With South Africa’s automotive industry under pressure to localise, modernise and transition, this year’s SA Auto Week is shaping up to be a pivotal platform for cross-sector coordination. And for Absa, a leading pan-African bank, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate how financial institutions are evolving to meet the sector’s shifting needs.
As the anchor sponsor of SA Auto Week, Absa will feature prominently in the three-day programme, which kicks off on 1 October at the Coega Vulindlela Conference Centre in Gqeberha. The event marks 90 years of naamsa – The Automotive Business Council – and brings together OEM executives, government leaders, industry associations, economists, logistics players and financiers to chart a path forward for the industry.
While the presence of global and local manufacturers is expected, the growing involvement of South Africa’s finance sector reflects a deepening recognition of its role in shaping the industry’s future.
Absa’s role as anchor partner is underscored by its hosting of the Captains of Industry Gala Dinner on 1 October, a prestigious platform where senior industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders meet for a black-tie dinner experience to shape the sector’s strategic direction. Geoff Lee, Interim Co-Chief Executive of Personal and Private Banking, will deliver the keynote address.
On the opening day, Charl Potgieter, Managing Executive for Vehicle and Asset Finance, will join a flagship panel on reimagining the automotive sector, focusing on financial access, transformation and resilience amid tightening affordability and the capital demands of new energy transitions.
“Financial services are central to the enablement of transformation, investment and long-term competitiveness,” Charl says. “SA Auto Week gives us a platform to listen, engage and contribute to solutions that the entire sector needs.”
Other Absa executives will address critical topics, including the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) segment, Africa logistics corridor development, and the industry’s contribution to GDP, exports and employment. Their participation reflects the bank’s growing role in providing financial insight and solutions to support the sector’s long-term competitiveness.
SA Auto Week 2025 arrives at a moment of heightened urgency for the sector, with the automotive value chain grappling with global trade volatility, energy security concerns, local manufacturing constraints and an evolving consumer finance landscape. As the country weighs its readiness to compete in both established and emerging markets, particularly within Africa, the convergence of public, private and financial sector voices is seen as essential.
Various government leaders have been confirmed to attend the event, alongside senior representatives from AfCFTA, SARS, NAACAM, IDC and numerous global OEMs. Site visits to manufacturing hubs and industrial zones in Kariega, Struandale and the Port of Ngqura are also part of the programme.
Organised by naamsa and supported by industry anchors, including Absa, TransUnion and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, SA Auto Week is expected to draw more than 1 000 delegates across the manufacturing, finance, logistics, regulation and technology sectors.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
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