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GWM, Chery Plan Vehicle Plants in South Africa as Demand Soars

A Chery Jetour XWD.Photographer: Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images

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By Matthew Hill

October 3, 2025 at 11:37 AM UTC

Chinese automakers Great Wall Motor Company Ltd. and Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. plan to start assembling vehicles in South Africa to meet a spike in demand.

September vehicle sales rose 24% year-on-year to 54,700 and are set to return to pre-Covid-19 levels for the first time in 2025, indicating renewed confidence in the country’s economic prospects.