Regardless of the persisting challenges related to COVID-19, business in the North West province seems to be on the upside.
So says Shaun Fritz, Commercial Sales Manager of the 4Wheels Motor Group with its head office in Mahikeng and dealerships in Lichtenburg and Vryburg.
“We see an uptake in the sales of our product offerings, which consist of FAW, Iveco and JAC Commercial Vehicles. Our market share continues to grow throughout the province. Although our main focus is on the three areas where our dealerships are located, we also concentrate on the North West province as a whole, and we regularly do business in the rest of the country as well, stretching to as far as the Western Cape.
“In our area of responsibility, we have a number of transport fleet customers and do a lot of business in the agriculture and mining sectors. The agriculture sector is doing very well because of good rainfall and the fact that food production was a priority even during all the lockdown phases in the last two years.
“Supermarkets are an important part of our customer base across the province. What is encouraging, is the growing interest from smaller businesses in trucks, and we like to take hands and build a long-term relationship with them,” Shaun tells Dealerfloor.
“We have workshops with dedicated diesel mechanics and service managers in all three towns. Our dealerships are located on the same premises as some of the passenger car brands of our group.
“Especially the FAW truck range, which is locally produced in the Eastern Cape, is immensely popular and even topped the national sales charts for three months in a row during this year.
“It is not only from a price perspective that FAW is doing well, but also owing to the fact that stock and parts are readily available. Over and above this, FAW trucks are utterly dependable and built for our harsh conditions.
“The commercial side of the JAC brand may be less known than its passenger range, but there are some excellent products, competitively priced. Iveco is our premium brand and although the stock supply is a challenge, some new and innovative vehicles from this famous Italian brand will be launched soon.”
Shaun says he is optimistic about the future despite the obstacles that still hamper business. “Yes, stock supply on some products remains problematic, and the arrival of the fourth wave of COVID-19 and its impact create uncertainty. On the positive side is the fact that stock supply on FAW, for instance, is not a problem, and the growing demand for trucks in all segments is a good sign. A good product with good back-up and good customer service will keep us ahead in the game.”
Many forward-thinking individuals propose that autonomous vehicles will improve road safety as problematic driver behaviour, which contributes to 90% plus crashes, will be eliminated. A recent incident may cause some to doubt this, however.
South Africa’s vehicle market has seen a steady influx of emerging brands, alongside continued expansion from established players.
Motorists travelling over the Easter period can expect heavy traffic across South Africa’s road network, with authorities warning that routes to Limpopo will come under particular pressure as thousands of pilgrims make their way to Moria.
Advertisement
Advertisement
I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
FAW Johannesburg South (ELT Group) took the top podium position as Dealer of the Year at FAW Trucks Southern Africa’s 2026 Annual Dealer Conference. It is the fourth time the dealership scooped up the top award.
Audi South Africa has launched The Audi Open Haus Sales Event, a national retail campaign inviting customers into Audi Dealerships nationwide.
With youth unemployment remaining one of South Africa’s biggest challenges, the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) has launched Motoring Mavericks, a movement designed to show young people that car dealerships offer far more than sales or mechanical jobs.
