THE Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC) has appointed two additional members to its board. They are distinguished industry leaders, Mikel Mabasa and David Coffey, who bring proven strategic foresight, deep auto-sector expertise, and international trade capabilities to support the AIDC-EC’s mandate for localised value chain integration, MSME expansion, and supplier development across the Eastern Cape.
The Board of Directors is tasked with advancing strong governance, institutional integrity, and sustainable industrial growth at a time when the province is positioning itself as a key enabler for the local automotive sector to compete globally.
According to the AIDC-EC, the two new appointments complement its board’s collective expertise, chaired by Pepi Silinga, who has over 30 years of leadership in infrastructure and economic development, alongside fellow Directors M Tyamzashe, Reverend N Madyibi and NP Ngonyama.
Together, the six-member board brings diverse experience across industrial development, corporate governance, financial oversight, strategic leadership, and institutional transformation. This collective leadership positions AIDC-EC to strengthen accountability, restore stakeholder confidence, and advance its mandate of building a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable automotive industry in the Eastern Cape, according to the development centre.
Mabasa is an accomplished automotive industry leader with over 30 years of experience in industrial policy, international trade, investment promotion, and corporate governance. He previously served as chief executive officer (CEO) of naamsa | The Automotive Business Council, playing a leading role in advancing South Africa’s automotive industrialisation agenda, including the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035.
Internationally, he served as a Permanent Council Member of the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA). Currently CEO and Lead Partner of Materi Investment Group, Mabasa chairs AIDC-EC’s Finance, Investment and Projects Committee and serves on its Human Resources, Social and Ethics Committee.
Coffey brings over 35 years of executive leadership across manufacturing, automotive, and industrial development in South Africa and on the African continent. Having served as CEO of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) from 2020 to 2025 and previously serving as CEO and in leadership roles at major industrial entities including PG Group/Shatterprufe, Bel-Essex Engineering, and Dorbyl Automotive Technologies, Coffey brings tested operational expertise and strategic continental insight. He contributes to AIDC-EC’s governance structures through the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) and the Finance, Investment, and Projects Committee (FIPC).
By combining deep macroeconomic insight, global trade experience, and rigorous financial oversight, the AIDC-EC says its board remains focused on providing clear strategic direction and operational integrity. “The reinforced leadership structure underscores AIDC-EC’s commitment to transparent public administration, fiscal responsibility, and driving long-term economic inclusion in the Eastern Cape while enabling the Eastern Cape Automotive Sector to become Globally Competitive.”
