
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
Despite international challenges for vehicle manufacturers, the 100 000th facelifted Polo rolled off the assembly line at Volkswagen’s plant in Kariega in the Eastern Cape.
The Kariega plant, which has been building the Polo since 2018, began production of the facelifted Polo on 16 August 2021 – which means the plant manufactured 100 000 Polos in just over 12 years.
The special 100 000th vehicle, a white left-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for Germany, marked the 74 688th Polo built this year. Of the 100 000 vehicles, 88 163 Polos were exported to 38 countries, while 11 837 Polos were delivered to the South African market.
VWSA has already celebrated multiple milestones around the Polo this year, reaching its 1-millionth Polo built for export in May, and the 500 000th Polo (including the facelift and the model launched in 2018) in July.
VWSA currently builds this vehicle for all right-hand-drive markets and supplements production for left-hand-drive markets. It is also the sole manufacturer worldwide of the Polo GTI.
“To reach this milestone under normal circumstances is an achievement; to do so under the difficult circumstances of the last year are an absolute testament to the dedication and perseverance of the VWSA team,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWSA.
“I am proud of every employee who has contributed to this achievement, and I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with the VWSA family,” he concluded.
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.
The 2025 Best By Awards, announced by Kelley Blue Book, reflect the rapidly shifting landscape of the automotive market not only in the USA, but also elsewhere.