The 2025 edition of SA Auto Week will be hosted in Nelson Mandela Bay in October.
The three-day event will be held from October 1-3 at the Coega Vulindlela Accommodation and Conference Centre.
In a statement, the Automotive Business Council said the gathering would be held in partnership with the Eastern Cape government, marking a significant milestone as the automotive gathering returned to its roots where Naamsa was founded.
Celebrating 90 years, Naamsa was founded in the city in 1935 and has long been considered a catalyst for the growth and organisation of SA’s burgeoning automotive industry.
Naamsa chief executive Mikel Mabasa said Gqeberha’s strategic location and industrial legacy presented a unique platform for industry stakeholders to engage with policymakers, forge new partnerships and explore opportunities for regional development.
“This setting underscores the city’s evolution from modest assembly plants to a dynamic hub for automotive, logistics and energy innovation poised to shape the future of mobility on the continent.
“Where once modest assembly plants stood, factories are now embracing the future and evolving into the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said.
“It is profoundly symbolic that SA Auto Week 2025 takes place in the city where Naamsa’s journey began.
“This historic city, now a model for reindustrialisation, will convene all of us in October to map the next chapter of African automotive excellence.
“It is our strongest conviction that the automotive industry will change faster in the next decade than it did in the last century and that strong foundation for change will be laid in Gqeberha.”
SA Auto Week comes at a time when the auto sector in the metro is going through some difficult changes after the recent announcement by Goodyear SA to shutdown its Kariega plant.
A potential 907 direct jobs are on the line, which could lead to thousands of job losses indirectly, down the value chain.
Under the theme “Reimagining the Future, Together: Cultivating Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity,” the 2025 event aims to bring together more than 1,200 delegates, including policymakers, manufacturers, suppliers and investors to shape a sustainable and competitive African automotive ecosystem.
The programme will feature CEO thought leadership roundtables, an NEV (new energy vehicle) road trip, public policy masterclasses, SMME and skills development showcases, the African Auto Indaba, and more.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane expressed delight in partnering with Naamsa to host the 2025 SA Auto Week in the metro, highlighting the event’s potential to boost the province’s economy.
“We are ecstatic to form [a] partnership with Naamsa to host this lucrative event in our province, especially in Gqeberha, a city which embodies our rich automotive heritage,” he said.
“As a province which hosts some of the biggest OEMs, with a 38% contribution to the country’s vehicle production, this opportunity is critical in fostering partnerships that will bring the much-needed investment into our provincial economy.”
Coega Development Corporation chief executive Themba Koza hailed the announcement as a defining milestone for the Coega Special Economic Zone and the province’s automotive ambitions.
“Bringing SA Auto Week to Coega is more than just an event, it’s a powerful endorsement of what’s possible when visionary leadership, enabling policy and industrial capability align.
“We are proud to host global automotive leaders and stakeholders at our world-class Special Economic Zone.
“This is a moment of pride for the Eastern Cape and a catalyst for future growth,” Koza said.
The Coega SEZ is rapidly emerging as the country’s premier automotive hub, offering integrated logistics, advanced infrastructure and tailored investor support.
The Herald
Nelson Mandela Bay to host SA Auto Week in October
Image: SUPPLIED
The 2025 edition of SA Auto Week will be hosted in Nelson Mandela Bay in October.
The three-day event will be held from October 1-3 at the Coega Vulindlela Accommodation and Conference Centre.
In a statement, the Automotive Business Council said the gathering would be held in partnership with the Eastern Cape government, marking a significant milestone as the automotive gathering returned to its roots where Naamsa was founded.
Celebrating 90 years, Naamsa was founded in the city in 1935 and has long been considered a catalyst for the growth and organisation of SA’s burgeoning automotive industry.
Naamsa chief executive Mikel Mabasa said Gqeberha’s strategic location and industrial legacy presented a unique platform for industry stakeholders to engage with policymakers, forge new partnerships and explore opportunities for regional development.
“This setting underscores the city’s evolution from modest assembly plants to a dynamic hub for automotive, logistics and energy innovation poised to shape the future of mobility on the continent.
“Where once modest assembly plants stood, factories are now embracing the future and evolving into the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said.
“It is profoundly symbolic that SA Auto Week 2025 takes place in the city where Naamsa’s journey began.
“This historic city, now a model for reindustrialisation, will convene all of us in October to map the next chapter of African automotive excellence.
“It is our strongest conviction that the automotive industry will change faster in the next decade than it did in the last century and that strong foundation for change will be laid in Gqeberha.”
SA Auto Week comes at a time when the auto sector in the metro is going through some difficult changes after the recent announcement by Goodyear SA to shutdown its Kariega plant.
A potential 907 direct jobs are on the line, which could lead to thousands of job losses indirectly, down the value chain.
Under the theme “Reimagining the Future, Together: Cultivating Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity,” the 2025 event aims to bring together more than 1,200 delegates, including policymakers, manufacturers, suppliers and investors to shape a sustainable and competitive African automotive ecosystem.
The programme will feature CEO thought leadership roundtables, an NEV (new energy vehicle) road trip, public policy masterclasses, SMME and skills development showcases, the African Auto Indaba, and more.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane expressed delight in partnering with Naamsa to host the 2025 SA Auto Week in the metro, highlighting the event’s potential to boost the province’s economy.
“We are ecstatic to form [a] partnership with Naamsa to host this lucrative event in our province, especially in Gqeberha, a city which embodies our rich automotive heritage,” he said.
“As a province which hosts some of the biggest OEMs, with a 38% contribution to the country’s vehicle production, this opportunity is critical in fostering partnerships that will bring the much-needed investment into our provincial economy.”
Coega Development Corporation chief executive Themba Koza hailed the announcement as a defining milestone for the Coega Special Economic Zone and the province’s automotive ambitions.
“Bringing SA Auto Week to Coega is more than just an event, it’s a powerful endorsement of what’s possible when visionary leadership, enabling policy and industrial capability align.
“We are proud to host global automotive leaders and stakeholders at our world-class Special Economic Zone.
“This is a moment of pride for the Eastern Cape and a catalyst for future growth,” Koza said.
The Coega SEZ is rapidly emerging as the country’s premier automotive hub, offering integrated logistics, advanced infrastructure and tailored investor support.
The Herald
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