Notice from the Office of the Chief Executive Officer

Two years ago, in his State of the Province address, Premier Mabuyane announced that the Eastern Cape Government will establish a network of 13 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations across the province. As a main manufacturer of vehicles (46%) and the main exporter of vehicles (54%) in South Africa, the Eastern Cape government took upon itself the responsibility to ensure that the EV transition does not leave the province behind.

The objective of establishing this EV charging stations network was to enable mobility of EV within the province, through the province and also to stimulate demand for EVs in the country.

The AIDC-EC was tasked to implement this project on behalf of the province, and it has done so successfully, despite this initiative being the first of its kind by a government in South Africa. Below is the pictorial account of these EV Charging Stations and their locations in the Eastern Cape. To date, 14 EV chargers are on the ground.

On behalf of the AIDC-EC, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the following people and Stakeholders:

· Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane who clearly understood the reasoning behind this project, supported it and made it a priority of the province.

· Ms Nonkqubela Pieters, our current MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), who recently came into the portfolio and took the baton with both hands, owned the project, supported it and is running with it. We are looking forward to the upcoming launches as she plans to launch all the stations herself, one by one.

·  MEC Mlungisi Mvoko (previous MEC for DEDEAT)

· Ms Mickey Mama (HOD at DEDEAT) who also supported the project in its initial stages, provided policy backing and funding for the project.

· Mr Ayanda Wakaba and ECDC, who always provide shareholder backing when it is needed, including monitoring support.

· Our Board of Directors, led by our Chairperson Mr Phumzile Zitumane. If it was not for the robustness of our Board and their understanding of the global automotive issues, the AIDC-EC would not have successful executed this project.

· My Executive Team for their untiring support, specifically Ms Bopang Khutsoane (Executive Manager) and her Project Manager, Mr Thembinkosi Maduna, I extend a warm word of appreciation. Considering that we were all doing such a project for the first time, this was concluded successfully.

·  The entire AIDC-EC Family, for all the back-end support. The hard work that no one gets to see and appreciate but essential for seamless operations.

· Rubicon, our service provider who provided technical skills and ensuring that these chargers are procured, installed and on the ground – not without teething challenges though.

·  To all the Site Hosts of our EV Charging Stations for their vision – we could not have done all this work without your active involvement and commitment.

Between Monday the 5th and Friday the 9th of May 2025, we further tested the EV charging stations network through the Eastern Cape Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EC EVRT).  Three groups navigated the coast, the Karoo and inland.  This was made possible through loaned EVs and Hybrid Vehicle from the following Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs):

· BYD (3 vehicles - the recently launched Shark Bakkies, Sealion SUV)

· CHERY-OMODA-JAECOO (2 vehicles - Omoda E5)

· VOLVO SOUTH AFRICA (3 vehicles – XC40, XC30 and 1 x C40)

· VW AFRICA GROUP (1 x ID4 EV)

To all the OEMs who headed our call, we thank you very much – watch the videos coming out soon, to see how our provincial landscape brings out the beauty and the performance of your vehicles. See below the vehicles we drove to all the charging stations.

Talk to you soon on our various platforms.

Thabo Shenxane

Chief Executive Officer