These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.
New Chinese car manufacturer coming to South Africa – Details
Another Chinese carmaker, GAC Motor, has signed a partnership with Salvador Caetano to begin distributing cars in South Africa.
GAC is a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group, and is the the fifth-largest vehicle manufacturer in China.
The company has not yet revealed which models it will be bringing to South Africa, but its global portfolio currently contains 12 different cars including sedans, SUVs, and MPVs.
Big jump in smash-and-grabs in Cape Town – The hotspots
Cape Town has reported a 64% increase in smash-and-grabs over the last two months of 2023.
The city’s CCTV cameras also showed 100 instances where individuals were suspected of “casing” potential targets, compared to 41 instances the year before.
City management has identified four key intersections along Jakes Gerwel Drive as the most common locations for this type of crime.
How much it costs government to replace one stolen traffic light
It costs the government as much as R1.5 million to replace a single traffic light in South Africa.
This is according to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT), which recently spoke about the steep rise in traffic light theft and vandalism in the province.
The province spent more than R30 million on repairs in 2023 alone as a result of over 400 signals being destroyed.
New GWM Shanhai Cannon confirmed for South Africa – What you can expect to pay
GWM has confirmed to TopAuto that it will be launching the new Shanhai Cannon bakkie in South Africa later in 2024.
The Cannon will serve as a larger and more upmarket option for the brand, in comparison to its existing P-Series of pickups.
The double cab has an indicative starting price of “just over R800,000“, with the final pricing structure to be confirmed at launch.
Updated Toyota Hilux revealed – The details
The facelifted Toyota Hilux has finally been revealed in Australia, showcasing the current generation’s final design before the next-gen models make their debut in 2025.
Toyota South Africa has not yet confirmed whether this version of the bakkie will reach local showrooms, and the vehicle was conspicuously absent from the brand’s recent annual presentation of its upcoming launches.
The carmaker has also been facing a recent scandal with regard to its diesel engines, where “irregularities” were reported in the testing of three of its powertrains.
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