Ford South Africa calls for level playing field against importers

The South African automotive manufacturing industry requires policies and regulations that will allow local manufacturers to compete on an equal footing with importers, says Ford Motor Company... 

TUT team wins 2026 Sasol Solar Challenge

The Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT’s) SunChaser 4 has won top honours in the 2026 Sasol Solar Challenge. The local team crossed the finish line first in last month’s eight-day race from... 

Ten years at the wheel, Toyota boss gears up for yet more change

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) president and CEO Andrew Kirby this year marks a decade in the driver’s seat at the country’s best-selling vehicle brand. (Toyota has, in fact, been South... 

Ramokgopa unveils first six projects to emerge from national green hydrogen programme

The first six priority projects have emerged from government’s national green hydrogen programme pipeline. The projects all form part of the newly launched National Green Hydrogen Deal Book, which... 

Clicks’ Cape Town distribution centre to operate 100% electric truck fleet by year-end

The Clicks Group’s Montague Gardens distribution centre in Cape Town is gearing up to operate a 100% electric truck fleet by year-end, as the retailer accelerates the electrification of its... 

How a no-SIM sticker with a tiny battery weighing less than 4 g can track your goods

Mobility technology and fleet management company GoMetro has launched disposable Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) stickers for companies and individuals to track their goods. GoMetro Internet of Things... 

Martina Biene departs VWGA to join Škoda Auto

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) chairperson and MD Martina Biene will depart the company to join Škoda Auto as its new sales and marketing board member effective October 1.  Under Biene’s... 

New-vehicle sales up 11.4% in August, exports drop by 11.9%

South Africa’s new-vehicle market in August yet again recorded stellar growth, with sales up 11.4% compared with the same month last year, to reach 57 898 units. naamsa | The Automotive Business... 

Chery confirms completely knockdown production for Rosslyn plant

New addition to the South African automotive manufacturing landscape Chery South Africa (SA) has confirmed that production at its new Rosslyn plant will be completely knockdown (CKD) and not... 

Motus’ vehicle sales boosted by broadened Chinese, Indian portfolio

The sale of Chinese and Indian brands in Motus’ South African retail business increased by more than 200% in the 2026 financial year compared with the year before, says CEO Ockert Janse van... 

Nelson Mandela Bay faces critical technical skills shortage – business chamber

The manufacturing sector in Nelson Mandela Bay is facing a technical skills shortage that is constraining the region’s ability to grow, attract investment and create jobs. That is the key indicator... 

Ramokgopa unveils first six projects to emerge from national green hydrogen programme

The first six priority projects have emerged from government’s national green hydrogen programme pipeline. The projects all form part of the newly launched National Green Hydrogen Deal Book, which... 

Cape Town inks below-Eskom power deals

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has signed two purchase agreements for a combined 70 MW of power, with more to follow in the coming months under a competitive tendering process for delivery of up to... 

Grindrod sets its sights on five growth projects from now to 2028

Ports and logistics group Grindrod is targeting five growth projects that will either grow the capacity on the existing logistics corridors the company operates, or deepen the integration of these... 

Imports putting pressure on vehicle, component production – Metair

Rising vehicle imports from China and India are placing pressure on production volumes at South Africa’s local vehicle manufacturers, with this pressure spilling over to component manufacturers,... 

Charge to double EV charging capacity on the N3 by year-end

Three months after launching its off-grid, solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging network on the N3 corridor, Zero Carbon Charge (Charge) has announced plans to double charging capacity at... 

Agoa extension gives breathing room, but Section 232 duty remains a significant hurdle

The extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) to December 31, 2028, provides important strategic breathing room for South Africa, while also preserving a framework for future trade... 

Western Cape expands police-station lawyer project after promising Grassy Park results

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety Minister Anroux Marais last month unveiled the Lawyers in Police Stations Project (LPSP), in partnership with... 

Cape Town space hardware specialist on expansionary flight path 

Not many people know that South Africa is a rather heavyweight exporter of specialised spacecraft components and subsystems. Situated in Somerset West, Cape Town, 13-year-old NewSpace Systems (NSS)... 

Saffron a potentially lucrative crop for South African farmers, says country’s first mover

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, priced at between $5 000 and $10 000 a kilogram. Iran is the world’s biggest producer, pushing out 85% to 90% of yearly global production, followed by... 

