The automotive landscape in Gauteng gained a new player this week with the official opening of a JMC dealership in Clearwater, situated between Roodepoort and Krugersdorp with Steven Carter Smith as the new Dealer Principal.
The dealership forms part of an established multi-franchise complex, joining other well-known brands under one roof, and signals the Chinese manufacturer’s growing commitment to the South African market.
The ceremony was attended by senior executives from JMC, CFAO Mobility, and Salvador Caetano). JMC was represented by Tiangao Qiu (Chairman of the JMC Group in China), Leslie Ramsoomar (Managing Director of the Salvador Caetano Group, importer of the JMC to South Africa) and Kevin Pillay (CFAO Mobility Managing Director and owner of the Clearwater franchise-dealership) of which JMC is now a part.
Tiangao Qiu, Chairman of the JMC Group, travelled from China to mark the occasion. Addressing guests, he emphasised the strategic importance of South Africa in JMC’s global expansion plans.
“I am very happy to be here in South Africa to join the grand opening from CFAO of the JMC dealership,” he said. “South Africa is a very strategic market for us globally. We will bring more and more products to this market, ensure good quality, keep prices reasonable, and supply parts quickly.”
Tiangoa highlighted the strength of JMC’s partnerships with CFAO and Salvador Caetano, noting that collaboration was central to the company’s success. He also pointed to the brand’s phased approach: establishing itself first in the commercial vehicle sector before gradually introducing passenger cars to local buyers.
The chairman’s remarks underscored JMC’s ambition to provide “better solutions to South African customers” and to build long-term trust through service excellence. He closed his speech with a personal note of optimism: “We can do very good business in the future. Thank you and I hope everybody has good health and a good life.”
The Clearwater dealership opening marks JMC’s second overseas grand opening attended personally by Tiangoa, reflecting the importance the company places on its South African operations.
Charging time remains a worry for many South Africans considering an electric vehicle, who still see it as a disruption rather than a quick stop at a filling station. That view is starting to shift.
The winners of the 2026 Automotive Business Council | naamsa Accelerator Awards were announced at the recently held Auto Week 2026, which took place in eThekwini, KZN.
When Cobus Coetzee (photo) accepted the opportunity to join the Morgan Group in Upington, he had to weigh up more than a new position. The move meant exchanging the West Coast’s cooler climate and seaside lifestyle for the Northern Cape’s desert heat, while taking responsibility for a multi-franchise operation spread across several premises.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Cars are the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and individualism. They offer the freedom to ‘go anywhere,’ whenever it suits and with whom one chooses.
Sarah Redshaw
When Cobus Coetzee (photo) accepted the opportunity to join the Morgan Group in Upington, he had to weigh up more than a new position. The move meant exchanging the West Coast’s cooler climate and seaside lifestyle for the Northern Cape’s desert heat, while taking responsibility for a multi-franchise operation spread across several premises.
Dealer excellence was recognised at the Mahindra South Africa Dealer Conference Awards Evening, where dealerships were acknowledged for their performance across retail sales, commercial vehicles, customer satisfaction, aftersales and other areas of the business.
To turn the fortunes of a dealership around from one not firing on all its cylinders, so to speak, to one of the top five dealerships in the country and now the top Dealer of the Year, is testimony to what can be achieved with dedicated leadership.
