A ZAR510 million investment is driving the sustainability of local suppliers in South Africa’s automotive sector.

Japan-based Isuzu committed the investment to strengthen the local supply chain in the production of its Isuzu D-Max double-cab bakkie, which is manufactured in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

The investment has funded 729 vendor tools and enabled 250 locally sourced components to be manufactured in South Africa, reports Bizcommunity.

‘Developing capable and competitive local suppliers is fundamental to the sustainability of South Africa’s automotive industry,’ according to Komane Pitso, executive vice president of procurement and logistics at Isuzu Motors South Africa.

One company to benefit from Isuzu’s localisation strategy is VSL Manufacturing, which now manufactures pressed body parts for the D-Max, including the bonnet, body sides, front and rear doors and the tailgate. The company was able to create 52 new jobs as a result.

Other D-Max parts manufactured  locally include the chassis frames, brake pedals, seat trim and selected plastic parts.

Isuzu worked with technical partners in Japan and Thailand to train South African manufacturers in quality planning, process control, dimensional validation and production readiness, thus ensuring the sector’s sustainability beyond the Isuzu D-Max.

‘Ultimately, localisation is not only about producing parts locally, but about building sustainable industrial capability in South Africa,’ Pitso said.

The D-Max is one of the best-selling double-cab bakkies in South Africa.

15 June 2026
Image: Unsplash