Chery names its first bakkie Grootman
Chery has named its first bakkie for South Africa Grootman, a name chosen by South Africans. The model is planned to make its local debut in the first quarter of 2027.
- Product News
- 2 October 2026
Maja Smith is the new Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) Director. She brings with her vast experience in the Customer Experience space and will introduce a new way of thinking to what is one of Ford’s most important areas of business.
She will be responsible for developing customer satisfaction and business growth initiatives that will maximise the potential for the company’s parts and service businesses. Her new responsibilities build upon the changes she made to Ford’s Customer Experience (CX), which included the launch of a like-for-like, instant customer loan car programme, a proactive call centre that reaches out to customers who experience a vehicle failure, and system enhancements that allow Ford to monitor customers’ vehicles while at dealer workshops.
As the company prepares for the launch of its next-gen Ranger and Everest later this year, Maja will lead a team through the process of operating 10 hubs across South Africa that will gather the best technical minds to ensure no customer is without his or her car for longer than a week in the event of a technical concern.
“Ford’s Customer Service Division is not only about selling genuine Ford parts and technical expertise. It is about the whole experience, every single touchpoint our customers experience in their journey with us, which we hope will last a lifetime,” she says.
Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company Africa region, acknowledges Maja for revitalising and modernising Ford’s CX to a stage where it now sets new benchmarks in its field. “Her contributions have had a profound effect throughout so many stages of the customer journey, and I know she’ll tackle her new role of FCSD Director with the same determination, echoing Ford’s commitment to the country, its customers, as well as its commitment to the future,” says Neale.
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.
South Africa’s domestic new-vehicle market strengthened in September, recording 61 645 sales, its highest monthly total of 2026. Sales increased by 3 747 vehicles, or 6.5%, from August’s originally reported total and were 12.7% higher than in September 2025.