Everlectric scales up electric fleet with larger, high-payload vehicles

Fleet solutions company Everlectric will this year expand its commercial electric vehicle (EV) range by introducing larger vehicles in the form of urban distribution trucks and upsized panel vans.... 

Although Motus profit climbs 8%, VW and Nissan brands come under pressure

The surge seen in Chinese vehicles sales is not unique to South Africa, says Motus CEO Ockert Janse van Rensburg. The parts and vehicle retailer and distributor also operates in the UK and Australia. 

Major step forward as African Union signs off on ‘Made-in-Africa’ auto trade rules – AAAM

Last month’s thirty-ninth ordinary session of the assembly of the African Union heads of Htate and government signed off on the Rules of Origin (RoO) for automotive products under the African... 

Namibia signs Luanda Accord as GJEPC, DMCC move to become Natural Diamond Council members

Namibia’s government has become the latest to sign the Luanda Accord, while India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) are set to... 

Business chamber demands urgent action as Eastern Cape unemployment crisis deepens

The Eastern Cape is facing a full-blown employment emergency, says the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) business chamber. This comes as the country’s newest jobs data confirms that the province’s... 

Toyota SA guns for new sales record this year

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) will chase a new record of 153 178 unit sales this year, says senior sales and marketing VP Leon Theron. He says TSAM’s highest sales ever were 152 000 units in... 

With demand 98% covered, Eskom weighs targeted pricing models – Marokane

Eskom has arrived at a position where it can turn its attention to determining the appropriate pricing in support of the various sectors of the economy – especially vulnerable sectors, says Eskom... 

Southern Palladium’s Bengwenyama project to ‘touch the reef’ in 2027

Southern Palladium’s Bengwenyama platinum group metal (PGM) project has moved from paper to a venture that is looming large on the horizon, says MD Johan Odendaal. The Bengwenyama project is 70%... 

Africa must shift from policy intent to implementation – Anglo’s Wanblad

The time has come for Africa to shift from policy intent to implementation, says Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad. Speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 held earlier this month,... 

Cape Town, UCT to roll out research programme ahead of electric bus deployment

The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) Urban Mobility Directorate, together with the University of Cape Town (UCT), is set to roll out a research project to test and better understand how electric buses... 

Transnet is working to solve challenges as it transitions to next phase – Phillips

The current recovery process at Transnet must be seen as a transition period, with the rail and port entity’s long-term goal being to reach a state of reliability and sustainability, says Transnet... 

January new-vehicle sales up 7.5% year-on-year as momentum carries over from 2025

Total new-vehicle sales in January, at 50 073 units, increased by 3 479 units, or 7.5%, compared with January last year, reports naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. The industry body says the... 

Despite poor Q4, air, rail and sea freight subsectors on the mend as road freight loses ground – Ctrack index shows

After gains in seven of the nine months to September last year, the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index (Ctrack TFI) lost momentum in the fourth quarter (Q4), ending the year at an index level of... 

SA mobility guild announces 2026 Car of The Year finalists

The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the 18 finalists for the 2026 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition. The competition is 40 years old this year, with... 

Southern Palladium’s Bengwenyama project to ‘touch the reef’ in 2027

Southern Palladium’s Bengwenyama platinum group metal (PGM) project has moved from paper to a venture that is looming large on the horizon, says MD Johan Odendaal. The Bengwenyama project is 70%... 

With demand 98% covered, Eskom can now turn its focus to pricing models – Marokane

Eskom has arrived at a position where it can turn its attention to determining the appropriate pricing in support of the various sectors of the economy – especially vulnerable sectors, says Eskom... 

Iron-ore exporters’ ‘north star’ would be corridor rehabilitation, integrated rail-port concession

When weighing the future of the iron-ore export corridor from the Northern Cape to the Port of Saldanha, the Ore Users Forum (OUF) has a clear understanding of its “north star”, says Kumba Iron Ore... 

Africa must shift from policy intent to implementation, Teck merger good for SA – Wanblad

The time has come for Africa to shift from policy intent to implementation, says Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad. Speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 held in Cape Tow this... 

Namibia signs Luanda Accord; GJEPC, DMCC to become Natural Diamond Council members

Namibia has become the latest government to sign the Luanda Accord, while India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) are set to become... 

AFC argues for stronger regional planning in Africa as it launches strategic minerals compendium

Africa hosts an estimated $29.5-trillion in mine-site mineral value – the value of mineral resources at the point of extraction – representing about 20% of global mineral wealth. Of this total,... 

