On May 9 local time, the 30th anniversary celebration of the liberation of FAW into South Africa was successfully held in FAW South Africa Kuha Factory (hereinafter referred to as "Kuha Factory"). Hu Hanjie, general consultant of FAW's overseas business, Yu Changxin, member of the FAW Liberation Party Committee and executive vice general manager, and Leng Changchun, general manager of FAW Liberation overseas product line, attended the event. The Chinese Embassy in South Africa, the South African Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Eastern Cape Province, Mandela City and other government officials, representatives of FAW Chinese enterprises in South Africa, dealers supporting liberation and development, key customer representatives and media friends witnessed the grand occasion.
Ebrahim Patel, Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of South Africa, and Liu Yu, Public Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, fully affirmed the role of FAW Liberation in expanding the South African market and promoting local employment and social development in their speeches, and praised FAW South Africa as a model enterprise for China South Africa cooperation with outstanding achievements and a positive image of social responsibility, It has made great contributions to South Africa's economic prosperity and social progress.
In his speech, Hu Hanjie, on behalf of FAW, expressed his gratitude to the South African government and partners who have long supported the operation and development of FAW and South African companies, and said that 30 years is both the end and the starting point. FAW will continue to increase its investment in southern Africa and make greater contributions to the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of southern Africa.
FAW Jiefang's breakthrough and achievements in the South African market are inseparable from the firm support of dealers, customers, employees and other partners. At the ceremony, FAW Jiefang especially commended its partners who have made outstanding contributions to market development and business expansion for 30 years. The award-winning representatives came to the stage in turn to share their stories of growing together with FAW Jiefang.
At the ceremony, Liu Yu, Gary Van Niekerk, Mayor of Mandela, Hu Hanjie, Yang Jian, Deputy General Manager of FAW South Africa (presiding over the work), Dong Kun, Chief Representative of China Africa Development Fund South Africa Representative Office, and Mr. Richard, Director of South Africa Company jointly lit the screen and the countdown started the offline ceremony. The screen rises, and the new generation flagship model JH6 550 horsepower tractor appears, opening the next three decades.
The 30 years that FAW Liberation took root in South Africa are the first to seek development, and also the 30 years of deep integration and benchmarking. In May 1994, with the first liberation truck CA141 entering the South African market, FAW Jiefang became the first and only Chinese automobile brand in South Africa at that time. In 2012, FAW and the China Africa Development Fund increased their investment in South Africa, and launched the construction project of FAW South Africa's Kuha commercial vehicle assembly plant, with a design annual capacity of 5000 units. The project received the attention and support of the governments of both countries, and was listed by the Ministry of Commerce as a national key overseas investment project. On July 10, 2014, the Kuha factory was officially completed and put into operation. Up to now, as the production base of FAW Jiefang in South Africa, the Kuha factory has produced more than 15000 liberation trucks in total, becoming the largest truck production factory with the most advanced equipment and the most standardized management in southern Africa, known as the "model of Sino South cooperation". In 2023, the sales volume of FAW Jiefang in the South African market will exceed 3000 units for the first time, and the annual delivery of the 1000th Jiefang JH6 tractor will be achieved. In 2024, according to the official data of the South African Commercial Vehicle Association, FAW South Africa's terminal sales from January to April exceeded 1500 units, with a year-on-year growth of 54%, of which the high-end flagship JH6 terminal sales exceeded 700 units, with a year-on-year growth of 146%. FAW South Africa stood out in the fierce competition with global well-known commercial vehicle brands, ranking first in market share. At the same time, the Kuha factory rolled out 400 liberation trucks in April, breaking the historical output record of a single month.
After three decades of deep cultivation in South Africa, FAW Liberation has established a perfect production, marketing and service operation system in southern Africa, with more than 30 sales and service channels all over South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and other regions; The spare parts center library and customer service center are built to supply the whole network and meet the after-sales service needs of customers. At the same time, it focuses on the traction and cargo markets, creates full value chain marketing, caters to the needs of customers in southern Africa, provides them with efficient and reliable comprehensive vehicle solutions, and continuously injects power into the construction and development of southern Africa.
Facing the future, FAW Jiefang will continue to increase its investment in the southern African market, accelerate the overall layout of overseas factors, expand product lines, expand sales and service networks, deepen financial cooperation, and comprehensively improve the product competitiveness and brand influence of Jiefang Trucks in the international market!
