Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has attained a new empowerment milestone by becoming a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) certified organisation.
Commenting on the certification, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, Andreas Brand, said: “MBSA supports the need to establish South Africa as a location for the future, especially in the automotive industry.
“In 2021, MBSA was certified as a Level 6 BBBEE contributor and set an ambitious goal of reaching BBBEE Level 4 recognition status by 2022. Today, we are proud to have surpassed this goal by moving up two levels and achieving a Level 2 BBBEE contributor status and consider it to be a progressive step in our transformation journey.
“As a leading and responsible corporate citizen, the current Level 2 BBBEE contributor certification demonstrates our commitment to not only the transformation of the company, but also that of the automotive industry,” he says.
To have achieved its Level 2 BBBEE contributor status, MBSA deliberately improved upon most of the elements on the BBBEE scorecard from its 2020 rating. To this end, each element of the scorecard was the responsibility of the Executive Committee Members as well as key departments within the organisation, to further drive transformation at a strategic and operational level.
In addition, to augment its transformation efforts, MBSA also participated in the Automotive Industry Transformation Fund (AITF) as well as the Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative, which are mandated to pioneer inclusive growth through access to market, funding and capacity development and work opportunities for young South Africans.
“We congratulate all the employees of MBSA who contributed to this milestone. The journey to Level 1 contributor status is our next ambitious target as a company, and we are committed to achieving this to further demonstrate our steadfast commitment to transformation,” Andreas concludes.
The Kia Carens nameplate makes its return to South Africa, this time as a seven‑seater designed with families in mind. It combines Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) styling with Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) practicality, offering space, comfort and efficiency, Kia says.
Volvo has confirmed that its vehicles will now integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system. This development builds on the company’s existing collaboration with Google, which already provides Android Automotive OS and Google services in Volvo models.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
Advertisement
Advertisement
You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
Unknown
Volvo has confirmed that its vehicles will now integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system. This development builds on the company’s existing collaboration with Google, which already provides Android Automotive OS and Google services in Volvo models.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
April 2026 marked a turning point in South Africa’s economic landscape, as global energy markets were jolted by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.
