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
Toyota will scrap and crush around 4 000 vehicles that were damaged at the manufacturer’s Prospecton plant in Durban during the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
So said Toyota South Africa’s President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, during an interview with eNCA.
Only about 12% of the 4 500 vehicles at the plant were not affected at all. None of the damaged cars or parts will make it onto the market.
Some of the most popular vehicles in South Africa are manufactured at the plant and also exported around the world. This includes the Toyota Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla.
The long-term effect is more serious with about 45 000 vehicles that will be lost until production returns to normal. Andrew could not give a specific date for the plant to re-start, but work with the assistance of Toyota Japan is underway to get back to normality.
Although none of the workforce at the plant were injured in the floods, some did experience serious damage to their homes, he told eNCA during the interview, and Toyota is not only assisting them, but also the broader community.
For the full interview on eNCA with the Toyota President and CEO, lock onto the link:
https://www.enca.com/business/exclusive-toyota-ceo-speaks-flooded-vehicle-plant
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.
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.
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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.