Minister praises automotive industry for GDP contribution
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies says the country's automotive industry is a strategically important sector in the South African economy contributing around 7% to GDP.
Davies made the comment yesterday at VW SA's first Black Owned Supplier's Day in Uitenhage outside Port Elizabeth.
48 companies had been chosen to showcase their products to industry players.
The minister said up to 600 000 jobs could be lost to the economy if South Africa lost the automotive manufacturing industry.
"The devaluations of currency has made that our products are much, much competitive than they were.
Also the quality and the ability of South Africans to produce competitive automotive products is recognised in the number of awards that have been handed out to automotive factories in South Africa," he said.
(File photo)