Metair unveils aftermarket parts and retail division

JSE-listed automotive group Metair has finalised the formation of its new aftermarket parts and retail division, in line with the group’s strategy of diversification through the establishment of... 

Nissan South Africa’s Rosslyn plant to be sold to Chery

After nearly a year of rumours about its possible closure, the axe has finally fallen on Nissan’s assembly operations in Rosslyn, Pretoria. The Japanese group announced last year that it would... 

Shoprite Group powers up its 100th solar installation, seeks more wheeling partners

Retail giant the Shoprite Group has powered up its 100th solar photovoltaic (PV) system, more than ten years after launching its first solar project in 2015.  The landmark installation was at... 

As SA’s auto makers struggle, there is ‘no choice’ but to hike tariffs on vehicle imports

The South African government will have no choice but to impose antidumping duties on imported vehicles, says Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi. At the end of January,... 

South African nitrogen fixation fertiliser manufacturer eyes the global stage

Custom Chemistry has managed to acquire 3% of the South African agricultural nitrogen fertiliser market in the past three years, says MD and chief scientist Gerhard Vermaak. “Our early-life... 

GridCars welcomes new investor . . . and ultrafast charging

Electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator GridCars has welcomed a new investor following Solareff’s departure late last year. The renewable-energy group sold its majority shareholding in... 

Port of Maputo notches up record volumes

The Port of Maputo last year moved record volumes, handling a total of 32-million tons – a 3.4% increase compared with the previous year’s 30.9-million tons. The Maputo Port Development Company... 

Still at number one, Toyota sees growing sales, despite onslaught from China

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) last year retained its long-standing number-one position in the domestic new-vehicle market, with total sales of 148 124 units – a 15.1% jump from the 128 663 unit... 

Nissan South Africa’s Rosslyn plant to be sold to Chery

After nearly a year of rumours about its possible closure, the axe has finally fallen on Nissan’s assembly operations in Rosslyn, Pretoria. The Japanese group announced last year that it would... 

European competition commission hands Metair subsidiary Rombat steep fine

Battery producer Rombat, a subsidiary of JSE-listed auto parts group Metair, has been handed a €20.2-million fine by the European competition authority. Metair’s Romanian subsidiary is one of... 

Chinese onslaught pushes ‘Big Six’ market share below 50%

The top six-selling light-vehicle brands in South Africa in the year 2000 were Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, Opel, Mazda and Ford. From the turn of the century to 2010, these six brands held 60% to... 

New-vehicle sales recover to above pre-pandemic levels, exports also in the green

The new-vehicle market finally recovered to above 2019, pre-pandemic levels in 2025, says naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. South Africa’s new-vehicle market reached 536 612 units in 2019. 

Hydrogen set to keep on growing as fundamentals strengthen, China rapidly drives costs down

The hydrogen sector may have been in a hype cycle for the last few years, but the fundamentals around the global energy market have not changed – the need for clean and localised energy and a just... 

VSL Manufacturing opens R750m facility to supply Isuzu assembly plant

VSL Manufacturing (VSL) has started operations at its new, R750-million manufacturing facility adjacent to the Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) assembly plant in Struandale, Gqeberha. VSL is a... 

WBHO clinches deal to build R8bn Cape Winelands Airport

The Cape Winelands Airport has appointed Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) to take responsibility for the technical development and construction of its new R8-billion airport, set to be built in... 

Construction activity sees civil contractor sentiment jump to multiyear high

The First National Bank (FNB)/Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Civil Confidence Index rose to 52 in the fourth quarter of last year, up from 43 in the third quarter. This marks the joint best... 

Meet the SA mechanical engineer who became a full-time violin maker

Somewhere in Linden, Johannesburg, Albertus Bekker is putting the finishing touches to a new violin after almost 150 hours of painstaking work. Bekker is what is known as a luthier – he handcrafts,... 

Biovac boosts vaccine capabilities with new lab, health tech park to open next door

Biopharmaceutical company the Biologicals and Vaccines Institute of Southern Africa (Biovac) has opened a product development laboratory at its Cape Town facility. The company says the new... 

Cape Town moves to beat the heat as it appoints its first Chief Heat Officer

Cape Town has become the first South African city to have a Chief Heat Officer (CHO). Cities such as Los Angeles and Athens already have CHOs. 

Cape Town switches on landfill gas to energy plant

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Urban Waste Management MMC Grant Twigg in November powered up the city’s new gas-to-energy plant at the Coastal Park Landfill. The plant generates enough...