Toyota uncertain if it can continue to invest in KZN and South Africa

[Zukat]

Its like the looters kneed themselves in the nuts and then elbowed themselves in the head....

Our prosperity depends on our appeal to investors. If that appeal sours and wanes we may as well close our factories that remain.

Not really, they got shiny new things and food, booze for 2-4 week. Maybe will be tough for another month after till shops reopen/rebuilt. You need to understand that if there is demand there will be supply, be it from the same vendors or new, it doesnt matter.

 

[Ancalagon]

Well done RET and Zuma cabal.........this is just the start of the knock on effects.

RET - making Zuma and co rich while everyone else ends up dirt poor.

 

[FiestaST]

Toyota SA denies ‘closing shop’ reports

Toyota, and more specifically its future in South Africa, has come under the spotlight in the aftermath of last week’s disturbing and destructive civil unrest. Various reports stated that Toyota’s COO of the African region, Toshimitsu Imai, had written a letter to the Mayor of Durban, expressing uncertainty about the future of its manufacturing base in KwaZulu-Natal.

After contacting Toyota South Africa’s communications department for comment, we were told that TMC did indeed issue a letter requesting an action plan from local government. However, the company also felt that the matter had been sensationalised.

“Please note that one or two media platforms have sensationalised the narrative for click bait – their angle is first and foremost that we are threatening to close shop, whereas our focus as a concerned corporate citizen is to ensure that local government has a definite plan of action to protect jobs and investment,” Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) said in a statement.

It added that the company had since received a “positive response” from the city and province in the form of a recovery roadmap. “This has gone a long way to assuage the fears of our parent company TMC,” the local division said.

TSAM added that it intended to resume operations at its Prospecton plant on Tuesday, July 20, however it said the company could not at this stage assess the impact on production. “It has, without a doubt, made targets more challenging but in the true Toyota spirit, we are changing our plans to recover as quickly as possible to avoid delaying future product introductions in particular.”

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/toyota-denies-threatening-close-south-african-factory/

 

[chrisc]

why don't they just move to Cape Town

The only space is the old BMC assembly plant in Blackheath. This has mostly been taken over by Continental China.

Several Chinese car executives have looked at this site over the years. The rail network and roads to the Port of Cape Town are run down and not well maintained

 

[CB40]

No one is going anywhere, just hot air. This is the world of capitalism and toyota is making good money in South Africa, its a strategic distribution point for them into Africa. Come on

Really ??

 

[Fulcrum29]

To quote myself from the anarchy thread,

All business is affected by this, irrespective of racial ownership. The damage needs to be deemed on the face value of eroded business confidence. Opportunity is being swept away, the long-term repercussions of these riots will have a far deeper impact on you as a person, your family, your friends, your colleagues, and on our society as a whole.

 

[Bighit]

The only viable place within SA is PE

Where general motors packed up shop?

 

[j4ck455]

Imagine a future where Toyota prematurely pulls out of SA and there are no new vehicles manufactured locally for the taxi cabals.

 

[thestaggy]

Imagine a future where Toyota prematurely pulls out of SA and there are no new vehicles manufactured locally for the taxi cabals.

China will fill the gap with one of their brands.

China has no problem operating in collapsed countries because they don't care about internal politics, they're just there for the money and resources. They'll pay the right politicians to ensure the government and local communities stay off their back and then supply their own workforce and private security.

 

[NeonNinja]

And what is guvament going to do? F-all!

Deploying soldiers.

 

[Matt91]

For anyone interested in the letter, didn’t see it posted in the thread.

 

[Slegdehammer67]

IF and I say IF again - they pull out Durban/KZN is fcked...that's it gone, bye-bye....hopefully it will not happen, only time will tell though...

 

[Bighit]

IF and I say IF again - they pull out Durban/KZN is fcked...that's it gone, bye-bye....hopefully it will not happen, only time will tell though...

Same can be said of the whole Nelson Mandela Bay region if VW pulls out.

 

[sdrawk]

I don't think Toyota will pull out, but govt needs to address all their concerns.

 

[j4ck455]

China will fill the gap with one of their brands.

China has no problem operating in collapsed countries because they don't care about internal politics, they're just there for the money and resources. They'll pay the right politicians to ensure the government and local communities stay off their back and then supply their own workforce and private security.

I expect you are correct, corruption will prevail as it usually does, IIRC there is a Chinese vehicle brand called Chana, every taxi driver will call the taxi they drive "maChana / maChina".