By Moses Akaigwe

All eyes will be on the state of the local automotive industry come the last week of October when partners and stakeholders from across the continent of Africa and globally gather to discuss, debate and deliberate at the inaugural South African Auto Week.

WesBank, South Africa’s leading provider of innovative vehicle and asset solutions, will be partnering with naamsa and the broader industry at the conference, which takes place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and Conference Centre from 24 – 28 October.

Commenting on the auto week,CEO of WesBank, Ghana Msibi, remarked, “We are delighted to be an integral part of this event, as we re-envision the future together as an industry collective, in what is going to be one of the most important events on the South African motoring calendar.

“The timing of SA Auto Week coincides with an economy that is on a recovery path after the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also present an opportunity for the first time in many years for industry partners to connect, face-to-face, in discussions that will shape the future of the automotive industry in South Africa and beyond.”

The event’s importance is heightened by the first visit to South Africa of a strong contingent of members of the International Organisation of Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), with 39 countries being represented.

Related News

“The presence of OICA members and their participation in the week’s programme will ensure that this pinnacle event also has a strong international flavour.”

MASMSA’s overall vision for the event and the theme for the three-day thought leadership conference is ‘Re-imagining the Future Together’, which is closely aligned with the way WesBank views the future of the mobility ecosystem.

“Our organisation is looking forward to robust engagement with our industry partners and other invested stakeholders during the week to enhance this vital sector of the South African economy,” added Msibi.

“WesBank continues to remain close to the automotive industry and is committed to its sustainability, while believing that we are on the cusp of transformation within the sector. Many of the solutions we are working on are geared to improving the lives of our customers, our partners, other stakeholders and our staff, as they travel along the complete vehicle journey experience with us.

“It is our collective responsibility to invest in solutions and infrastructure that enable movement, which is synonymous with freedom. We look forward to augmenting our ecosystem solutions, such as those already available on the interactive FNB nav>> platform, with further dynamic solutions for the future of mobility.

“Our objective as a headline partner of the naamsa | South African Auto Week is to entrench that WesBank is a life partner throughout the entire vehicle ownership experience for its customers. We are an innovative and trusted partner, moving every step of the way with our stakeholders, such as the OEMs, dealers and suppliers, and are privileged to partner with this industry as we continue to reimagine and reposition our values to remain future relevant,” concluded the WesBank CEO.