Volkswagen of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd.
TypeSubsidiary of Volkswagen AG
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1946
HeadquartersKariega, Eastern Cape, South Africa
ProductsAutomobiles, Automotive parts
ServicesAutomotive financial services
OwnerVolkswagen Group
Websitevw.com.za

Volkswagen of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd. is the South African subsidiary of German automotive manufacturing company Volkswagen Group based in Kariega (previously Uitenhage), Eastern Cape.

History

As early as the 1930s, the manufacturer Studebaker had explored the possibilities of an assembly plant in South Africa.[1] In 1947, an assembly plant was built in Uitenhage near Port Elizabeth.

At around the same time, Klaus von Oertzen, a former executive member of Auto Union, tried to get DKW models assembled in South Africa. Despite his considerable commitment, this attempt was just as unsuccessful as his first attempt to export Volkswagen models to South Africa.[2] After renewed efforts and lengthy negotiations, production of the Beetle began on 31 August 1951 at South Africa Motor Assemblers and Distributors (SAMAD) in Uitenhage.[3]

Volkswagen acquired a blocking minority in SAMAD in 1956. At the same time von Oertzen became the chairman of the board of SAMAD; he was nominally supposed to be followed by Heinrich Nordhoff in 1963. In 1966, SAMAD was renamed Volkswagen of South Africa Limited at an extraordinary general meeting.[1] In 1966, SAMAD, in which Volkswagenwerk AG held 63% of the shares at the time, had around 2,460 employees and sold 21,888 vehicles.[4] With 36,315 vehicles, Volkswagen became the best-selling brand in South Africa for the first time in 1973. In 1974, the plant became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.[1]

In 2011, the plant in Uitenhage was the only non-European plant, besides the subsidiary in Mexico, that exported vehicles.[3] From 2008 to 2013, Volkswagen was the market leader in the South African passenger car market.[1] In 2015, Volkswagen of South Africa had 5600 employees.[5]

Uitenhage Plant production

Current

Former

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Proud History auf www.vw.co.za.
  2. ↑ Claudia Nieke (2010). "Volkswagen am Kap. Internationalisierung und Netzwerk in Südafrika 1950 bis 1966" (PDF). Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  3. 1 2 Tanja Van Wie: "Celebrating 60 Volkswagen years" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2012., Volkswagen of South Africa brochure from 2011.
  4. ↑ Wolfsburger Nachrichten. Ausgabe vom 21. November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Volkswagen:VW baut Geschäft in Südafrika aus". Wirtschaftswoche. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  6. 1 2 Staff Writer. "VW's factory in South Africa from 1948 to 2020 – Photos". Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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