Features / 13 June 2025 / Michael Taylor

8 new American cars for South Africa, a local factory shutting down, and Gauteng’s new number plates revealed

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

8 new American cars coming to South Africa very soon

Autogroup International has revealed the list of American cars coming to South Africa this year.

The company, which specializes in converting cars to right-hand drive for new markets, has partnered with the Durban-based Rospa International to bring American cars to South Africa.

This includes models from GMC, Chevrolet, Dodge, and Hummer, as well as new pickup trucks from Ford and Toyota.

Goodyear shutting down factory in South Africa

Goodyear has announced that it is shutting down its tyre factory in the Eastern Cape.

The facility employs more than 900 workers and supports thousands of other jobs in secondary industries, such as catering and security.

The announcement has been criticised by workers’ unions and government ministers, who have opened talks with the company to prevent the closure.

First look at Gauteng’s new number plates – Photos

Gauteng’s new number plates recently made their debut at a pilot launch event at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Soweto.

The plates, which were first announced in 2023, were finally revealed off to the public, showcasing the new features meant to crack down on fraudulent vehicle licences in the province.

The new plates will be used by government-owned vehicles for the next six months, after which they should be rolled out to the public.

R1-billion transport contract awarded to official’s family members

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) has awarded six transport tenders to politically-connected families despite concerns from the Auditor-General (AG).

The AG revealed that the city had awarded nearly R1 billion in family-linked tenders, presenting a major conflict of interest.

However, the COJ defended its actions, stating there is no regulatory provision that prohibits the municipality from awarding contracts to spouses, children or parents of persons in service to the state.