150 000th truck assembled at Daimler Truck’s KuGompo City plant

Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) has celebrated the handover of the 150 000th truck assembled at its KuGompo City plant, in the Eastern Cape. The MercedesBenz Actros 2645LS/33 workhorse was... 

Japan’s Marubeni acquires TiAuto

Japan-based trading and investment company Marubeni Corporation has acquired South African automotive retail and services group TiAuto Investments. Founded in 1967, TiAuto is an automotive... 

R650m GrandWest Mall development breaks ground in Cape Town

Flanagan & Gerard Property Group and GrandWest, a subsidiary of Sun International, have marked the official start of construction on the R650-million GrandWest Mall development within the GrandWest... 

Fiat’s electric three-wheeler to hit SA market at the end of the year

Fiat South Africa (SA) says its first micromobility vehicle, the Tris, is scheduled to land in South Africa and selected sub-Saharan African markets at the end of the year. Fiat is a Stellantis... 

South African govt, industry and academia unite behind fluorochemicals programme

Flourochemicals South Africa (FSA), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Nelson Mandela University (NMU) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to advance the Fluorochemicals Strategic... 

GridCars to deploy truck-charging infrastructure at three highway sites

Electric vehicle (EV) charging group GridCars says it will deploy charging infrastructure for large trucks at three sites along major South African highways in the next 12 months. The grid-tied... 

Grid Access Unit must move out of Eskom sooner rather than later – Sola Group CEO

Eskom’s Grid Access Unit (GAU) must be moved to the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) as soon as possible, says Sola Group CEO Dom Wills. Speaking at a Webber Wentzel Power... 

Italy’s SDF agricultural machinery group sets up shop in the Western Cape

The Western Cape have secured another international investment, with Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer SDF opening its South African commercial subsidiary in Paarl. The 100-year-old... 

Atlantic Aerodrome Phase 1 set to open in the Swartland in September

The R500-million first phase of the new purpose-built general aviation and turboprop base, Atlantic Aerodrome, is set to open its doors in the Swartland, in the Western Cape, in September. The main... 

May vehicle sales climb higher as new-energy segment also accelerates

South Africa’s new-vehicle market continued its positive run as sales increased by 12.8% in May compared with the same month last year. The 51 071 new vehicles that found new owners last month... 

Chinese car industry notches up first Car of the Year win in SA as T2 takes the crown

The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has selected the Jetour T2 as the 2026 Car of the Year (COTY). The T2’s selection marks the first-ever victory for a Chinese brand in the... 

Cape Town tightens grip on metal crime

In the ten months between July last year and April this year, the City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) Metal Theft Unit made 88 arrests and recovered more than a kilometre of stolen cable and more than 800... 

Clean record for Fidelity Services’ new-tech cash-in-transit vehicles

Fidelity Services Group (FSG) says not a single attack has been recorded against any of the group’s new purpose-engineered cash-in-transit (CIT) vehicles since their deployment at the end of 2023.... 

Tata Africa gears up for launch of electric bus, small electric truck, and Xenon bakkie

Tata Africa aims to launch a fully electric commuter bus in South Africa “within the next few months”, says Tata Africa Holdings CEO Jacques Taylor. The vehicle will be assembled locally, and will... 

Toyota launches its first fully electric vehicle in the South African market

South Africa’s long-running market leader has finally launched its first fully electric vehicle in the domestic market – the Toyota bZ4X. Priced rather steeply at R1.18-million, this battery... 

Heavy-hitters sign deal to develop hydrogen supply chain from Japan to Europe

Daimler Truck, MB Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to establish a liquefied hydrogen supply chain to Europe via the Port of Hamburg. Under this... 

Nearly 30% of all new cars sold this year to be electric – IEA

The latest edition of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Outlook 2026 forecasts that nearly 30% of all new cars sold globally this year will be electric.... 

Record vehicle exports in 2025, but component exports continue to decline as EV sales grow

Despite multiple global and local headwinds, new-vehicle exports from South Africa reached a new record last year. Component exports, however, yet again failed to show growth in 2025. Speaking at... 

The case for EVs strengthening as diesel volatility increases – Everlectric

The economics of diesel vehicles have become increasingly unstable, says Everlectric chief commercial officer Paul Plummer. “For years, the debate around electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa has... 

Khayelitsha Cookies reach UK shelves, skies

Cape Town-based artisanal biscuit producer Khayelitsha Cookies has secured more than R1.4-million in deals from two UKbacked companies. One agreement will see its products served onboard British... 

