Audi blames economic pressure, poor govt support for market strain, MISA says four dealerships closing doors

Audi South Africa (SA) says buy-down trends, high inflation and interest rates have placed significant pressure on the domestic premium car market. The local arm of the German carmaker says these... 

Newcomer Jameel Motors to (re)introduce Changan cars, bakkies to the SA market

Distribution group Jameel Motors will launch China’s Changan vehicles in the local market towards the end of the year. Technically, Changan Automobile is not an entirely new face in South Africa,... 

Mahindra hits second sales record this year

Mahindra bakkie and sports-utility vehicle sales jumped to 2 253 vehicles in March, setting a new monthly record for the Indian brand. This number is almost 40% higher than Mahindra’s previous... 

TNPA finally upgrades automotive berth at East London port

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has completed a R60-million project to deepen and strengthen the automotive terminal berth at the Port of East London. The State-owned entity says the... 

Terminal operator sought for Port of Durban

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has started a request for proposal (RFP) process for the appointment of a terminal operator to design, develop, fund, construct, operate, maintain and... 

1 MW solar plant to power Darling Green Country Estate, Swartland municipality

Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) has, in partnership with Darling Green Country Estate and TouchPoint Energy, commissioned a 1 MW solar plant in Darling, in the Swartland municipality, in the... 

Keren Energy seeks customers for its Western Cape green hydrogen project

Keren Energy has made significant progress in the development of its green hydrogen (GH2) production facility near Vanrhynsdorp, in the Western Cape, says CEO George van Rensburg. The project aims... 

Auto component tariff impact to be felt in US ahead of South Africa – Naacam

The immediate impact of a raft of new import tariffs on direct component exports from South Africa to the US is most likely to be felt there first, rather than here, says National Association of... 

VW’s Kariega plant readies for new small SUV introduction

Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA’s) Kariega plant will halt production for four weeks as the facility is readied for the addition of a third entry-level model to its production line-up in 2027.... 

AGL Terminals docks in Cape Town

AGL Terminals, part of Africa Global Logistics (AGL), and its partner, BALSA, have announced that they have started operations at A-Berth, Duncan Docks, at the Port of Cape Town, following the... 

APPO urges continent to exploit its vast gas and oil reserves, echoing Trump’s energy nationalism

The current estimates of Africa’s oil and gas reserves of 120-million barrels of crude oil and 632-trillion cubic feet of natural gas are considered “grossly conservative”, says African Petroleum... 

Cape Town proposes record infrastructure investment, addition of 700 law enforcement officers

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced a record infrastructure investment of R39.7-billion over three years as part of the metro’s proposed ‘Invested in Hope’ Budget 2025/26. He says the... 

Cape Town’s R8.5bn water plan moves to tap seawater and wastewater

Seven years ago, Cape Town made global headlines for all the wrong reasons. The city faced the very real possibility that its municipal water supply would run dry amid a severe, multiyear drought,... 

VW’s Kariega plant readies for new small SUV introduction

Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA’s) Kariega plant will halt production for four weeks as the facility is readied for the addition of a third entry-level model to its production line-up in 2027.... 

Ardagh adds MAN dual-fuel trucks, smart trailers to its fleet

Ardagh Glass Packaging-South Africa has introduced five MAN dual-fuel trucks to its fleet. The performance-based standards (PBS) smart trucks – abnormal-load vehicles – will strengthen the... 

Maserati MC20 sets new autonomous world speed record

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) has set a new autonomous – in other words, there is no human in the car – driving world record at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at the... 

Vector Logistics acquires its first two fully electric trucks – from tractor to trailer

Volvo Trucks South Africa has delivered two battery electric FH 6x4 truck-tractors to cold-chain specialist Vector Logistics. These truck-tractors form part of the logistics company’s roll-out of... 

Volvo Car SA cuts dealerships, chases 20% premium-market share

Volvo Car South Africa (VCSA) is rolling out a five-year programme to “Restart” the Swedish premium brand in South Africa. Part of this process is to whittle down its 19 Volvo Car dealerships... 

Barloworld’s Russia, Southern Africa businesses feel the heat as Mongolia delivers some cheer

In a five-month trading update published at the end of March, JSE-listed Barloworld said the performance of the group’s Mongolia business managed to somewhat counteract the contraction of its... 

New-vehicle sales up 12.5%, exports surge by impressive 31.1%

March new-vehicle sales jumped by 12.5%, to 49 493 units, compared with the same month last year. The new passenger car market led the charge, accelerating by 25.3%, to 33 447 units, driven by... 

