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
The 26-year-old Zintle Mvana from Volkswagen South-Africa has been named one of the Best Apprentices in the Volkswagen Group – an honour bestowed each year on only a handful of the company’s top young talents across the world.
The Best Apprentice Award is given each year in recognition of the outstanding performance from young employees within the Group. In 2021, this group consisted of a total of fifty apprentices from nineteen countries.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, these awards – normally presented during a ceremony in Wolfsburg, Germany – were handed out individually in the apprentices’ home countries.
Zintle has been with the company since February 2020, when she started as a graduate trainee while studying towards an Honours degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology. She is currently employed as a Training and Development Practitioner in VWSA’s Learning Academy.
“This award means the world to me; it means that my efforts have been recognised,” she says. “I always strive to perform at my highest level in whatever I do, so that is how I learn best – by giving it my all. This award means that my contribution to my department and to VWSA is valued.”
“We are proud to have Zintle represent us in the Volkswagen Group and proud of her achievements; this is a well-deserved accolade,” said Dr Robert Cisek, VWSA Chairman and Managing Director. “VWSA prides itself on identifying and developing young talent through its trainee programmes, and Zintle is firm proof of the success of these programmes and the importance of investing in people.”
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.