President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the local tyre industry for its Homegrown Driving Local initiative which highlights the importance of domestic manufacturing within the tyre industry to drive investment and job creation.
During his 3 November walkabout at the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum (AGOA) “Made in Africa” exhibition at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, the President visited the stand of the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC), where he engaged with SATMC Managing Executive, Nduduzo Chala, and industry representatives.
President Ramaphosa also hailed the local tyre manufacturing industry’s sourcing of raw materials from other African states.
Chala gave him a brief overview of the tyre value chain, the Homegrown Driving Local initiative and the investment commitments made by the four SATMC members, Bridgestone South Africa, Continental Tyres South Africa, Goodyear South Africa, and Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
The “Made in Africa” exhibition showcased deeper trade within and between the African countries. Trade in the African continent and America is critical for South Africa and local companies, and provides the automotive industry with valuable opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
