MISA welcomes Chinese and Indian investment but demands more local manufacturing
As Deputy President Paul Mashatile marks Chery's acquisition of the former Nissan plant in Rosslyn, MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, is calling on Government to ensure that growing Chinese and Indian investment translates into local manufacturing, protected component jobs and decent work for South Africans.
This is the first time that MISA, the largest trade union in South Africa's retail motor industry, made a formal submission to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) on behalf of workers in the retail motor industry, as part of the review of the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) 2035.
MISA welcomes the arrival of Chinese and Indian automakers, whose affordable vehicles are driving record sales in the retail motor industry since September 2025, expanding vehicle ownership and contributing to economic growth.
The Union views Chery's takeover of the Nissan’s Rosslyn plant, which retained most of the approximately 900 employees, as the blueprint of how a potential restructuring process that could lead to retrenchments, can be avoided and turned into a win-win situation for all involved.
Nissan stopped investing in 2023 after it discontinued the NP200 half-ton bakkie, which had been in production for 16 years at its Rosslyn plan. This decision triggered a major restructuring of the facility, which was turned around into the sell the historic plant. Chery projects that around 3 000 jobs could be created once local production reaches full capacity.
“For MISA, this is precisely why welcoming these manufacturers must come with clear conditions. Government must actively encourage the new entrants to manufacture vehicles and components locally, rather than simply assembling imported kits. We are not asking Government to shut anyone out. We are saying investment must translate into real jobs for South Africans," says Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations.
Keyter says the principal of decent work will remain non-negotiable for MISA. “The Department of Employment and Labour’s drive to recruit an additional 10 000 permanent labour inspectors has now become operational across all provinces. They will increase the capacity of the current 2 300 labour inspectors. This means that all employers must know that frequent visits from labour inspectors to ensure compliance with the Labour Relations Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and with the Gazetted agreements of our bargaining councils, are a given.”
MISA's submission to the DTIC further calls for the inclusion of a Retail Motor Industry Pillar in SAAM 2035 to amongst other, prepare workers for new energy vehicles, Artificial Intelligence and digitalisation, ensuring technology enhance existing jobs and create more employment.
MISA will continue engaging Government to ensure the revised Masterplan protects the retail motor industry and the workers who sustain it.
Issued by Sonja Carstens, Manager of MISA’s Media & Communication Department. For press enquiries contact, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, Spokesperson of MISA, on 083 367 6417.
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