NAAMSA Auto Week is more than an industry gathering. It is a strategic platform for shaping the future of mobility in South Africa.
This year’s theme, Reimagining the Future Together – Cultivating Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity, sets the tone for bold, collaborative action, according to Andrew Kirby, president and CEO of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM).
After previous years’ successful events in Gauteng and Cape Town, this year SA Auto Week 2025 comes to the province where automotive production started in South Africa, the Eastern Cape. The event takes place at Coega Development Corporation’s Coega Vulindlela Conference Centre in Gqeberha from 1-3 October.
“We are delighted to support SA Auto Week, recognising the significant role the automotive industry plays in our province’s economy and also to be part of celebrating 90 years of naamsa, which was established in our province,” says Khuselwa Randtjie, Eastern Cape provincial government spokesperson.
“The provincial government is looking forward to imagining the future of the automotive sector to ensure that our province continues to thrive through inclusive economic growth. More importantly, this event provides a platform for the province to engage directly with industry leaders,” says Randtjie.
Mikel Mabasa, naamsa CEO said the trade body’s partnership with the provincial government highlights the province’s pivotal role in driving the sector’s growth, innovation, and global competitiveness. For the duration of Auto Week, the automotive community will converge on the Eastern Cape for a landmark showcase of heritage, innovation, and the industry’s exciting future, he said.
“We are incredibly grateful to have partnered with the Eastern Cape Provincial Government as the hosts of this year’s event. Our anchor partners, WesBank, Absa, the Automotive Industry Development Centre-Gauteng Province (AIDC-GP), and the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), have provided strong and consistent support. Their commitment to our strategy, as we re-imagine the future of the automotive industry in South Africa, is evident in the support we receive from them, year-on-year,” said Mabasa.
Highlights
naamsa will be hosting the Automotive Indaba and Conference, a two-day event spanning three stages. Over 20 thought-leadership roundtable panels and expert industry presentations will explore and debate topics such as innovation, transformation, public policy, supply chain management, investment mobilisation for the South African auto sector, challenges faced by the medium and heavy commercial vehicle sector, global best practices, and discussions on current policy reforms that will help insulate the country’s manufacturing base.
Among the speakers is TSAM’s Kirby who will deliver an expert keynote address and participate in a panel discussion on the theme: “The South African Automotive Industry as a Catalyst for Re-industrialisation.” This session will explore how the industry can drive inclusive economic growth, job creation and sustainable manufacturing.
TSAM said its participation reaffirms the company’s commitment to driving re-industrialisation, fostering innovation and contributing meaningfully to the country’s economic transformation. ”We believe the automotive sector is a powerful conduit for transforming this, and we’re excited to contribute to this national dialogue,” Kirby said ahead of the event.
“The global shifts in the automotive industry following the US tariff policy decisions will undoubtedly influence many of our discussions at this year’s event,” said Mabasa.
Auto Innovation Exhibition
A highlight of the Coega-based event will be the Auto Innovation Exhibition, which showcases the latest and cutting-edge industry products, services, and technologies across the automotive ecosystem. TSAM, for example, is participating with three main stands featuring a dynamic display of vehicles and initiatives. Toyota, Lexus and Hino will display various models, including the bZ4x, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Hilux Legend 55, Lexus RX and the Dutro Z EV.
Mabasa says TransUnion will be back on stage at the TransUnion Summit to explore how changing consumer needs, generational trends, and digital adoption are reshaping auto decisions and paving the way for innovative mobility solutions.
Another highlight will be the naamsa Accelerator Awards, powered by WesBank, which celebrates excellence and recognises organisations and individuals whose vision, innovation, and leadership are shaping a sustainable automotive future.
NEV Road trip
Leading up to the event, 20 NEVs have traversed along three routes starting from either Johannesburg, Durban or East London, with Gqeberha as their final destination.
Demonstrating South Africa’s charging infrastructure capabilities and readiness for the future of driving, the vehicles were due to meet in Colesberg before heading to Port Alfred and finally arriving in Gqeberha before SA Auto Week.
The convoy includes Hybrid EVs, Plug-in Hybrid EVs and Battery EVs, representing nine automotive manufacturers.
A reshaped trajectory
naamsa recognises that a slew of challenges is currently reshaping the trajectory of the automotive industry, globally and in South Africa, exerting pressures that are fundamentally transforming its landscape. The more complex and uncertain the world becomes, the greater the demand for clear insights from data to provide a more predictable roadmap through economic disruption and political turmoil.
To this end, the Automotive Trade Manual, 2025, South Africa publication, previously produced and compiled by the Automotive Industry Export Council (AIEC), is now published by naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. Since 2024, the newly branded naamsa publication, like the 18 publications since 2007, remains the acknowledged source of all key automotive data in South Africa.
The publication is available for download from the naamsa website and provides a comprehensive overview of the export and import performance of the South African automotive industry under the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP) and APDP Phase 2 (APDP2). Among the topics covered in the Manual are the top automotive export destinations, the major countries of origin, the main export trade blocs, the top automotive products being exported and imported, as well as the top growth markets and products. The Manual further explores the impact of the trade arrangements currently enjoyed by South Africa in the trade of vehicles and related automotive components.
Data from the Automotive Trade Manual 2025 shows that the total sales of NEVs in South Africa, including heavy commercial vehicles, jumped from 7,782 in 2023, to 15,611 in 2024. Over 13,00 of the NEVs sold in 2024 were ‘traditional hybrids’. Just four years before, in 2020, the NEV total was 324.
It further shows that, in 2024, there were seven operating multinational OEMs with CKD manufacturing plants in South Africa and the Eastern Cape OEMs once again accounted for the biggest proportion of light vehicle production, as well as light vehicle exports in 2024.
With Volkswagen Group Africa, Mercedes-Benz SA, Isuzu Motors SA and Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s engine plant in the province, it accounted for 57% of light vehicle exports out of the total 390,080 units exported in 2024. Of the total 567,946 light vehicles produced by OEMs in South Africa in 2024, 50% were made in the Eastern Cape, 29% in Gauteng and 21% in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the manual, the Eurozone, Africa and the US remained the top export destinations for South African-manufactured vehicles and automotive components due to their long-standing relationships.
Vehicle exports decreased in 2024 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, to 390,844 units, down 8,965 units, or 2.2%, compared to the record performance of 2023, when the industry exported 399,809 units. A total of 390,844 left- and right-hand drive vehicles were exported to 109 countries around the world in 2024.
Another trend highlighted in the report is the growth of vehicle imports. According to the report, there has been a structural change in the makeup of vehicles being sold in South Africa as demanding consumers benefit from access to a wide variety of new models and a highly competitive pricing environment. In 2024, light vehicle imports, as a percentage of total new light vehicle sales in South Africa, increased from 59,5% in 2023 to 62,8% in 2024. The manual notes that this trend has become more pronounced over the last decade, as the share of domestically manufactured light vehicles has fallen steadily, with imported light vehicle models averaging 58,5% of annual new vehicle sales over the past decade, while the domestically manufactured models’ new vehicle share declined to 41,5%.
The report estimates that South African automotive trade revenue under the APDP2, amounting to a substantial R494,8 billion in 2024, comprised 16,4% of South Africa’s total trade GDP, down from 16,7% in 2023. The automotive export revenue of R268,8 billion in 2024 reflected a decrease of R2,0 billion, or 0,7%, compared to the record R270,8 billion export value in 2023.
