Is South Africa’s car manufacturing industry running out of road? Automobile Association CEO Bobby Ramagwede thinks it might be.
In this episode of Watts & Wheels, he tells William Kelly that unless the country settles on a clear policy direction, local vehicle manufacturing could be decimated within five years. And he isn’t shy about naming the car makers he’s worried about.
Ramagwede, who took over at the AA in October 2024 after careers in banking, healthcare and insurance, sees the 96-year-old association’s real job as “playing referee” in a motoring system that has gone without oversight for years. That means challenging government, testing car makers’ claims – including putting vehicles on a weighbridge – and holding motorists to account when they ignore the rules they expect everyone else to follow.
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He also makes the case for scrapping the Road Accident Fund in favour of compulsory third-party insurance, argues that motorists should have to prove their cars are roadworthy before renewing their licence discs each year, and says he would bring back local crash testing if the AA could afford it.
On the motor industry, Ramagwede warns of a “hodgepodge of policy”, holds up Thailand as a cautionary tale of what happens when imports flood a market, and challenges car makers to stop staying quiet: “This is an all-or-nothing game.”
Read TechCentral’s report on the interview, including responses from Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Ford and industry body Naamsa — and don’t miss the discussion.
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