By MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – VOLKSWAGEN, the car maker, has established a new “Sub-Saharan Africa” entity as part of its strategy to develop and strengthen the African market.
Thomas Schäfer, Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa, has assumed responsibility for developing and networking about 50 states to form the new region.
The Sub-Saharan Africa region is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara.
It comprises of 49 states and has a total population of some 920 million.
Schäfer syas Africa is still one of the “blank spots” on the Volkswagen map but there was enormous potential in the region to meet the mobility needs of a burgeoning middle class.
“We will drive forward the development of these new markets in cooperation with various African governments – and gradually strengthen and expand the new Sub-Saharan Africa region.”
The new fourth region joins the existing regions of North America, South America and China and is the next logical step in the Volkswagen brand’s strategy to position itself in focus areas.
The Volkswagen brand currently has three operations in the region: the company has been building cars in South Africa since 1951.
Vehicle assembly began in Nigeria in 2015, with assembly in Kenya getting underway in December 2016. In addition, Volkswagen plans to launch an integrated mobility concept in Rwanda at the end of this year.
– Guardian