8 Oct 2013

Automotive

Billboards vs ANC: billboards win

Transport minister Dipuo Peters says the billboards with the message "E-tolls. Proudly brought to you by the ANC." is the work of cowards.

The DA has admitted to being the naughty ones who erected them, and its Gauteng premier candidate Mmusi Maimane points out that, "E-tolls were conceived under the watch of an ANC minister, supported by an ANC executive in Gauteng, passed into law by an ANC majority Parliament and signed, sealed and delivered by an ANC president."

Quite so, and none of which the ANC denies - so what's the problem?

What happens when the "bluff" is no longer a bluff? Chris Moerdyk looks at why Numsa is calling BMW's bluff, and wonders what might happen when car makers finally decide: enough! Also see Government to talk to car makers: Gordhan. Some might reasonably ask: why? What can he say to them that is likely to achieve anything right now. Let's face it, with an election looming the government is not going to do anything to upset the workers and Cosatu - and that might tend to set the tone of any "talks".

Nonkululeko Gobodo says there is more to transformation than ticking boxes, and suggests the private sector is lagging, and on a happy note, there's good news for mobile users - and that means pretty much all of us - ICASA has released its draft 'call termination' regulations which aim to see the costs we mobile users have suffered for ages being somewhat reduced.

Rod Baker, Content Director

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Weekly top stories

Why Numsa is calling BMW's bluff
[Chris Moerdyk] Most business people in South Africa with even the slightest capitalist leanings would have been horrified at the sheer arrogance of the National Union of Metal Workers (Numsa) response to BMW's announcement that it might reconsider further investment in South Africa due to loss of production through labour unrest. Read more >>

Automotive
Vehicle sales impacted by short trading month
New vehicle sales figures released by the Department of Trade and Industry have indicated a market that was impacted by a short selling month and reduced inventory in the wake of industrial action within the automotive sector. Total sales of 54281 vehicles were reported for the month (excluding 505 sales by GWM who do not fully comply with reporting criteria), a number that is 1,5% down on the same month last year. Read more >>

Get a mobile presence
[Issued by Bizcommunity.com] Bizcommunity Press Offices have been compatible with mobile since day one and are continually upgraded for even greater engagement and accessibility. Read more >>  visit press office >>


Components & Parts
Government to talk to car makers: Gordhan
[Gillian Jones] The government plans to speak to BMW and other automotive companies about their investment concerns‚ Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Monday. Read more >>

Numsa ends components sector strike
Workers in the motor and components sector will return to work on Monday (7 October), ending their four-week strike, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said. Read more >>

Car & General appointed Garmin distributor for East Africa
Garmin sub-Saharan Africa has announced the appointment of Car & General as an East African distributor. Car & General have a long-standing presence in the East Africa region, distributing brands across 11 East Africa countries. Read more >>

Leading automotive workshop group takes pole position in SA
What is reputed to be the first win-a-franchise competition of its kind garners attention from independent workshop industry. Read more >>

mapIT releases deCarta's Connected Car Platform
mapIT has announced the release of deCarta's Connected Car Platform to the African market. Read more >>


Fleet Management
Calls for Gauteng road users to register for e-tolls
Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has called on Gauteng road users to register for the e-tolling system and get their e-tags, ahead of the implementation of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme (GFIP), which could be less than a month away. Read more >>


Manufacturing
Industry strikes slow vehicle sales growth
Toyota South Africa Motors remains South Africa's most popular vehicle manufacturer, despite suffering severe production losses due to the strike in the manufacturing industry and the current strike in the component manufacturing industry, according to sales figures aggregated by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa. Read more >>

Ford announces new vice president of operations
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has appointed Ockert Berry as its Vice President of Operations effective 1 October 2013. Berry, replaces Peter Lawson, who will retire from FMCSA. Read more >>

BMW won't build new model in SA
BMW confirmed on Thursday (3 October) that strikes at its South African plant have wrecked an opportunity to expand production in the country. Read more >>

Hopes for end to South African vehicle strike
South Africa's car manufacturers have made a new wage offer in a bid to end a strike that has crippled production for almost seven weeks, the industry said on Wednesday (2 October). Read more >>

BMW warns of risk to SA as vehicle exports dive
[David Furlonger] BMW South Africa will have to pay up to 25% extra to import cars into South Africa because of the continuing motor industry strikes‚ starkly underlining the havoc caused to South Africa's lucrative motor assembly sector by a series of damaging strikes. Read more >>

Revised wage offer for auto strikers
Shop stewards will consult striking National Union of Metalworkers of SA members in the automotive industry on a revised wage offer, the union said on Tuesday (1 Ocotober). Read more >>

Strikes cripple vehicle exports
[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Ongoing strike action at seven major South African vehicle manufacturing plants as well as industrial action in the automotive component industry resulted in a decline of 75.1% in vehicle exports during September. Read more >>


Motorcycles
Biker's feast at A Festa Portuguesa
On Saturday, 26 October 2013 @thePark at Emperors Place in Kempton Park is set to experience another first. More than 100 bikers, from Crusaders MC Joburg Chapter, will descend on A Festa Portuguesa as part of the four-day celebration of all things Portuguese. Read more >>


Repair & Maintenance
Scientific underwriting helps OUTsurance grow
If anyone were dropped off blindfolded at OUTsurance's offices, they could mistake them for a campus of the local university: it has 2,200 people, mostly under 25, playing action cricket and volleyball or else staring studiously at their PCs. Read more >>

Numsa mulling over proposals says RMI
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is considering a new pay offer for members in the automotive industry, employer group RMI said on Monday (30 September). Read more >>


Retail
New look Nissan passenger car line-up spearheads sales
The evolution of Nissan's passenger car range helped the brand to maintain momentum through a challenging September, with sales of locally-produced light commercial vehicles severely undermined by industrial action in the automotive segment. Read more >>

New BMW GT has pace and space
[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] The new 3 Series Grand Turismo is the newest addition to BMW's popular 3-Series range and besides the fact that is more spacious than the rest of the clan it also comes in a rather peculiarly striking wrapping not unlike that of the rather weird-looking X6. Read more >>

How internet marketing can be used to sell your automobile
[Rachel Smith] It is important to use the best marketing plans and strategies to be able to sell your vehicle for top profit. Read more >>

Tata smartens up Xenon bakkies
[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Tata is strengthening its grip on the local market with seriously spruced up versions of its Xenon bakkies which the Indian manufacturer will be beaming at a wider audience, including the growing leisure-wheels segment. Read more >>

Technology and Change; the theme of the 2013 Car Conference
The 2013 Car Conference at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) will present expert opinion on the changes and technology required to address the call for new-age technology, and consider how this will impact on the automotive industry. The conference will take place on 23 October 2013, at the Expo Centre at NASREC, Johannesburg. Read more >>


Government

Billboards work of cowards: Peters
The billboards erected along Johannesburg's highways next to e-toll gantries are the work of cowards, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said on Monday. Read more >>


More Government news


Jobs offered

Account Manager - ATL - Motoring Account - Cape Town
Leading Cape Town agency is looking for an account manager with at least three years in a client service role to work on a motoring account. Read more >>


Account Director - ATL - Motoring Account - Cape Town
Top Cape Town advertising agency is looking for an account director to work on a motoring account Read more >>



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