The President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota South Africa, Mr Andrew Kirby says the organisation is on track to create 2000 jobs with the recent R6.1 billion investment launched by President Jacob Zuma in May 2016. Kirby was addressing members of the media during the site tour at their Durban plant organised by Brand South Africa and the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).

The purpose of the site tour was to profile South Africa’s competitive business environment ahead of the International AIDS conference taking place next week in Durban.

Kirby said the 2000 jobs will be created through their supplier value-chain, and a further 500 jobs will be created within Toyota South Africa Motors as 2 700 vehicle parts will be procured locally.

“A further R42 million empowerment trust has been set aside for which more than 85% beneficiaries are black. These include black-owned enterprises, suppliers and socio-economic beneficiaries. The trust can also be used as a tool for skills development where employees and unemployed people may benefit,” said Kirby.

He further said funds in the form of grants, loans or assets were injected into the trust for the benefit of the beneficiaries as defined. Kirby said he wanted Toyota SA to be a partnering enabler to the country’s development through organic transformation.

The Director of Automotives at the dti, Ms Tinyiko Mafuwane said the investment and trust fund were in line with the department’s vision of economic transformation, with the inclusion of previously disadvantaged groups in the mainstream economy.

She said Toyota SA was moving in the right direction regarding empowerment through implementing a number of initiatives that will also grow the sector, and this should set an example for other Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Source: Department of Trade and Industry