Latest news with #IsuzuMotorsSA
The Herald
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald
Isuzu-developed AI, robotics centre in Gqeberha boosts STEM education
The centre offers five-day teacher training workshops, structured lesson plans, assessments and 12 months of educator support. The facility will also be used to host robotics competitions and coding showcases, promoting pupil engagement and community pride. 'The handover aligns with our corporate strategy, which identifies education as one of the key focus areas in our societal leadership pillar,' said Celestin Ndhlovu, vice-president of corporate services at Isuzu Motors SA. 'The centre will redefine the learning experience for children and as the Eastern Cape department of education we are proud to witness a programme that prepares our children to participate in a rapidly changing and digitally-driven world,' said Lutho Kota, Eastern Cape education department director for e-teaching and e-learning. 'With Isuzu Motors SA we are showing what is possible when we invest in learners and the teachers who guide them, unlocking potential in classrooms and communities,' said Nxasana. TimesLIVE
The Herald
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald
Nelson Mandela Bay taking the lead in plotting future of SA auto manufacturing
The SA automotive industry's two most significant international events will be hosted in Nelson Mandela Bay this year, underscoring not only our leading role in history and the present day as the anchor of local automotive manufacturing — but also our future as an automotive hub in Africa. This is the first time Nelson Mandela Bay will host the flagship events of both the vehicle manufacturing and automotive components sectors, namely SA Automotive Week convened by the Automotive Business Council, Naamsa; and the Naacam Show by the National Association of Automotive Component Manufacturers. The fourth edition of Naamsa's SA Automotive Week in October is 'coming home' to celebrate its 90th anniversary in the birthplace, where the organisation was founded after the first SA-built vehicles rolled off the Ford production line in 1924. The fourth Naacam Show in August also makes history in coming to the Bay for the first time. Hosting both these events in the same year is significant, highlighting the depth of the automotive ecosystem based in the Bay, which encompasses a wide range of automotive component manufacturing through to the assembly of passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and trucks. Three of SA's seven original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) — Volkswagen Group Africa, Isuzu Motors SA and Mercedes-Benz — are located in the Eastern Cape, representing 38% of the country's vehicle production and more than 50% of exports. Volkswagen also holds the title of being the country's biggest vehicle manufacturer. More than 40% of t he country's automotive component manufacturers and suppliers are based here, and the Bay accounts for 41% of all automotive manufacturing employment in SA, with every job supporting an estimated additional 10 people in their families and communities. Over and above this direct employment, thousands of jobs are created in the value chain encompassing logistics and transport, consumables and office supplies, services such as IT and cleaning, having an impact through to the retail and tourism sectors. The two events are critical to navigating the future of the SA automotive manufacturing sector at a time when the industry faces major headwinds — the impacts of the transition to new-energy vehicles and global tariff upheavals, along with rapidly increasing competition from imports of cheaper vehicles and parts which threaten the retention of local investments and jobs. Both events will take a close look at the SA Automotive Masterplan 2035 and the need to align this to the rapidly evolving global manufacturing landscape and ensure that the regulatory environment and policy enablers remain relevant and effective in supporting growth, localisation and retention of local manufacturing capacity In particular it is vital that completely knocked down (CKD) assembly is prioritised, rather than semi-knocked down (SKD) assembly — as CKD results in the creation of deep supply chains and a surrounding ecosystem which creates much-needed employment. Key local enablers are lacking though — industry faces barriers including crumbling infrastructure, reliability of electricity and water supply, logistics inefficiencies, critical skills shortages, red-tape bottlenecks and a lack of a co-ordinated, investor-friendly policy environment. These are not issues the auto industry can solve on its own, but both Naamsa and Naacam hold substantial influence in lobbying and collaborating with the government to remove these hurdles, and the two events represent key platforms for these discussions. The events themselves have significant local and national impact. At the previous Naacam Show, in 2023 in Tshwane, for example, more than 500 business-to-business matchmaking meetings were facilitated and 16 component manufacturers announced investment pledges totalling R4.86bn, together representing 10,700 retained and new jobs. This year's Naacam Show, hosted at The Boardwalk Convention Centre, features a full week of events — a golf day, factory tours and networking events, in addition to the main exhibition and conference. Similarly, SA Auto Week, to be held at the Coega Vulindlela Conference Centre, is expected to attract 1,200 delegates, and will include a number of related activities in the Eastern Cape in the run-up to the event, as well as a programme of events around the main conference and exhibition. These are all golden opportunities to showcase the Bay's assets and ability to host events of this magnitude. There will likely be further spin-offs in terms of visitors staying additional days to experience attractions such as beaches