In a slightly amended statement to the one that it issued on Friday, Naamsa said on Tuesday that the implementation of the guidelines from July 2, 2021 will kick-start a series of adjustments in the operational environment of the auto industry.

Naamsa CEO, Mikel Mabasa, reiterated that Naamsa was working with all its members and partners to adequately ensure that the kick-off date for the implementation of the guidelines was not disruptive in any way and that all the principles have been accurately communicated to all its vehicle owners, customers and to the general public.

Mabasa added that Naamsa, working together with all its members and its strategic partners, was ready to accelerate South Africa’s move to a new dispensation that would promote, deepen and broaden inclusion and encourage greater competition and participation of small businesses, particularly those from historically disadvantaged individuals (HDIs) and groups in the community.

“Having registered and internalised how South Africa’s indifferent past affects HDIs’ potential entry into the automotive value chain, Naamsa will be introducing a number of progressive interventions to help us drive holistic transformation efforts of the industry and to assist in lowering barriers to entry and ensure that a greater number of firms, especially firms owned and operated by HDIs and SMEs, have an opportunity to undertake service, maintenance and repairs of motor vehicles within the period covered by a motor vehicle warranty,” he said.

Mabasa said Naamsa has noted with concern some reckless and persistent misrepresentation and miscommunication of what the guidelines were all about.

He lashed out at “individuals and irresponsible groups who have made it their preoccupation to make public pronouncements that misrepresent and/or distort the true meaning behind the intent and the spirit of some of the principles within the guidelines in order to advance their narrow selfish commercial interests.

“To this effect, Naamsa will join the Competition Commission to distribute public educational material in order to intensify accurate messaging campaigns around the guidelines,” he said.

Mabasa added that as part of Naamsa’s engagement efforts, the council will meet with the Competition Commission in the coming weeks to share the industry’s general state of readiness for the implementation of the guidelines on July 1, 2021.

“We are mindful that not all our members are at the same level or state of readiness,” he said.