A plan by the automotive industry, government entities and JSE-listed Grindrod to shift the port of entry for imported grey and used vehicles from Durban to Maputo to prevent these vehicles from illegally remaining in South Africa is still “a work in progress”.
He indicated that they are hopeful that a final agreement on the plan “could possibly happen once the election dust has settled” in the second half of this year.A key part of the problem is that these imported used vehicles enter the country via Durban for transshipment to neighbouring countries, but many end up not leaving South Africa.“We are looking at all the logistical issues because we also need to have conversations with shipping lines because they put all these vehicles into their ships.
Naamsa last year escalated South Africa’s growing illegal vehicle importation problem to the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers in an attempt to halt the flow of these vehicles from the countries of origin. “I am encouraging them [OICA) to encourage all the countries of origin to scrap those vehicles and use that scrap and recycle that scrap so that it can reuse some of that scrap for the manufacturing of components and other vehicles,” he said.Kia South Africa CEO Gary Scott last month told an AutoTrader dealer convention that although South Africa has outlawed the importation of used vehicles, about 30 000 illegal used car imports, often referred to as ‘grey imports’, leak into the country.
But Mabasa warned that illegal used car imports are often very old and may not meet local regulations and safety standards, potentially endangering motorists and other road users.