On Thursday the 14th of November 2024, the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC) facilitated a strategic orientation visit held at the Schaeffler Group by the MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) Ms Nonkqubela Pieters. The aim of the visit was to engage with key role players in the region’s automotive sector to strengthen ties with local businesses, foster collaboration and growth.
This visit showcased the Eastern Cape’s vibrant automotive ecosystem highlighting the critical role of component suppliers within the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) network.
The AIDC-EC’s recently announced partnership with NAACAM in hosting the 2025 NAACAM Show aims to further enhance local content development, increase competitiveness, and drive economic growth.
The visit to the manufacturing plant enabled the MEC to:
· Gain firsthand knowledge of the suppliers manufacturing processes and capabilities
· Understand challenges and opportunities facing the local automotive component industry
· Explore potential areas of support and collaboration
The Schaeffler Group, the host for the visit that is based in Gqeberha is a big organisation that has been driving forward groundbreaking inventions and developments in the field of motion technology for over 75 years. They have been operational in Gqeberha since 1963.
The Automotive Clutch Manufacturing Plant produces over 1.3 million clutch sets per annum with 400 employees.
The Schaeffler Group South Africa’s President Marshal Myburgh lauded immense support from the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber despite a myriad of challenges facing the city. ‘’We feel that we need the government to work with us because we eagerly want to work with government’’, said Myburgh.
The MEC Pieters reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the region’s automotive sector’s growth and development.
‘’It is delightful to hear that the employees in this facility are taken care of in terms of their safety, where there is zero-accident rate recorded at work. We must also commend your leadership for proactively employing women and young people because we are a government that emphasises upskilling and inclusivity of women in these spaces, skills development and training’’, said Pieters.
The successful orientation visit underscores the importance of collaboration and partnership in driving economic growth. As the Eastern Cape’s automotive sector continues to thrive, AIDC-EC’s facilitation role and NAACAM partnership will remain crucial in unlocking opportunities for local suppliers and component manufacturers.
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