A stiff increase in excise duties on tyres imported from China will probably push cash-strapped South African motorists further down the slippery slope of poor road safety.
This is according to the Automobile Association (AA). In a statement released late in September, the AA lamented the announcement by government of the addition of a 38.33% excise duty on tyres imported from China. This is on top of existing excise duties of between 25% and 30%. Tyres sold locally will now have an excise loading of between 63.33% and 68.33%.
The AA reasoned “that already embattled consumers will balk at paying higher prices for tyres and will, unfortunately, continue using tyres that are in a poor condition because they cannot afford the new prices”.
According to the AA: “The increase in excise duties comes after the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) argued to the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) that tyres were being imported to South Africa at ‘unfairly low prices’.”
The Tyre Importers Association of South Africa (TIASA) has countered SATMC’s complaint though, saying even local manufacturers import up to 80% of the variety of tyre models they sell anyway and has questioned the rationale behind the increased taxation.
The AA also warned that public transport users will be at risk.
“Operators not wanting to spend the extra money on new tyres will continue to drive with poor condition tyres, or use inferior ‘refurbished’ tyres, putting the lives of their passengers and other road users at risk. The increased prices of tyres are, simply put, going to create major road safety problems in future,” noted the AA.
Mitsubishi Motors has revived the Pajero name with the launch of the fifth generation Pajero Cross Country. The new model does not simply replace the previous Pajero that disappeared from the market in 2021. Its relationship with the Pajero Sport is equally important, particularly for markets such as South Africa.
Range Rover, long regarded as the original luxury SUV, has introduced its first electric model. The vehicle is built at the Solihull plant in the UK, where Range Rover production has taken place since 1970.
Audi South Africa has introduced the new Q5 range, comprising the third-generation Q5 SUV, second-generation Q5 Sportback, and the performance-focused SQ5 SUV and SQ5 Sportback. The range is built on Audi's Premium Platform Combustion and brings a new generation of petrol and diesel engines to the nameplate.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Cars are the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and individualism. They offer the freedom to ‘go anywhere,’ whenever it suits and with whom one chooses.
Sarah Redshaw
The Toyota Starlet has improved from zero to a four-star rating for adult occupant protection in Global NCAP's latest #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results. This follows a safety upgrade to make six airbags a standard fit.
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has released a new corporate manifesto that sets out its commitment to the country, its customers and its dealer network, alongside a renewed push to champion industrialisation as central to South Africa's future.
South Africa's new vehicle market sustained strong momentum in August 2026, with aggregate sales increasing by 11,4% year-on-year to 57 898 units, says the Automotive Business Councill | naamsa.
