Toyota will make big investment in South Africa, to improve Durban Taxi Plant

Toyota Motors announced that it will make investment worth over 1 billion South African Rand (ZAR) in the taxi vehicle plant in Durban. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) CEO Andrew Kirby, while speaking at the South African Investment Conference in Johannesburg, said that the company will produce new passenger car in Durban.

According to Kirby, YSAM had already invested over ZAR 12 billion in the country over the course of the last decade.

“Globally, the automotive industry is going through some profound changes and that certainly is being felt here in South Africa. In 2016, we had to make the decision not to continue with the production of the very popular Corolla model in 2020. It is now very pleasing that, after three years of study, we have been able to get approval for an investment of over R2.4-billion in the production of a new passenger-car model at our Durban factory from the end of 2021,” said the Mr Kirby.

Talking about the market share, 80% of the taxi vehicle business has been captured by TSAM. The taxi industry transports about 75% of the commuting population daily.

According to the South African minister of Trade, industry, and competition Ebrahim Patel, the latest investment by TSAM is a testimony of the country’s automobile industry and the economic might of KwaZulu-Natal province. The minister pointed out that manufacturing contributes to the province’ economy is quite impressive. It provides over 350000 direct jobs.

TSAM’s plant in Durban currently produces the Fortuner sports-utility vehicle, Hiace, Corolla Sedan, and Hilux bakkie.