These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s automotive industry this week.
Next-generation Renault Duster coming to South Africa
Renault has confirmed to TopAuto that the next-gen Renault Duster is being investigated for a South African launch in the second half of 2024.
At launch, the crossover will sold in 4×4 spec, with the 4×2 units being made available at a later stage.
The new Duster is built on the company’s CMF-B platform and will boast better off-road performance as a result.
Official petrol price decreases for December announced
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) published the new fuel price adjustments this week, showing that both petrol and diesel costs have been reduced for December.
The drop in prices is mostly attributed to the decrease in international oil prices from $90 per barrel to $83 per barrel, as well as the rand appreciating slightly against the US dollar.
This trend is expected to continue into 2024, though prices are anticipated to remain high throughout the year.
Gauteng one step closer to ending e-tolls
The Gauteng MEC for Finance Jacob Mamabolo announced during the medium-term budget policy statement this week that the province is working on a plan to settle its outstanding e-toll debt.
This comes more than a year after finance minister Enoch Godongwana declared that the Gauteng provincial government and national government would pay 30% and 70% respectively to settle the toll scheme’s debt, after which the gantries would be decommissioned.
Despite these claims, the province’s blue toll gates are still operational, as the toll payment collections contract has been extended into December 2023.
Long-distance trains are back in South Africa
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced that long-distance trains will be operational again following a two-year break.
The first trains will run between Joburg and Cape Town, and Joburg and Durban, and will operate once per week over the December-January festive season.
The long-haul trains are intended to provide a more affordable option for travelers usually relying on buses and taxis, as the cheapest tickets for the Durban and Cape Town routes start at R170 and R430, respectively.
How many cars WeBuyCars bought and sold in 2023
WeBuyCars owner Transaction Capital published its performance figures for the financial year ending September 2023, revealing that the used-car retailer sold 142,337 cars in South Africa during this period.
This is a year-on-year sales increase of 9%, but the company still reported a 14% drop in revenue compared to 2022.
The decline in performance is attributed to South Africa’s economic environment with load-shedding, higher fuel prices, and interest rates all impacting consumer spending.
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