- From Importer to Manufacturer: A Long‑Term Commitment Takes Root
The Chery Rosslyn manufacturing plant was officially opened today in Pretoria, marking the company’s transition from vehicle importer to local manufacturer in South Africa and signaling its long-term commitment to the country.
The ceremony was attended by approximately 350 distinguished guests, including South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Tshwane Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng, Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. Chairman Yin Tongyue, Executive Vice President Zhang Guibing and Vice President Charlie Zhang.
From Importer to Manufacturer
The official opening of the Chery Rosslyn plant represents a crucial leap for Chery from an importer to a local manufacturer in South Africa, and stands as a significant milestone in its globalisation journey.
“At Chery, we live by one philosophy: ‘In Somewhere, For Somewhere, Be Somewhere.’ It means wherever we invest, we commit. We become part of the local economy, part of the community, part of the country’s future. Today proves that commitment. We have moved from being an importer to a manufacturer — and from a market participant to a long-term partner in South Africa’s industrial story,” said Yin Tongyue, Chairman, President, and founder of Chery Automobile Co., at the plant launch ceremony.
Taking this as a new starting point, Chery will deepen China‑Africa economic and trade ties through high‑quality capacity cooperation, striving to set a new benchmark for mutually beneficial international industrial cooperation.
A New Chapter for the Rosslyn Plant
Established in 1963, the Rosslyn plant is one of South Africa’s longest-operating automotive manufacturing facilities.
Chery will invest in upgrading the plant’s facilities and utilities, with the initial production is intended to commence within mid-2027. During the ramp-up period (Q3 & Q4 2027), the planned production total is 15,000 units. Chery has committed to retaining all 692 existing employees to ensure operational continuity, while creating nearly 3,000 direct and indirect jobs across manufacturing, supply chain, and services.
“The automotive industry remains one of South Africa’s most important economic sectors. We truly welcome you Chery, and your long-term vision and commitment to manufacturing excellence, innovation, localisation, skills development and sustainability,” says Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, who spoke at the event. “We appreciate the succession of nearly 700 employees who carry with them decades of experience. This is a firm commitment that you are here to stay”.
The company has launched an extensive localisation programme, surveying Tier-1 suppliers as it works towards achieving its localisation targets by 2028.
Chery’s long-term vision is to develop the facility into a comprehensive automotive hub encompassing R&D, supply chain operations, and skills development, evolving into an automotive and industrial ecosystem that supports the company’s expanding presence in Southern Africa.
The investment forms part of Chery’s broader vision to establish South Africa as its African manufacturing, export, research and development, and operational headquarters.
Together with the company’s growing dealer network and expanding vehicle portfolio, the new manufacturing plant positions Chery for long-term sustainable growth, with an ambition to exceed 100,000 annual vehicle sales in the South African market.
“We gather to celebrate a new chapter for Chery and another milestone in South Africa’s industrial development. This moment is a living testament to the confidence in our nation’s future, reinforcing the optimism that continues to define our development path,” says His Excellency, Paul Mashatile, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, who delivered the keynote address today. “The Chery Rosslyn plant must not only be about the vehicles that roll off the production line, but also the lives it touches and transforms, in the communities nearby and for South Africa as a whole”
Pioneering Full-Ecosystem Global Expansion
With the opening of the Rosslyn plant, Chery will, for the first time in Africa, present a comprehensive display of its full industrial chain ecosystem — a complete industrial loop spanning from raw materials to end products, and extending to green circularity and corporate social responsibility.
Taking this as a new starting point, Chery will move from “product export” to “full value chain and full ecosystem international expansion”, deeply engaging in regional industrial development, driving coordinated growth across upstream and downstream supply chains, and accelerating the comprehensive upgrade of Southern Africa’s automotive industry.
This strategic footprint spans passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, smart agricultural machinery, green photovoltaics, mineral resources, robotics, and the circular economy — forming a diversified industrial portfolio.
At the same time, as a major global partner of United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), Chery has committed USD12 million since 2023 to support global education programmes, with a key focus on supporting UNICEF South Africa’s education projects in science, technology and innovation.
Under the “Cherish the Nature” global partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Chery and IUCN announced at the ceremony the upcoming launch of a joint project in priority nature landscapes across South Africa to strengthen biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and community livelihoods.
Impressive Market Performance
Since entering the South African market in 2021, Chery has grown into one of the country’s fastest-growing automotive brands and now ranks as the second-largest passenger vehicle brand by sales this year.
Chery continues to strengthen its position in the South African market, recording 29% year-on-year sales growth, with passenger vehicle market share increasing by 4.15% month-on-month and 18.15% year-on-year. The Tiggo 4 Pro was the best-selling passenger vehicle in South Africa in 2025.
The Group’s South African portfolio includes Chery, OMODA, JAECOO, Jetour, iCAUR and LEPAS – six distinct brands that together span the passenger, SUV, and new‑energy vehicle segments.
OMODA has sold over 20,000 units cumulatively since its local debut in 2023, currently offering the C5, C7 and C9 series alongside plug‑in hybrid SHS variants.
JAECOO entered the market in 2024, with the J7, J5 and J7 SHS plug‑in hybrid leading its line‑up.
Jetour, also launched in 2024, made history in May this year when its T2 model became the first Chinese‑brand vehicle to win the South African Car of the Year award.
iCAUR arrived this year with the all‑electric V23, which secured more than 300 orders in its first month.
LEPAS, also launched in 2026, is the Group’s premium SUV brand, offering a choice of petrol, hybrid, and all‑electric powertrains.
“South Africa is a true Rainbow Nation, a country with open arms and an open heart. We value the enduring friendship between South Africa and China, which remains a cornerstone of our global strategy. Wherever we invest, we commit. We become part of the country’s future, and today is proof of that commitment,” Tongyue said in closing.
About Chery
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Wuhu, China, Chery Group is a diversified enterprise group with the automotive industry at its core. Its business spans more than 130 countries and regions worldwide, and it has ranked first among Chinese-brand passenger vehicle exporters for 23 consecutive years.
In 2025, the Group ranked 233rd on the Fortune Global 500 list, jumping 152 places from the previous year – the fastest rise of any global automaker. In the first half of 2026, Chery Group exported 944,000 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 71.5% and setting a new record for Chinese automakers by surpassing 900,000 units in just six months.
As of the end of May 2026, Chery Group’s cumulative global vehicle users surpassed 19.62 million, including over 6.59 million overseas users.
Guided by its globalisation philosophy of “In Somewhere, For Somewhere, Be Somewhere” – operating locally, contributing locally, and integrating locally – Chery fully embeds ESG principles into its corporate strategy and engages in deep cooperation with international organisations including UNICEF and IUCN.
With its continuously growing global influence, Chery has been named among China’s “Top 20 Best Overseas Image Enterprises” for five consecutive years, and has topped the automotive category of Google and Kantar’s “Top 50 Chinese Global Brand Builders” for eight consecutive years.
