Eastern Cape Motor Manufacturers have broadly welcome today's launch of the Eastern Cape Automotive Cluster initiative by the provincial government.
The cluster initiative by the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development which wants to foster closer working ties between the province's four OEM's as well as the automotive component and related sectors.
Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, delivered the keynote address at the launch.
He said the Eastern Cape Automotive Sector Support Initiative will see a joint collaboration amongst stakeholders to respond to opportunities and challenges in the sector.
Eastern Cape Economic Develoment MEC, Mcebisi Jonas, said strategic initiatives agreed upon already include logistics; supplier development, localisation and skills development.
"Today marks the start of a process of ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors in the Eastern Cape to jointly formulate responses and implement key programmes in the automotive sector. The strategic initiatives agreed upon include logistics; supplier development, localisation and incubation; and skills development," said Jonas.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber says "the development of an auto cluster has the potential to drive down costs in the sector, thus making it more globally competitive and able to face the challenge of world production moving to low-cost countries, through pursuing cooperation that should lead to increased efficiencies and productivity."
"A solid foundation has been laid for the cluster through the engagement of all the relevant roleplayers, and it is now up to those roleplayers to turn the plans announced today into reality," said Chamber COO, Samantha Venter.
Image: Mcebisi Jonas - Eastern Cape Economic Development MEC.
