The first South Africa-produced Chery vehicles are expected to roll off the Rosslyn, Pretoria assembly line by mid-2027.
The Chinese brand made the announcement at the Sixth South Africa Investment Conference held in Joburg on Tuesday.
In January, Nissan confirmed that Chery would acquire its 59-year-old plant, which currently produces the Nissan Navara one-tonne bakkie for the local market and export. The Navara will in future be imported to South Africa.
Chery’s acquisition of the Gauteng-based plant makes it the third Chinese brand to manufacture vehicles in South Africa after BAIC opened a plant in Gqeberha in 2018 and Foton began building the Tunland G7 bakkie in 2025.
The investment is a vote of confidence in South Africa and signifies a new chapter for the Chery brand, transitioning from an importer to a local manufacturer and investor in the South African economy, said Charlie Zhang, VP of Chery Auto and executive VP of Chery International.
He did not confirm the value of the investment nor which model will be built at the factory, but earlier reports indicated that it may be a hybrid or plug-in hybrid.
The site will be recommissioned and retrofitted over the next 12 to 18 months to build the new model.
Zhang said most of the current employees at the existing plant will be retained and that the project will directly and indirectly create nearly 3,000 jobs in the manufacturing, supply chain and services sectors.
Chery will also develop a local supplier network.
Local manufacturing will enhance Chery’s market position by offering greater flexibility, shorter lead times, and a stronger competitive edge within South Africa, as well as for future exports across Africa, it said.
“Chery’s entry into South Africa is not a short-term decision but a long-term commitment to the future. Moving from an importer to a manufacturer deepens our roots in this country,” Zhang said.
Since its entry into the market, Chery South Africa, representing the Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas & ICaur brands, has achieved significant growth.
Four years on from re-entering the local market, Chery has become a consistent top-10 player in local sales, with an average of 50,000 units sold annually, along with an expanding network of 150 dealers nationwide.
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