CAPE TOWN: Depending on how seriously it took localisation, in 10 years the motor industry in SA could be employing either 35,000 or 180,000 people, analyst Justin Barnes said. The future of the industry was not at risk, he said. The only question was whether it turned into a true manufacturing industry or one that simply assembled parts.
Motor companies and their components suppliers had to work harder to increase local content in vehicles made in SA, or sacrifice jobs, skills and technology transfer. Prof Barnes, one of the architects of the government-led automotive production and development programme, was speaking at an automotive localisation indaba in Durban last week.
Describing the motor industry as the “golden nugget” of South African manufacturing, he said average local content in cars and light commercial vehicles made in SA grew marginally to 41.5% last year, from 41.0% in 2013.
