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Former VWSA boss, Thomas Schaefer, says South Africa and Africa could be playing a bigger role in the German company's global portfolio.
Schaefer, now the CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand and Head of Group Volume, is in the country to introduce the changing of the guard, as VWSA Group's first female Chairperson and Managing Director, Martina Biene, takes over the reins.
She succeeds Robert Cisek, who returns to Germany.
Schaefer suggested that the VW Group is looking at South Africa as playing a bigger role in its global portfolio.
"We brought Martina back to head South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa to really take this to the next level. We need South Africa to play a bigger role in our portfolio. Geopolitically, Russia is not doing so well at the moment, we have to isolate them. China is more and more retracting into itself and the US is doing the same," he said.
Schaefer said they are now looking at the next "countries" where they want to grow and "we believe that Africa has got a lot of potential.
Meanwhile, Biene, who is no stranger to South Africa having worked here before, says she's 100% up for the challenge.
"I truly believe in the potential of South Africa and of the whole of Africa. I think that is where we want to take the company.
Biene says South Africa can be the hub for really developing the African automotive industry, but also leading other projects like in the renewable energy space.
"So, it's not only about doing but about developing business in a meaningful way," she said.
Highlighting the future of VWSA in the wake of an EU decision on combustion engines by 2030, Biene said they would continue with the production of the Polo and Polo Vivo but will be adding another product to the mix in the future.
She said a decision on producing electric vehicles for export will be made in due course.
Schaefer said the auto industry is going electric and there's no way back.
"We are going to launch 10 new electric vehicles by 2026. Our total portfolio is changing to electric. We'll probably build the last combustion-engine car in Europe by 2033, the latest," he said.
South Africa, as a production base, is not only producing for SA. 80% of the volume produced at the Kariega plant is for export.
"No way back, is the right thing to do," said Schaefer.
