The Toyota Blog

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) will soon celebrate the opening of dealership number 197 when it delivers the first new vehicles to its brand new facility in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The new facility is currently under construction and is a joint venture between Barloworld Motor Retail and the well-known Maponya-family. Scheduled completion is planned for November 2011 and the new facility will have the capacity to retail in excess of 30 new vehicles and 25 approved used Automark vehicles every month. The total investment in the new facility is estimated at R40 million.

“The development of Soweto Toyota, as the new facility will be known, has both emotional and economic underpinnings,” says Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of TSAM and a Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation.

“Emotionally we have had a long relationship with Dr Richard Maponya and his family, stretching back more than 20 years, and we share his passion for the vibrant city of Soweto. Economically the new dealership is situated in a city that is the physical and spiritual home to more than 5 million people with a healthy economy estimated to be in excess of R16 billion annually. With this in mind it was no challenge to find board approval for the new dealership.”

Speaking at the official sod turning event held on site on 6 July Dr Maponya shared the excitement of the Soweto community at the opening of the new facility.

“The people of Soweto are very excited indeed about the news of these world class products that will be coming to Soweto. I also believe that this new investment will succeed in providing employment and addressing the poverty concerns in our city,” says Dr Maponya.

Dr. Maponya is a well known and highly acclaimed businessman that has established a business empire during a time when the political powers made it virtually impossible to do so. He is the driving force behind other major capital investments in Soweto, including the creation of a world class shopping complex, aptly named Maponya Mall.

Martin Laubscher, CEO of Barloworld Automotive, says that the new Toyota facility and that of another vehicle brand to be developed by the joint venture in Soweto is a serious statement of commitment.

“The new operations emphasise four key goals that we have set. Firstly it is a major commitment to the people and economy of Soweto. Secondly it will offer employment in the area, with an estimated 100 people to be employed by the third year of operation. Thirdly it will introduce two automotive global super brands to Soweto and finally it will offer the people of Soweto a complete vehicle ownership experience on their doorstep.”

Soweto Toyota is being developed as a full service operation, which implies that it will be able to sell and service all Toyota vehicles, while also offering a full compliment of parts and maintenance equipment. Once completed it will be integrated into the Toyota network, which remains the largest of its kind in southern Africa.

Toyota reg on nuwe familielid te verwelkom

Toyota Suid-Afrika Motors (TSAM) sal binnekort die eerste besending nuwe voertuie aan sy nuutste handelaar in Soweto, Johannesburg aflaai. Dit sal handelaar nommer 197 in die Toyota-netwerk wees.

Die nuwe handelaar word tans ontwikkel as vennootskap tussen Barloworld Motor Retail en die welbekende Maponya-familie. Die nuwe handelaar sal na verwagting sy deure open in November 2011 en sal die vermoë hê om meer as 30 nuwe voertuie en 25 goedgekeurde gebruikte voertuie per maand onder die Automark-vaandel te verkoop. Die geraamde investering in hierdie handelaar is sowat R40 miljoen.

“Die ontwikkeling van Soweto Toyota, soos hierdie handelaar bekend sal staan, is terselftertyd emosioneel en finansieel gedrewe,” sê Dr. Johan van Zyl, President en Uitvoerende Hoof van TSAM en ’n Bestuursbeampte van Toyota Motorkorporasie.

“Vanuit ’n emosionele oogpunt het ons as Toyota reeds ’n lang verhouding met Dr. Richard Maponya en sy familie. Die verhouding strek reeds oor meer as 20 jaar en ons deel sy passie vir die dinamiese stad van Soweto. Ekonomies gesproke is die nuwe handelaar geleë in ’n stad wat die fisiese en geestelike tuiste van sowat 5 miljoen mense is en is die stad se ekonomie geraam op R16 miljard jaarliks. Met dit in ag genome was dit geen uitdaging om die raad van hierdie belegging te oortuig nie.”

Dr. Maponya het sy opwinding, en dié van die boorlinge van Soweto, tydens die opening van die perseel op 6 Julie met gaste gedeel.

“Die mense van Soweto is sonder twyfel baie opgewonde oor die nuus dat ons wêreldklas produkte na Soweto gaan bring. Ek glo ook die belegging sal ’n noemenswaardige bydrae maak om werkloosheid en armoede in ons stad teen te werk,” sê Dr. Maponya.

Dr. Maponyo is ’n welbekende en veelbesproke sakeman wat sy sake-netwerk in Suid-Afrika gevestig het in ’n tyd toe dit polities feitlik onmoontlik was. Hy is die dryfveer agter groot kapitale investeringsprojekte in Soweto, insluitend die skepping van ’n wêreldklas inkopiesentrum. Hierdie sentrum staan heel toepaslik as Maponya Mall bekend.

Martin Laubscher, Uitvoerende Hoof van Barloworld Automotive sê die nuwe Toyota-handelaar, sowel as ’n soortgelyke beplande handelaar van ’n ander motorfabrikaat, is ’n onbetwisbare bevestiging van die maatskappy se erns met Soweto.

“Dié belegging bevestig vier kerndoelwitte wat ons vir onsself gestel het. Ten eerste is dit ’n tasbare teken van ons toewyding teenoor die mense en die ekonomie van Soweto. Tweedens sal die nuwe onderneming werk skep in Soweto, met sowat 100 mense wat na raming teen die derde bedryfsjaar in diens geneem sal word. Derdens is dit ’n geleentheid om twee globale super-handelsname na Soweto te bring en laastens bied dit ons die geleentheid om ’n omvattende eienaars-ervaring aan die inwoners van Soweto te bied, hier reg op hul drempel.”

Soweto Toyota sal ontwikkel word as ’n volle diens-onderneming, wat beteken dat die handelaar Toyota voertuie kan verkoop, versien en dat hul ’n volledige reeks parte en onderdele sal bied. Sodra die projek voltooi is, sal die handelaar geïntigreer word in die Toyota-netwerk, wat steeds die mees omvattende dekking bied van enige netwerk van sy soort in Suider-Afrika.