The high-level gathering, hosted by the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, the Automotive Industry Development Centre, and the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), aims to accelerate the country\u2019s transition to electric mobility and position Gauteng as Africa\u2019s automotive innovation hub.<\/p>\n
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Dr Bheka Zulu, Chief Executive Officer of TASEZ, speaking to Channel Africa on Tuesday, said the summit marks a defining moment for SA’s automotive transformation. \u201cThis is not just a conference, it\u2019s a strategic declaration that Gauteng is the heart of the SA automotive industry,\u201d he said. \u201cWith over 60% of the country\u2019s vehicle production taking place here, we are claiming our position as Africa\u2019s leader and gateway for new energy vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Since the release of the Electric Vehicle (EV) White Paper in 2023, SA has taken steps to align with global industry trends. Zulu said the sector is \u201cno longer a passenger\u201d in the global EV race, highlighting efforts to attract international investment, harmonise trade standards across the continent, and develop local manufacturing capacity.<\/p>\n
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Underpinning the shift is the SA Automotive Master Plan 2035, which seeks to boost local content in vehicle production from the current 40% to 60%, while doubling employment.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis is not just about swapping an engine for a battery,\u201d Zulu noted. \u201cIt\u2019s about creating high-value jobs for a new generation of workers and ensuring inclusive growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He emphasised the need for public-private collaboration, with government creating an enabling environment and original equipment manufacturers, such as Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen, driving innovation and investment. \u201cWe are already seeing the rise of new, black-owned industrial players entering the NEV space,\u201d Zulu added.<\/p>\n
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Infrastructure remains a key focus. The summit will explore partnerships to expand the national charging network and strengthen logistics systems to support local and regional NEV production.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe must ensure our charging and energy systems match the pace of our ambitions,\u201d Zulu said, noting that renewable energy sources such as solar, gas, and hydrogen will play a growing role in powering SA\u2019s automotive zones.<\/p>\n
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As the European Union\u2019s (EU) carbon border adjustment mechanism and zero-emission requirements draw nearer, Zulu said SA is aligning its targets with global sustainability standards. \u201cWe are working to ensure that what we produce meets EU regulations on emissions. It will take effort and collaboration, but we are committed to a cleaner, more competitive future.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Looking ahead, he envisions success by 2035 as the SA automotive sector that is globally competitive, inclusive, and export-driven.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe want NEVs to make up a large share of local production and exports, with SA becoming a net exporter of new energy vehicles and components,\u201d he said. \u201cMost importantly, we want to ensure that no worker is left behind in this transition, that the shift to green mobility creates new opportunities for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The NEV Summit brings together policymakers, manufacturers, and investors from across Africa and beyond. It is expected to produce a roadmap for developing a sustainable NEV value chain, from battery manufacturing to assembly and exports, while driving skills development and industrial transformation across the continent.<\/p>\n
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The summit runs from October 22 to 23, under the theme \u201cDriving Africa\u2019s Green Automotive Future.\u201d<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13187,"template":"default||default","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-13186","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) automotive industry takes a major step towards a greener future this week, as the inaugural New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Summit begins in Midrand, Johannesburg. ||South Africa\u2019s (SA) automotive industry takes a major step towards a greener future this week, as the inaugural New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Summit begins in Midrand, Johannesburg. ","published_date":null,"news_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) automotive industry takes a major step towards a greener future this week, as the inaugural New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Summit begins in Midrand, Johannesburg. ||South Africa\u2019s (SA) automotive industry takes a major step towards a greener future this week, as the inaugural New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Summit begins in Midrand, Johannesburg. ","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18425,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13186\/revisions\/18425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=13186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}