South Africa imported about R107.5 billion in replacement car parts in 2025, Deputy Trade Minister John Steenhuisen said. He said much of this could have been made in the country.
Steenhuisen spoke at the Automechanika Johannesburg 2026 CEO Breakfast on 27 October 2026. He called for more investment, more local production, better skills and more exports in the automotive aftermarket industry.
“Every additional percentage point of localisation in replacement parts represents jobs created, industrial capability strengthened, foreign exchange retained, and value added within South Africa,” Steenhuisen said.
He said the industry traded R933 billion in 2025 and added R202.6 billion to the country’s GDP. According to Steenhuisen, the sector supports more than 310,000 jobs across more than 23,000 local businesses.
He said these jobs make up about 70% of automotive employment in South Africa. He told the meeting that the work is central to the country’s economy, industry and transport.
South Africa has around 13 million vehicles on its roads, according to the report. Their average age is nearly 11 years, and 76% are no longer under warranty. This creates demand for local replacement parts.
Steenhuisen said the country has the engineering skills, distribution networks and factories to become a leading aftermarket hub for Africa.
He also raised concern about skills. He said South Africa has nearly 31% fewer qualified automotive artisans than it had in 2009.
The deputy minister called on government, industry and training bodies to work together. He said young South Africans must be prepared for new technology, such as electric vehicle building and repair, advanced diagnostics and systems that use artificial intelligence.
“South Africa must move from investment announcements to practical implementation,” Steenhuisen said. “Localisation must extend beyond the factory gate. It must include the businesses that keep South Africans moving every day.”
Henk Ferreira, chief operating officer of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), welcomed the deputy minister’s words about the sector.
“The aftermarket supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and thousands of businesses, many of them small and medium-sized enterprises,” Ferreira said.
Ferreira said the current fleet keeps demand high for parts, maintenance and repairs. He said newer and more advanced vehicles mean the country must invest in local technical skills.
“Technology is changing the way vehicles are serviced, diagnosed and repaired,” he said. “Our skills pipeline must keep pace, ensuring that technicians and artisans have the competencies required to work safely and effectively on increasingly complex vehicles.”
Earlier in 2026, Trade Minister Parks Tau called on South Africa to invest in new energy vehicle production and aftermarket support. He said the country risked being left behind.
According to International Energy Agency reports, electric car sales passed 20 million in 2025, with over 70% coming from China. Tau said South Africa needs to build capacity in electric vehicle assembly, battery processing and skills.
Source: this article is based on reporting by TopAuto.co.za. Image: TopAuto.co.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.