Speaking on Thursday, at the official line-off launch of the new Hilux at Toyota SA Motors’ Prospecton manufacturing plant in eThekwini, in the KwaZulu-Natal province, Ramaphosa said the occasion represented far more than the introduction of a new vehicle.
According to Ramaphosa, the launch reflects confidence in SA’s ability to attract investment, expand industrial production, create jobs and compete globally.
Toyota has invested approximately $578 million in the new-generation Hilux programme, strengthening the Prospecton facility’s position within the company’s global manufacturing network.
Ramaphosa said the true value of the investment lies not in infrastructure and machinery but in the opportunities it creates for workers, suppliers and local communities.
Ramaphosa noted that the Hilux has become an integral part of SA’s automotive history over more than five decades, serving farmers, miners, construction companies and households across the country.
Although it is one of Toyota’s global products, Ramaphosa said South Africans regard the Hilux as a local vehicle because it is designed for local conditions, manufactured by SA workers and exported from SA ports.
Ramaphosa said the project demonstrates how investment commitments can be converted into tangible economic outcomes. Approximately one-third of Toyota’s investment was directed towards strengthening local supplier capacity and tooling, while suppliers invested an additional $111 million to expand localisation.
Ramaphosa emphasised that the automotive industry remains a cornerstone of SA’s industrial economy, contributing around 5% of gross domestic product and supporting more than 115 000 direct manufacturing jobs and over half a million jobs across the value chain.
Ramaphosa said SA is currently the world’s 21st-largest vehicle producer, a position achieved through long-standing cooperation between government, manufacturers, organised labour and suppliers.
Ramaphosa also highlighted the importance of adapting to global changes in the automotive industry, including the transition towards cleaner mobility, new technologies and evolving consumer preferences.
According to Ramaphosa, government is supporting the sector through incentives for component manufacturing, battery value-chain development, innovation and skills training linked to new-energy vehicles.
SA’s abundant reserves of critical minerals also position the country to play a significant role in future mobility technologies, Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa added that improving logistics infrastructure remains essential to maintaining competitiveness. Ramaphosa welcomed recent improvements in rail and port performance, noting that Transnet vehicle terminals in Durban, Gqeberha and East London handled more than 792 000 fully built vehicles in the 10 months to February, the highest productivity levels recorded in recent years.
Ramaphosa thanked Toyota, workers, suppliers and government partners for their contribution to the project, saying every Hilux produced at Prospecton carries the skills, craftsmanship and dedication of SA workers. “As this new generation of Hilux begins its journey across SA and around the world, may it also carry a powerful message that SA is open for business,” Ramaphosa said.
–ChannelAfrica–
