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JOHANNESBURG – Nissan Motor Co. plans to invest another 3 billion rand (23.9 billion yen) in its South African plant to prepare the production of the latest version of the Navara pickup.
The decision of the Japanese automaker could add 30,000 units to the current annual plant volume of 35,000, said Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan Africa, at the plant north of Pretoria. The manufacture of Navara from 2020 will also create around 400 direct jobs in a country where the unemployment rate is 27%.
"Auto is already the largest part of South Africa's manufacturing sector, accounting for about 7 percent of gross domestic product and one-third of manufacturing output," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a speech. in front of the Nissan facilities in Rosslyn.
Nissan's investment is the first significant commitment of a carmaker since international companies agreed with the government to extend a manufacturing incentive program last year until 2035. This project also helped companies like Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG and BMW AG of the country, in exchange for generous tax breaks. The majority of vehicles are produced for export.
Nissan expects to double its industrial presence in the Middle East, Africa and India by 2022, adding new plants, according to Peyman Kargar, president of the automaker's operations in these three territories, who has spoken in an interview last month.
"From here 2022, we want to double our presence in Africa, and South Africa is the most important base for this growth," Kargar said Wednesday. "We are exporting to over 45 countries in South Africa and with the new Navara, it will be even more."
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