5 important things that happened in South Africa’s car industry this week

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.

The most stolen cars in South Africa – and where they are smuggled to

Car-tracking firm Cartrack has published data revealing what types of vehicles are most frequently stolen in South Africa.

Certain models are thieves to be resold in neighbouring countries, while others are stripped for parts to be put on the black market.

A few of the brands targeted by criminals include VW, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota.

New R3-billion bakkie factory to be built in South Africa – All the details

The final preparations have been made to begin the construction of South Africa’s newest car factory.

Located in the Eastern Cape, the facility will produce bakkies both for the local market and export.

Construction is expected to wrap up in late 2025 with the first units rolling off the production queue in 2026.

Big blow to used-car buyers in South Africa

The South African Insurance Association has stated that it will not provide Code 2 vehicle salvage information to consumers.

It provides a website known as VIN-Lookup, which allows users to check the VIN number of used cars to see if it has been written off.

The site currently only provides Code 3 (rebuilt), 3A (spare parts only), and 4 (permanently demolished) information, and not Code 2, which applies to many problematic autos still being sold in dealerships.

N1 sinkhole repairs hit massive roadblock

The N1 sinkhole that formed in Gauteng in January 2022 is still being repaired owing to several issues during the construction process.

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) previously estimated that the hole would be fixed by July 2022.

However, the remedial work is now only expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2025.

Engen’s new owner has big plans for South Africa

Vivo Energy has completed its merger with Engen with big plans for expansion in South Africa.

The Vivo Energy Group purchased a 74% stake in Engen and now has a presence in 28 different countries in Africa.

Going forward, Engen’s petrol stations will take a “business as usual” approach while Vivo plans to make further expansions into the local market.