BYD SA to add Shark plug-in hybrid bakkie and Sealion SUVs to its line-up in March

Chinese importer BYD South Africa (SA) will this month add the Shark plug-in hybrid (PHEV) bakkie, as well as the Sealion 6 PHEV and fully electric Sealion 7 sports-utility vehicles (SUVs) to its... 

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... 

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... 

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... 

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... 

VW reveals third model to be produced at the Kariega plant

German car maker 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... 

Deep-sea research quest around African coast may aid fishing stock recovery

The Around Africa Expedition is a collaborative expedition along the African coastline led by global ocean exploration non-profit organisations, OceanX and the newly established OceanQuest, The... 

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... 

The last-mile industry is booming, with Fastway Couriers delivering 31% more parcels in 2024

The rapid growth of e-commerce is reshaping the last-mile delivery industry in South Africa, and the past year has shown just how quickly the sector is evolving, says Fastway Couriers FD Damian... 

Used-car demand rising rapidly – TransUnion

The fourth quarter 2024 TransUnion South Africa Vehicle Pricing Index (VPI) report indicates a continued shift towards used vehicles in the South African automotive market, with financing for... 

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... 

Job growth in metros lacklustre, Gauteng shedding manufacturing employment

South Africa’s eight metros – Cape Town, Tshwane, Johannesburg, Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, Mangaung and eThekwini – have seen a lacklustre employment trajectory over the last... 

Formal mining-industry fatalities at record low, TB and silicosis also declining

Mining fatalities in South Africa’s formal mining industry totalled 42 people last year, down from 55 people in 2023, 49 people in 2022, and 74 people in 2021. Speaking at a media briefing at 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, as well as selected neighbouring countries. Tata commercial... 

SnoLink Logistics to boost capacity after acquisition by Clearwater Capital

Private equity fund manager Clearwater Capital has acquired Etlin International’s temperature-controlled storage and logistics arm through a business rescue deal. This division, SnoLink Logistics,... 

SolarButterfly continues its journey across South Africa

The world’s largest solar-powered vehicle, the SolarButterfly, has travelled from Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, to Wolmaransstad, in the North West, and onwards as it continues its global... 

EV charging stations now take credit cards, in a process that required some interesting tech

Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in South Africa are set to become more user-friendly as they will allow customers to pay with major credit cards. This comes as EFT Corporation has... 

Capetonians reach R55m earnings mark in Cash for Power programme

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

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... 

Cartrack launches wireless tag that can operate in low, no cellular reception areas

Cartrack has launched a wireless tag for the tracking of physical assets used in commercial operations. The company, a Karooooo subsidiary, says the Cartrack-Tag provides enhanced visibility in... 

Eight takeaways from an in-flux 2024 new-vehicle market

It may have been 60 years ago, but Bob Dylan’s 1964 hit perhaps best describes conditions in last year’s automotive market – The Times They Are A-Changin’ 2024 was the year in which the dominance... 

Cape Town adopts treated effluent irrigation, offers industry low price to take up supply

The City of Cape Town is commissioning treated effluent irrigation connections at a number of city recreation and parks facilities in a move it says will likely save between 2.5-million and... 

Coal, uranium regarded as critical minerals in South Africa – Mantashe

South Africa’s definition of critical minerals is not limited to minerals used in the green economy and includes coal and uranium, says Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.... 

Copper demand, prices likely to boom, despite uncertain macroeconomics

When looking ahead to 2050, the global economy is probably going to need about 80% to 90% more copper than what is being produced today – which adds up to between 50-million and 60-million tons a... 

Eight takeaways from an in-flux 2024 new-vehicle market

It may have been 60 years ago, but Bob Dylan’s 1964 hit perhaps best describes conditions in last year’s automotive market – The Times They Are A-Changin’ 2024 was the year in which the dominance... 

Cartrack launches wireless tag that can operate in low, no cellular reception areas

Cartrack has launched a wireless tag for the tracking of physical assets used in commercial operations. The company, a Karooooo subsidiary, says the Cartrack-Tag provides enhanced visibility in... 

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... 

Cape Town calls for Budget to increase affordable housing funding to cities

The City of Cape Town says it is “eagerly awaiting” Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement that the Budget, set to be delivered on Wednesday, will increase funding for cities to deliver... 

Budget Speech must include incentives to boost shift to EVs – Charge

It is crucial that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana introduce the long-promised financial incentives in his Budget speech that will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), as well as... 

CSIR develops satellite tool to sound alert on red tides

Abalone farmers along the South African coastline now have access to an online tool, developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), that allows them to track marine algal... 

Türkiye exit, SA vehicle production slump to hit Metair earnings

Manufacturer, distributor and retailer of automotive components, Metair, says its exit from the Turkish market and a slump in local vehicle production will have a significant impact on its 2024... 

Naamsa revises 2024 vehicle exports up by 82 500 units following verification

Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council has issued a significant correction to South Africa’s 2024 new-vehicle export data “following a comprehensive data verification exercise” which showed that... 

Developing a new mine in SA ‘simply not competitive or attractive’, says Minerals Council CEO

When considering the development of new mines and the flurry of exploration in Africa and around the world, the South African mining sector is “simply not competitive or attractive”, says Minerals... 

Govt should not bully miners into beneficiation, IDC must step up – Swanepoel

Beneficiation is not the responsibility of mining companies, says Manganese Metal Company (MMC) executive chairperson Bernard Swanepoel. “Speaking as the last standing manganese beneficiation... 

BMW SA reintroduces third shift, says there is 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... 

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... 

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...