Nissan South Africa Country Director, Kabelo Rabotho, has resigned from his position at the automotive group.
Kabelo confirmed this to Dealerfloor at the SA Auto Week event in Midrand last week. He will be leaving Nissan at the end of the month.
He was appointed Nissan SA Country Director in December 2020 and, in this role, was responsible for revenue generation functions as well as being the market lead for Nissan in South Africa, reporting to Mike Whitfield, the then newly appointed managing director of Nissan’s Africa Regional Business Unit and previously managing director of both Nissan SA and Nissan Egypt.
Nissan South Africa has been tight-lipped about Rabotho’s departure and has failed to date to respond to a Dealerfloor request for comment emailed to the company last month.
Nissan SA spokesperson acknowledged Dealerfloor’s inquiry on 7 October 2023, about 10 days after it was sent, when responding to a number of questions related to the company’s employee reduction.
“We would like to acknowledge your questions regarding Nissan South Africa’s leadership and understand that you have been awaiting a response.
“We are expecting to have more information available in the coming week. As such, we appreciate your patience and assure you that Nissan South Africa will respond towards the end of next week,” she said.
On Monday, Nissan SA sent out invitations to the media for a business update by the company this week.
Rabotho’s resignation follows a shake-up in Nissan’s leadership in Africa earlier this year.
Effective from 1 April 2023, Joni Paiva was appointed as Africa President but has also continued in his current position at the time as Divisional Vice President, overseeing Sales and Marketing, India.
Sherief Eldessouky, previously Country Director for Nissan Egypt, has been appointed Managing Director of Nissan Africa.
Eldessouky replaced Mike Whitfield, who was appointed Nissan Group Strategic Advisor for Policies, Political Affairs and External Relations.
Whitfield subsequently resigned from Nissan, with Stellantis South Africa announcing on 26 September 2023 that he had been appointed its new managing director.
Nissan SA’s employee reduction plan is set to affect about 400 employees at its Rosslyn plant in Pretoria.
It has been prompted by Nissan SA’s failure to secure a second model for production by its Rosslyn plant and the fact the company is preparing to end production of its NP200 bakkie in March 2024.
Once production of the NP200 bakkie ceases, it will mean that the Rosslyn plant will be left producing only the Nissan Navara model.
Dunlop Tyres South Africa has completed a R1.7 billion investment programme at its uMnambithi (Ladysmith) manufacturing facility, introducing new manufacturing technology and expanding production capabilities at the plant.
Mahindra & Mahindra has unveiled the Scorpio Lifestyler, a midsize lifestyle bakkie derived from the Global Pik Up concept first shown in Cape Town in 2023.
The South African automotive industry has gained some breathing space following the latest move by the United States Senate to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, to the end of 2028.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
Dunlop Tyres South Africa has completed a R1.7 billion investment programme at its uMnambithi (Ladysmith) manufacturing facility, introducing new manufacturing technology and expanding production capabilities at the plant.
The South African automotive industry has gained some breathing space following the latest move by the United States Senate to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, to the end of 2028.
General Motors (GM) has renewed its joint venture with China's SAIC Motor Corp for another 20 years, enabling the United States (US) automaker to use China as an export hub amid rising competition from Chinese brands in and outside their home market.
