Speaking at the Inaugural South Africa Automotive Week, H.E. Wamkele Mene highlighted the importance of the Automotive industry in the industrialisation of the African Continent, stating emphatically that Africa will only achieve $7 trillion GDP by 2023 without the support of the Automotive Industry.

The event was hosted at the Kyalame International Conference Centre in the Gauteng Province under the theme “Reimagining the Future, Together. The Rise of the African Auto Industry, investing in new energy vehicles, infrastructure and people”.

This was a congregation of the automotive industry giants and thought leadership and a call to manufacturers and suppliers present at the event to make sure that local content was not only used in products made for the African market, but also that it is applied to products for export as well.

Through this event Naamsa, the industry body that represents the collective interests of South Africa’s car, van and truck manufacturers, parts suppliers, import and export traders, assemblers and other businesses involved in the supply chain of the automotive industry will ensure that it utilises the platform to promote its agenda for increased local content and greater opportunities for indigenous companies.

H.E. Wamkele Mene stated that “Rules of trade, and free trade overall, allow for more innovation and investment, which will enable Africa to move beyond production of less than one-million vehicles a year, and become competitive with the likes of India and China”.