Cabinet welcomes Ford investment

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Cabinet on Thursday welcomed Ford Motor Company’s R3 billion investment into its Silverton plant in Tshwane.

“This investment will result in the creation of direct and indirect jobs due to the expected increased production of its Ford Ranger model,” Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said.

Earlier this month, the company announced its plans to expand production capacity at its South African plant in order to meet growing demand.

Briefing reporters following Cabinet’s fortnightly meeting, the Minister said investments like these affirm government’s work in growing the South African economy and addressing the challenge of unemployment.

“Through government’s R7.8 billion incentive scheme in Automotive Production and Development Programme, R28.5 billion private investments have been unlocked. These include the announcement by Toyota to manufacture their new Toyota Hilux and Fortuner models as part of R6.1 billion investment,” said Minister Kubayi-Ngubane at the briefing held in Cape Town.

Investment into South Africa include BMW’s plans to construct a R6 billion state-of-the-art body shop.  Meanwhile, the Beijing Automobile International Corporation plans to invest R11 billion in an automotive manufacturing plant in South Africa.

Launched in September 2008, the objective of the programme is to stimulate expansion of automotive vehicle production with associated deepening of the components industry. – SAnews.gov.za