundai dealership and the establishment of the GWM/Haval brand locally are of great importance. There are now more vehicles available, and it comes with a reputation for excellent customer care, quality products and added value on transactions.
“This is very important as Graaff-Reinet is a rural town where everybody knows everyone, so to speak. For me, my staff and the brands we represent, reputation is of utmost importance in town, and we want to keep it intact and take it to even greater heights. We are part and parcel of Graaff-Reinet and this region,” Joggie says.
Our Hyundai dealership has won many accolades over the years, including the important Customer Service Index (CSI), Afters Sales and Dealer of the Year awards.
JLR reports growing demand for plug-in hybrid models, with global retail sales for the first half of the financial year up 29% compared to the prior year, as more customers use the technology as a stepping stone towards battery electric vehicles (BEV).
Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) called on the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, to announce measures in his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) to ensure that a transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) will result in the reduction of carbon emissions in the country.
The ratio of used to new vehicles financed increased in the second quarter of this year, indicating a growing consumer preference for used vehicles, according to TransUnion South Africa.
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