Thumbs-up for APDP review

The latest review of the
automotive production and
development programme
(APDP) which originated in
2013 has met with no major
complaints from the SA
vehicle industry.
“Overall,” said Nico
Vermeulen, director of the
National Association of
Automobile Manufacturers of
SA (Naamsa), “the industry is
satisfied with the outcome of
the APDP review.”
There is certainly no
complaint about the
findings of the APDP
review stating that the
2020 target of producing
1.2 million vehicles per year
is unlikely to be achieved.
This pragmatic decision
was, according to minister
of trade and industry, Rob
Davies, due to a variety of
reasons, such as the fact that
the global economy is still
recovering from the effects of
the 2008/9 financial crisis.
“Secondly,” he added,
“it will also be extremely
difficult to achieve
significant expansion
and deepening of the
local supplier base under
the prevailing economic
conditions.”