and game reserves. Speaking at the NMB Business Chamber's AGM in May, Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa said the organisation wanted SA Auto Week 2025 to be a 'truly local event', focused on recruiting local events and services suppliers and partnering with local businesses and stakeholders. Naacam's head of policy and regulatory affairs, Beth Dealtry, similarly highlighted that they were looking forward to showcasing the Bay to more than 130 exhibitors and hundreds of delegates, and to the event having positive spin-offs for tourism and local suppliers. These are crucial opportunities for the Bay — not only in terms of the immediate impacts in sectors such as retail, tourism and services, but also in the long term through the potential to attract new investment and create new jobs, in an environment of high unemployment and escalating de-industrialisation. The metro needs to be ready to host events of this magnitude, particularly addressing the basics of cleanliness, maintenance of public spaces and safety and security. With thousands of local and international business visitors arriving in the next few months, in our most key economic sector, not only do we all need to put our best foot forward to ensure that the Bay shines, but we need to work together to capitalise on the opportunities presented for the future of our Bay of Opportunity. Denise van Huyssteen is CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber The Herald
The Herald
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
The Herald has been part of Siya Kolisi's journey all the way
It was on the eve of the 2019 Rugby World Cup that Siya and Rachel Kolisi realised they needed to use their new-found publicity to create positive change. And given Siya's difficult circumstances growing up, they opted to assist less fortunate children in achieving their dreams. 'Growing up in Zwide, I know if you are not training or doing something positive, you will go to the other side where I was, I was smoking, drinking, mixing with the wrong people. 'I knew that you have to give kids more good choices so they have something that can build them into positive human beings while also getting them physically healthy." Through the Kolisi foundation, dozens of children have benefited through programmes including one of their flagship initiatives, the Siyaphakama (We Rise) Programme. The programme aims to bring physical education, resources and support to six schools, with emphasis on the role of movement, play and sports in childhood development. He said his mother's experience with gender-based violence also saw them place emphasis on tackling the issue through the programme and education. 'I saw the consequences of GBV on her body, how she changed. 'I never wanted her memory to be that, which is why the name Siyaphakama (We Rise) is so important so that it can bring great memories, change people's lives, turning the negative into a positive. 'I wanted her to be remembered through the light of what we do, in helping people that went through some of the worst things she experienced and turn them into good. 'My mom's name is Phakama and her name is so powerful it means 'Rise'.' Several people, businesses and institutions of higher learning have made pledges in celebration of the paper's milestone including Nelson Mandela University, Langson Attorneys and Isuzu Motors SA, among others. Isuzu Motors SA's senior manager: brand strategy and field marketing, Nandi Matomela, said they were proud to be part of the historic milestone and celebrating a publication that had stood the test of time. 'The Herald has long been a trusted voice, with its deep rooted connection to the community, it empowers people to make informed decisions about their lives, their communities and the broader socioeconomic environment. 'It has helped to foster transparency, accountability and active engagement — cornerstones of a healthy democracy. The Herald and Isuzu Motors SA share a long-standing relationship. 'Rooted in the rich history of Nelson Mandela Bay, over the years, our collaboration with the publication has played a vital role in highlighting key aspects of our journey, ranging from significant business milestones, our commitment to transformation to major investments and corporate social investment initiatives,' Matomela said. Wilma Langson of Langson Attorneys said The Herald had played an important role in shaping conversations in the metro and also assisted her in learning to read when she was introduced to the paper at the age of four. 'The Herald creates dialogue, there is dialogue in the community, at breakfast tables around the paper as I grew up, I learnt that the paper could hold the powerful accountable and reflect the heartbeat of society. 'We are still subscribers of the paper so every single day the paper has been part of my life. 'We are honoured to know that through the celebration, our proceeds will help in the support of the upliftment of the community,' Langson said. NMU deputy vice-chancellor for engagement and transformation, Professor Andre Keet, said the paper had an important role to play in demystifying fake news. 'The Herald as a newspaper is rooted in the life, interests of Gqeberha and the metro community. 'The media plays an important role in cutting through the surface of fake news that we experience on a daily basis. 'It is crucially important to have an institution like The Herald to share truthful accounts of life in society from all available angles. Allowing its readers to make their own interpretations of the stories.' The red-carpet affair will take place at the Boardwalk International Convention Centre on Friday and will see performances from major SA musicians including Ami Faku, J'Something, Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse, Dumza Maswana and Unathi Nkayi as the host. Exclusive memorabilia will be signed by Kolisi and auctioned on the evening. The Herald
