Motor industry takes tough action on virus

CAPE TOWN – The local motor and component manufacturing industry, employing some 475000 jobs nationally, yesterday implemented tough measures to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

However, unlike some of the global vehicle manufacturers in European countries where the spread of the virus is worse than in South Africa, all local plants would remain operational.

Local industry car sales had been declining this year in line with the weak economy, but the outcome of the national state of emergency on the demand for vehicles was unknown at this stage, as the state of emergency had only recently been announced, said Mike Mabasa, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) executive director.

Naamsa and the National Association of Automobile Component Manufacturers of South Africa said in a statement yesterday, however, that all gatherings of more than 100 people in the workplace would be cancelled, as were all plant tours. Visitors to plants and offices would sign a visitor declaration form on entering plants or any of the corporate offices. In-bound overseas visits were cancelled.

All industry-related meetings would be held online. Face-to-face meetings would be avoided and should a physical meeting be unavoidable, protocols regarding distance, hygiene, access regulations, with all details to be recorded, would be complied with.