Cape Town Container Terminal shows improved performance – TPT

The Cape Town Container Terminal showed a 16% increase in volume throughput in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year compared with the same period last year, says Transnet Port Terminals... 

Granger Bay reclamation project on track to seek Parliamentary approval in 2027

Parliament is expected to deliver its verdict on the proposed project to reclaim just more than 3 ha of land from the sea at the V&A Waterfront in the third quarter of next year, says V&A... 

July sees familiar pattern as new-vehicle sales soar while exports decline

New-vehicle sales in July reached 57 708 units – an 11.9% jump on the same month last year. New-vehicle sales for the first seven months are now up 12.7% compared with the same period last year. 

Trust is the critical infrastructure that drives the economy – W Cape Property Development Forum

Trust is not simply a social value – it is the critical infrastructure that drives the economy, says Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF) chairperson Deon van Zyl. Speaking at the... 

GridCars rolls out R40m programme to modernise its EV charging infrastructure

Electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator GridCars is rolling out a R40-million programme to upgrade its national charging network. CEO Winstone Jordaan says the project will modernise... 

Electric, hybrid vehicles increasingly price competitive – Lightstone

Price competitiveness and a growing variety of models have helped fuel new-energy vehicle (NEV) sales in the local market, says research house Lightstone in its newest newsletter. NEVs refer to... 

Western Cape unveils R132bn, 52-project pipeline

The priority projects in the Western Cape’s newly announced single integrated infrastructure pipeline currently consist of 52 projects to the value of R132-billion, says Western Cape Infrastructure... 

V&A Waterfront marks start of superyacht marina’s pontoon production

The V&A Waterfront and Damen Shipyards Cape Town have marked the official start of pontoon production for the Quay 7 Superyacht Marina with a keel-laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards’ factory in the... 

‘Significant operational improvements’ recorded at Cape Town port – TNPA

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) says it has recorded “significant operational improvements” at the Port of Cape Town, with progress in terminal performance, reduced ship turnaround time... 

Phillips questions need for middlemen as Transnet pushes for procurement reform

Transnet group CEO Michelle Phillips says the State-owned rail, ports and pipeline logistics group is putting measures in place to ensure that it no longer over-pays for goods and services.... 

MyCiTi’s first electric bus arrives in Cape Town, 37 more to follow

MyCiTi’s first electric bus (e-bus) has arrived in Cape Town, where it will now be put to the test on the city’s most demanding public transport routes. The vehicle is a 12-m-long Volvo BZRLE... 

Nissan South Africa appoints new MD

Juan Wheeler has been appointed the new MD at Nissan South Africa (SA), a role which he will fulfil alongside his current position as Nissan Africa CFO. Nissan Africa president Jordi Vila describes... 

Sanral CEO steps down

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has confirmed that its CEO, Reginald Demana, has resigned with effect from August 31. Demana will move to a new, not yet known, position in... 

Chinese marques claim nearly one in five SA vehicle sales as value retention shapes buyer choices

One of the most notable structural shifts in the South African automotive market is the continued rise of Chinese automotive brands – this according to TransUnion’s First Quarter (Q1) 2026 Mobility... 

New-vehicle market set to breach 600 000 units this year as June sales jump 15.3%

South Africa’s new-vehicle market recorded the strongest June since 2007, keeping the industry on track to surpass the 600 000-level mark this year, says the National Automobile Dealer Association... 

Chery assumes control of former Nissan plant

China’s Chery Group has officially taken ownership of the former Nissan assembly plant in Rosslyn, Tshwane. The car maker consists of the Jetour, Lepas, Chery, Jaecoo, iCaur and Lepas brands. 

Western Cape municipalities increasingly outshining other provinces – MFS Index

Independent governance ratings agency Ratings Afrika’s newest yearly Municipal Financial Sustainability Index (MFSI) confirms the severe financial distress facing the majority of South Africa’s... 

Cargo and fuel projects feature strongly in R20bn ORTIA investment plan

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has put in place a roughly R20-billion project pipeline for the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), running up to the end of 2031. ACSA spokesperson Ofentse... 

National Treasury withholds July funds from 69 municipalities ‘to instil fiscal discipline’

The National Treasury is temporarily withholding the July equitable share transfers to 70 municipalities across all nine provinces in an effort to “instil fiscal discipline and ensure that public... 

Afrimat Construction Index records marginal growth in Q1

The latest Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) shows a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.3%. The first-quarter index was boosted by year-on-year increases of more than 5% in the value of both...