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
Ten years ago (on 6 December 2013), Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) officially opened a sports, recreational and community facility for the benefit of its employees, family and the larger community in Kariega.
The R30 million VW PeoplePavilion was built to ultimately create a sense of belonging and engagement for VWSA employees in Kariega.
Now, 10 years later, the PeoplePavilion has not only fulfilled this legacy, but has become an important fixture in the community of Kariega. Over R3.5 million has been invested over the past 10 years to ensure the facility remains a state-of-the-art centre for visitors.
Since its opening up until 30 November 2023, the facility has welcomed 1 029 168 visitors, of whom 59 613 were in the first 11 months of 2023. In its 10 years, the PeoplePavilion – which boasts a multipurpose hall, a clubhouse, sports fields and a fully equipped gym for its employees and their loved-ones – has hosted 1 867 events, ranging from wedding receptions to birthday parties and fundraisers.
Meanwhile, the gym has received 259 761 visitors in its time, while the sports fields have been used frequently by various sports teams from the VWSA workforce, with sports such as netball, soccer, cricket, baseball, volleyball and Judo among the codes on offer to employees.
The PeoplePavilion also celebrated a significant milestone earlier this year when it welcomed its one millionth visitor in June.
“From the outset, the VW PeoplePavilion was intended to enrich the lives of our employees and their loved ones by offering them support in living a healthy, active lifestyle and providing a recreational space for them,” says Andile Dlamini, Head: Group Communications at VWSA.
“I am happy to say that we have succeeded in this mandate over the past 10 years, and we plan to continue doing so in future as well. The PeoplePavilion team can be proud of making a meaningful contribution to our workforce over the past decade.”
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.