So said Toyota South Africa’s President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, during an interview with eNCA.

Only about 12% of the 4 500 vehicles at the plant were not affected at all. None of the damaged cars or parts will make it onto the market.

Some of the most popular vehicles in South Africa are manufactured at the plant and also exported around the world. This includes the Toyota Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla.

The long-term effect is more serious with about 45 000 vehicles that will be lost until production returns to normal. Andrew could not give a specific date for the plant to re-start, but work with the assistance of Toyota Japan is underway to get back to normality.

Although none of the workforce at the plant were injured in the floods, some did experience serious damage to their homes, he told eNCA during the interview, and Toyota is not only assisting them, but also the broader community.

For the full interview on eNCA with the Toyota President and CEO, lock onto the link:

https://www.enca.com/business/exclusive-toyota-ceo-speaks-flooded-vehicle-plant