naamsa Proposes Plan to Localise Auto Imports
The Automotive Business Council wants selected imported vehicle and component products manufactured domestically under a new import-replacement framework.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Auto Parts
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The Automotive Business Council (naamsa) has proposed an Import Replacement and Black Industrialist Development Framework to convert selected automotive imports into domestic production. The proposal follows naamsa's Country of Origin Matrix 2021-2025, which analysed vehicle, component and aftermarket imports.
Why it matters
South Africa's automotive import market is valued at R357.5 billion, and the analysis states that the scale and sustained growth of selected imports identify products that could be made competitively in the country. The framework would inform naamsa's engagement on the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035.
Replacement-parts imports increased by R2.7 billion, or 2.6%, to R107.5 billion compared with 2024. The vehicle population reached approximately 13.68 million in 2025, with an average vehicle age of 11 years and 75.6% of vehicles six years or older.
The players
Automotive Business Council (naamsa)
The Automotive Business Council is the industry body representing South Africa's vehicle manufacturers and automotive stakeholders, and it proposed the framework.
The details
The framework proposes a national automotive import opportunity database, aggregated procurement and long-term offtake commitments, technology transfer, and support for tooling and product development. It also proposes a National Automotive Import Replacement Committee to coordinate implementation and monitor outcomes.
Timeline
2025: South Africa imported automotive products from 73 countries.
2021-2025: Period covered by the Country of Origin Matrix.
Within 24 months: Quick-win products could be localised using existing capacity.
Over two to five years: Medium-complexity components would require tooling and supplier development.
2035: Findings will inform the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035.
Roadmap
The proposal feeds into naamsa's engagement on the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035, positioning import replacement as a concrete mechanism for the localisation goals the plan sets. It shifts the discussion from broad industrial aspirations toward identifying specific products that could be made domestically.
Replacement-parts imports at R107.5 billion shape the cost and availability of components for South African drivers. If selected products are localised, owners of older vehicles could see parts sourced domestically rather than imported.
The takeaway
Aging vehicles and a large replacement-parts bill make localisation a practical concern for owners as well as manufacturers. Watch for which products are selected first, as those will determine what changes at the parts counter.
Further reading
Explore more on Auto Parts for context on the component and aftermarket market this proposal targets.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Freight News.
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