No sweet spot found yet as govt, auto industry mull shoring up local manufacturing

The South African automotive industry and government have not yet found “that sweet spot” that would shore up the local manufacturing sector as it faces declining local parts content and increasing... 

Toyota, govt hand over locally developed hydrogen refuelling station

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), together with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and Hydrogen South Africa (HySA), have handed over a locally developed mobile hydrogen... 

New-vehicle sales soar as exports fall for third straight month

South Africa’s new-vehicle market delivered its strongest April performance in 13 years, with domestic sales rising 13% year-on-year, to 47 979 units. According to data from naamsa | The Automotive... 

EGA commissions solar panel plant in Paarl

Ener-G-Africa (EGA) has commissioned its Western Cape solar panel manufacturing facility in Paarl. The plant has a nameplate assembly capacity of up to 150 MW a year on a three-shift operation. 

Golden Arrow targets 6m km electric bus run this year, considering wheeling options

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has deployed 120 electric buses since January this year, traveling a combined 115 000 km to 120 000 km a week. “At this rate, we should get close to... 

Boost local auto industry’s competitiveness instead of shielding it from rivals – WesBank

The growing presence of Chinese competition in the South African auto industry is not a concern, as competition in itself is not a problem, says WesBank senior economist Thanda Sithole. “Increased... 

Dept of Energy targets affordability, load-reduction as loadshedding moves to the rearview mirror

As South Africa this month celebrates 365 days without loadshedding, the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) is turning its attention to the challenges of load-reduction, supply security and... 

Metso opens Cape Town hub to support ports business in SA, rest of Africa

Metso has expanded its global bulk-materials handling network with the opening of a new regional hub in Cape Town. The Finnish group supplies technologies, solutions and services to the aggregates,... 

R20bn in airport projects poised to take off in Cape Town

The airspace over Cape Town is set to become much busier in the next two to seven years, with two mega-projects ramping up to allow for increased air traffic to and from the Western Cape capital.... 

Heavy-hitters sign agreement to develop hydrogen supply chain from Japan to Europe

Daimler Truck, MB Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to establish a liquefied hydrogen supply chain to Europe via the Port of Hamburg. Under this... 

Raubex ups its profit by 11.6% as Bauba Resources regains its mojo

Construction group Raubex has shown healthy gains in its order book and operating profit for the financial year ended February 28, despite a setback at its Australian business. The JSE-listed... 

Record output for Isuzu’s SA unit

Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) achieved a record vehicle production tally for the 2026 financial year, which ended on March 31. During the 12-month period, the vehicle assembler saw a 21%... 

Cape Town continues roll-out of lockable glass-fibre manhole covers to curb vandalism

The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) Water and Sanitation Directorate has, to date, installed more than 500 lockable manhole covers across sewer and reticulation infrastructure in the metro. The... 

Toyota aims to join Daimler Truck, Volvo Group as equal shareholder in fuel-cell JV

Toyota Motor Corporation has signed a non-binding agreement with Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group to participate in their fuel-cell system joint venture (JV), cellcentric. The three companies... 

South Africa’s post-collision repair capacity under structural pressure – SAMBRA

South Africa’s post-collision repair sector is entering a period of structural strain that could have far-reaching implications for insurers, manufacturers and consumers alike, warns the South... 

RMI and Germany’s HWK Erfurt launch three-year e-mobility skills partnership

The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) and the German Chamber of Crafts (HWK) Erfurt have launched a three-year structured technical and vocational education and training (TVET) partnership,... 

Geely, CNBM team up on SA EV push

China National Building Materials South Africa (CNBM SA) and Geely Auto South Africa (Geely SA) have signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement for the coordinated development of new-energy... 

First city-approved affordable rental flats under construction in Cape Town

Sithembele Sidzumo and his team from Kaya Properties have officially broken ground on the Ubuntu Terrace 1 project in Delft, Cape Town. The development is the first TUHF-funded project to receive... 

New-vehicle sales up 17.3% in March, but April introduces new pressure, warns WesBank

South Africa’s new-vehicle market delivered its strongest March since 2007, with domestic sales reaching 58 060 units. According to naamsa | the Automotive Business Council, this represents a 17.3%... 

First Chery vehicles to roll off Pretoria assembly line in mid-2027

Chery South Africa (SA) says its newly acquired plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria, will be recommissioned and retrofitted over the next 12 to 18 months, with the first locally produced Chery-branded...