Three bids received as government’s efforts to host F1 race in South Africa advance

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture’s (DSAC’s) F1 Bid Steering Committee says it has received three bids from parties interested in hosting a Formula One race in South Africa. “As a... 

O’Flaherty signs up for another two years at recovering Metair

Metair CEO Paul O’Flaherty has agreed to extend his term until December 31, 2028. “We are very pleased that Paul has agreed to extend his tenure,” says Metair chairperson Thandeka Mgoduso. 

Western Cape, Cape Town welcome move to seek private-sector investment in rail, port sectors

Western Cape premier Alan Winde says he welcomes the recent announcement by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy regarding the initiation of a request for information (RFI) process for private-sector... 

Off-grid toilet-tech project in Cape Town adds new pilot sites

Off-grid sanitation technology is now operational at two pilot sites in Strandfontein and Macassar, with three new sites to be added by the end of June, says the City of Cape Town (CoCT). The city... 

Golden Arrow rolls out first 20 electric buses, remaining 100 to follow by end-2025

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) will have 120 BYD electric buses on the road by the end of the year, says company engineer Gideon Neethling. GABS has already deployed the first 20... 

RFP deadline for State properties redevelopment extended

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has extended the deadline for requests for proposals (RFPs) on the redevelopment of 31 State properties, owing to “the immense interest... 

New technology-enhanced athletics track at Stellenbosch high school

Hoërskool Stellenbosch has opened its new multimillion-rand World Athletics Class 2 certified track, built with funding from the Athletics Cycling Education (ACE) Trust. Architect Sam Pellissier... 

Western Cape could start exporting renewable power by 2032

The Western Cape government says it remains on track to reach its target of generating 5 700 MW of its own energy by 2035, and could even become a net exporter of renewable energy by 2032. Premier... 

February sales up, exports down, Suzuki moves into second spot

February new-vehicle sales in the domestic market improved by 7.3%, to 47 978 units, compared with the same month last year. It is also the second month this year that importer Suzuki has taken... 

Cape Town hot spot for building opportunities, Gauteng market softening – WBHO

The building and civil engineering market in Gauteng continues to soften, but Cape Town is still offering “huge opportunities”, says WBHO CEO Wolfgang Neff. Announcing the construction giant’s... 

Grindrod to roll out R8bn capital programme to scale up its business

Grindrod will roll out an R8-billion multiyear programme to scale up its business in South Africa and Mozambique. This comes amid a softening in the global commodity cycle, as well as social... 

Capetonians reach R55m earnings mark in Cash for Power programme

Cape Town businesses and households have broken through the R55-million earnings mark from the start of the city’s Cash for Power programme in 2022/23, until January 31 this year. Cape Town is the... 

Motus adds Tata to its importer fold and eight Chinese brands to its retail business

Motus has inked a five-year deal with Indian vehicle manufacturer Tata to distribute its passenger vehicles in the South African market and in selected neighbouring countries. Tata commercial... 

Engine certification issues resolved, exports back to normal – Toyota SA

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) says the engine certification issues that affected its new-vehicle export business last year have been resolved. “Export streams are continuing as before,” says a... 

VW reveals third model to be produced at Kariega

German carmaker Volkswagen has lifted the veil on its new, compact sports-utility vehicle (SUV) that will be built in South Africa from 2027, as part of a R4-billion investment in the Kariega... 

African Association of Automotive Manufacturers appoints new CEO

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) has appointed Victoria Backhaus-Jerling as its new CEO, effective March 1. Backhaus-Jerling succeeds Dave Coffey, who is retiring, having... 

BMW SA reintroduces third shift, reports growing local interest in PHEV model

BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) says the new BMW X3 has “strongly resonated” with local customers since its introduction in October last year, with all available stock sold, or on order. The X3 is... 

Volvo Car SA conducting ‘strategic review’ of its dealer network

Volvo Car South Africa (VCSA) says it is conducting a strategic review of its dealer network. “As the licensor of the Volvo brand, VCSA has been actively consulting with its independent licensed... 

Tyre industry concerned about possible AGOA expulsion

South Africa’s tyre, equipment and parts industry says it is concerned about possible tariff jumps, lost contracts and supply chain disruptions, should South Africa’s duty-free access to the US... 

SA’s GoMetro expands to Malaysia

South African mobility management platform GoMetro continues its international expansion, this time to Malaysia. Malaysia-based telematics service provider Active Telematics has teamed up with...