Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has released a new corporate manifesto that sets out its plans for a second century in South Africa. It calls for policy conditions that let local vehicle manufacturers compete fairly with importers. The announcement was made in Pretoria on 1 September 2026 and follows the company’s centenary in the country in 2023. It links the future of locally built vehicles, and the jobs behind them, to the outcome of ongoing policy discussions.
Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company, Africa Operations, said the company intends to spend its second century championing industry and industrialisation as drivers of shared value. He described the manifesto as a purposeful signal rather than a marketing exercise. He said Ford, as the oldest OEM in the country, wants to move beyond honouring its past and set out a clear vision for the future.
Ford manifesto calls for fair competition
The document carries a direct policy message. “Ford South Africa has never simply been a manufacturer operating within this country,” Hill said. He described the company as a builder of industry, skills, communities and national capability. He said Ford would continue to invest, build and employ, and would support policy and regulatory conditions that allow local manufacturers to compete fairly against companies that simply import vehicles into the market.
APDP2 and the local automotive industry
The manifesto calls on government, industry bodies and stakeholders to close this gap. One route it names is the ongoing development of the second phase of the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP2). The aim is to ensure that companies which invest capital, create jobs and build local skills are not placed at a structural disadvantage to those that do not share the same commitment to the country.
Hill said Ford is actively engaged in these discussions and noted that hundreds of thousands of livelihoods depend on getting the balance right. “This is not about protectionism for its own sake,” he said. He added that the goal is to ensure that investments already made in the country, and those still to come, are not undermined by uneven operating realities.
Ford call to action for government and manufacturers
Ford is asking government, policymakers, industry partners and fellow manufacturers to join it in advocating for a regulatory framework with three aims. It should support local industrialisation, protect existing investment and create the conditions for continued growth. The company argues that a fair and level playing field is essential for the millions of South Africans whose livelihoods depend, directly and indirectly, on the local automotive industry.
Where the Ford manifesto will appear
The manifesto will roll out across Ford South Africa’s brand, dealer and internal communications channels. It supports the company’s broader commitment to local manufacturing, export growth and community investment. A video of the manifesto, titled A Century of Roots, A Century Ahead, can be watched on YouTube.
Supplied by QuickPic (Ford)
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