A consumer walks into an insurance broker’s office with a problem.
She’s just bought an imported second-hand vehicle—not a Chinese brand, but an obscure model from overseas. She needs insurance. The broker contacts five or six insurance companies. All of them decline, or quote at prohibitive rates.
The reason?
If anything happens to this car, it will be a total write-off. There are no crash parts available in South Africa. There’s no local technical data. There’s no support network.
This real-world scenario, shared by Marna Roets, an insurance broker and consumer who recently bought a Chinese vehicle, illustrates a fundamental truth that will determine which automotive brands survive the next five to ten years: after-sales support is not a nice-to-have.
Beyond the Bells and Whistles
Bells, whistles, and low prices get customers into showrooms. But parts availability, crash repair capability, insurance costs, and technician training will decide which brands are still thriving in 2030—and which have quietly exited the market.
“I know the parts will be there,” says Gary McCraw (former NADA Director), reflecting on why legacy brands still command premium segments despite increasing Chinese competition.
“If my vehicle is in an accident, I know the body parts will be available. That’s why legacy brands will always have a place.”
This insight cuts to the heart of the after-sales opportunity—and challenge—facing the RMI. For decades, the retail motor industry has been the backbone of vehicle support in South Africa.
Dealers, workshops, parts suppliers, and panel beaters have built networks, trained technicians, and invested in infrastructure to keep vehicles on the road.
That ecosystem is now being tested by an influx of brands with no local history, no established supply chains, and no proven after-sales capability.
Yet the Chinese brands are learning fast. Some, like Chery, have been in South Africa since 2018.
Over eight years, they’ve built dealer networks, established parts distribution, and begun training local technicians.
The question is not whether Chinese brands will develop after-sales capability—they will. The question is whether they’ll do it well enough, fast enough, to retain customers through the critical first five years of ownership.
This is where the RMI’s advocacy becomes crucial.
Cradle to Grave
The South African Automotive Masterplan, currently under review by government, has historically focused on manufacturing and component suppliers.
But as McCraw and Brandon Cohen (NADA Chairperson) recently told Parliament, the plan must expand to include the entire retail and aftermarket value chain.
“The Masterplan only looks at one element of the industry,” McCraw explains. “It focuses on the manufacturing of plants in South Africa and the component manufacturers that feed them.
“It doesn’t incorporate the retail and whole aftermarket sector. That’s what we went to Parliament to say: here’s an opportunity to include that into policy.”
The stakes are high. Manufacturing and tier-one suppliers account for roughly 108,000 jobs. The dealer network alone represents 30,000 jobs.
The broader aftermarket—workshops, parts suppliers, panel beaters, training providers—represents tens of thousands more.
If policy protects manufacturing at the expense of retail and aftermarket, the entire value chain suffers.
There’s an opportunity here, too. As Chinese brands mature and their customer bases grow, the demand for after-sales services will explode.
Workshops that can service multiple brands, parts suppliers that can stock for diverse vehicle types, and training providers that can up-skill technicians will be in high demand.
The bigger challenge is immediate and acute: the artisan shortage (the average age of South Africa’s automotive technicians is around 50.)
Every year, thousands more reach retirement age.
Meanwhile, young people are not entering the trade. Dubai is recruiting thousands of South African artisans every month. The technical training academies are producing graduates who leave the country before they even get a job offer.
“We’re in a country with very limited job opportunities, extremely high unemployment, especially for the under-25s,” Cohen notes.
“Yet in our industry, especially on the retail side, we are desperately lacking in human beings to fill positions. There are going to be thousands and thousands of job opportunities for workshops, and we cannot attract people.”
This is where the narrative must change.
From Spanners to Software
Modern automotive technicians don’t work in grease-stained overalls. They plug laptops into diagnostic systems. They read software code. They’re engineers, not mechanics.
The RMI and NADA are launching “Motoring Mavericks,” an initiative to expose young people from school level to the reality of modern automotive careers—including pathways to motorsport, F1, and global opportunities.
“We’ve got to make artisan something that you aspire to,” Cohen says. “You want to be the guy who works on that Audi, you want to put your lab coat on, plug your laptop in and see what you can diagnose and fix that vehicle.”
The after-sales battle will also be shaped by new energy vehicles. As EVs proliferate—Chinese brands are already entering the premium EV segment with models like the BYD Seal and Shark—the industry will need new qualifications, new training, and new infrastructure.
The RMI is already working on EV technician qualifications, but the pace of change is relentless. For dealers and workshop owners, the message is clear: the next five years will separate the survivors from the casualties.
Those who invest in parts inventory, technician training, diagnostic capability, and customer service will thrive. Those who compete purely on price will struggle. The Chinese influx is real. But it’s not a threat to the after-sales sector—it’s an opportunity.
Every new vehicle sold, regardless of brand, needs service, parts, and skilled technicians.
The RMI’s job is to ensure that South African dealers, workshops, and technicians are positioned to capture that opportunity.