The 3rd Quarter Automechanika Johannesburg CEO Breakfast recently revealed the spectrum of explorable business opportunities for the automotive aftermarket and the commercial vehicle sector in Africa.
Leading the way with his opening address was Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in SA, Enrico Brandt, who attested to the strong German business presence in South Africa and particularly, the motor industry, at both OEM and aftermarket levels.
He stated that the dynamism of the motor industry was necessary to master the effects of transformational challenges. He noted the necessity of a close and continuing interface between the industry and government to ensure the recognition of its importance to ensure the sustainability of the motor industry.
Ronel Oberholzer (photo), Head of sub-Saharan Africa Economics at S&P Global Market Intelligence, supported by colleague Economist, Lerato Ntuli, delivered a riveting presentation on world trade patterns. She homed in on Africa, where the recently implemented African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA, established by the 55 members of the African Union with 54 member states having signed the Agreement) is set to make a huge difference in opening free trade opportunities on the Continent.
Although sub-Saharan Africa represents only 2% of world trade, the AfCFTA is the largest free trade area globally. Of the top five trade areas in Africa, South Africa was, in 2023, the largest trade area at 55% of all trade (up from 52% in 2015) followed by Egypt (12%), Mozambique (12%), Côte d’Ivoire (11%) and Nigeria (10%). Ronel indicated that there are significant impediments to trade expansion in many regions owing to insufficient infrastructure and security issues which, if resolved, could see rapid and exponential trade growth in the AfCFTA.
Of particular importance for the motor industry is the fact that overland trade in the AfCFTA constituted 61% of all trade in 2023, followed by seaborne (36%) and airborne (3%) trade. “The very nature of overland trade holds huge opportunity for commercial vehicle manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket to supply and serve the needs of the various regions within the AfCFTA and is an aspect which holds enormous potential benefit to the motor industry,” she said.
Chinese vehicle brand Changan has strengthened its South African retail presence with the opening of a new flagship dealership in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, as the company pushes ahead with plans to establish about 45 dealerships nationally during 2026.
A South African dealership has been instructed to remove or amend an advertisement for a new Jetour T2 after the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) ruled that the listing created the impression that a specific vehicle was immediately available for purchase when it was not.
When engineers want to understand how a product is built, they carry out a teardown. This involves dismantling the item piece by piece to study its design, materials and performance.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
A South African dealership has been instructed to remove or amend an advertisement for a new Jetour T2 after the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) ruled that the listing created the impression that a specific vehicle was immediately available for purchase when it was not.
If you were hoping to experience the roaring streets of the Isle of Man TT in 2026, you are already too late. This event, with practice sessions starting on 25 May 2026 and racing commencing on the 30th, requires at least six to twelve months of planning, along with a substantial budget.
Pinewood.AI has added two new embedded modules to its Business Intelligence Solution, giving dealers and OEMs greater insight into financial performance and the customer journey, it says.
