As an important component of South Africa’s manufacturing industry, the automotive industry holds a significant position in the South African economy, and the South African automotive market is also attracting global attention. The rapid development of the South African automotive market has not only driven an increase in local new car sales, but also expanded the scale of the automotive parts market.

There are two main sources of demand in the South African auto parts market, one being strong demand from major car manufacturers for new car assembly. BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, and others have established automobile production bases in South Africa, which directly drive local demand for related automotive components.

On the other hand, there is the demand for automotive aftermarket parts replacement and maintenance. At present, the number of cars in South Africa exceeds 10 million, with nearly 200 cars per thousand people, providing solid support for the auto parts market. At the same time, the second-hand car market in South Africa is relatively developed, with second-hand car trading volume about twice that of new car sales, injecting vitality into the development of the South African auto parts market.

Although South Africa has a certain manufacturing capacity for automotive parts, it still relies on imports in the face of diversified market demand, with major suppliers including China, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

According to relevant data, the import value of auto parts in South Africa continues to grow, reaching nearly 7 billion rand in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 15%.

Engines, braking systems, suspension systems, transmissions, fuel pumps, airbag systems, clutches, air conditioning systems, lighting systems, exhaust systems, brake pads, tyres, spark plugs, driveshafts, steering systems, sensors, and other products are highly popular locally and rank among the top imported automotive components in South Africa.

The strong demand in the South African auto parts market provides vast development space for Chinese enterprises, and in 2023, automotive parts will occupy a leading position among China’s main products exported to South Africa. In recent years, the popularity and recognition of Chinese car brands in the South African market have been continuously increasing. With Chinese car companies such as Chery and Great Wall accelerating their entry into the South African market, China has also occupied a more important position in the South African auto parts market.