Navara to help create 1 200 jobs

Nissan recently announced that for the first time ever, all Navara models will be manufactured locally, speaking at the event Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, commented to the importance of the automotive sector in the industrialisation of the economy.

Production output of the Nissan Rosslyn plant, situated in Pretoria, will see an increase of more than 50 percent once the manufacturing of all Navara models commence in 2020. This level of production output will see the addition of 400 staff members and a two-shift operation. Additional employment opportunities will be created within the local component suppliers and the broader industry.

“Nissan has a deep understanding of the need to invest in skills development in a meaningful way. Not just for our benefit, in terms of having a skilled workforce at our technologically advanced vehicle manufacturing plant in Rosslyn; but for the benefit of all the eager, young minds in this country, who are simply seeking opportunities to improve themselves,” – Mike Whitfield, Managing Director for the Nissan Group of Africa

A training centre at the Rosslyn manufacturing plant offers a five-year training and mentorship programme to promote skills development. In partnership with the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), Nissan aims to equip entrepreneurs with business skills by teaching enrolled participants about assembly line layout, process optimization, efficiency improvement, housekeeping, finance management, human resource management, payroll overview, company taxes, cost management and quality management systems.

“We aim to localize more in order to grow South African vehicle production as well as contribute to the transformation of the country’s automotive value chain as a whole,” – Mike Whitfield, Managing Director for the Nissan Group of Africa