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Keeping Mzanzi Moving

Keeping Mzanzi Moving

Author: Dominic Yoko
Date: 2015-06-26
South Africa is famous for its mini-bus taxis. I have lived in South Africa my whole life, proudly. I am fortunate enough to have travelled often, having been everywhere from Peru to Vietnam. But whenever I'm away from South Africa I can't keep myself from missing it. It was in one of those moments of nostalgia when I was thinking about home; the climate, the surf, load-shedding and the parliament that's actually worth watching, when I realised that mini-bus taxis are up there next to Table Mountain, Nelson Mandela and the vuvuzela when it comes to characterising SA.

Toyota enjoys a 80% share of the taxi market in South Africa, and the Toyota Hiace is symbolic of a classic South African taxi. It is interesting to think that a vehicle could have such a profound impact on a country to the extent that an entire culture has been formed around it. Over 15-million people use a taxi at least once a day, that's 65% of the commuting public. It is testament to Toyota's efficiency that a Japanese product could be woven so deeply into the DNA of South Africa.

And so the Sesfikile became part of our lives and this week Toyota South Africa Motors officially launched the South African produced Ses'fikile at their brand new Quantum Manufacturing Facility in Prospecton, Durban.

This move has created over 260 new jobs, plus 165 jobs were created at supplier level; taking the total amount of jobs created by the Quantum plant to well over 400.

The Toyota Hiace is not only a symbol for public transport but it is also a symbol for sustainable industrial development in South Africa. "South Africa is a very important market to Toyota globally in terms of supply to the rest of the world and it serves as a gateway to the African continent. With over R550-million invested in the Quantum plant to date, it certainly underlines Toyota's confidence in this country. This sizeable investment shows that Toyota is committed to development in the taxi industry and to continue its contribution to the country as a whole," said Dr Johan van Zyl, CEO of Toyota Europe and Africa Region.