Goals for car industry empowerment will be incremental, says Davies
Long-term motor industry policy in SA must set incremental, "achievable" gains for black participation and ownership, says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. Speaking in Port Elizabeth, where he attended the official launch of Isuzu SA as an independent vehicle manufacturer, Davies said future policy must build on existing gains and not set unrealistic targets. That’s why, he said, the government was sympathetic to vehicle manufacturers’ offer of a R3.5bn fund to pay for development of black-owned automotive dealerships and components suppliers. The proposal is a counter-offer to the government’s earlier request for multinational motor companies to cede part of their South African subsidiaries to local black partners. The Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP), which has shaped the motor industry since 2013, is due to expire at the end of 2020 and Davies said discussions on a successor, which is intended to run to 2035, were advanced. While there would be a high...
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