South African car and bakkie exports into Africa declined for the third year in a row in 2015, falling from 79 228 units in 2012, to 77 589 units in 2013, 60 189 units in 2014, and 41 446 units last year – this according to the Automotive Industry Export Council’s newest Automotive Export Manual, compiled by Dr Norman Lamprecht.

Lamprecht is also executive manager at the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa.

Truck and bus exports into Africa also declined, from 1 404 units in 2014, to 1 116 units in 2015. MAN was the top truck exporter from South Africa.

When considering rand-value and including components, however, total automotive exports from South Africa increased from R31.6-billion in 2014, to R34-billion in 2015.

Big ticket component exports into Africa in 2015 were automotive tooling, engine parts, engines, gauges, transmission shafts and tyres.

Lamprecht notes in the export manual that vehicle exports to some of the country’s top destinations in Africa, namely Nigeria and Algeria, reflected “a substantial decline” owing to new vehicle import regulatory changes implemented in 2014.

The economic downturn seen in many African countries, relating to falling oil and commodity prices, also had a widespread negative effect on vehicle exports.

An assessment of individual country data supports this fact.

South Africa’s number one African export destination in 2015 was Namibia, at R9.4-billion, followed by Botswana, at R4.9-billion, and Mozambique, at R2.6-billion.

Oil-rich Nigeria was at number seven, at R1.4-billion, and Algeria at number ten, at R1-billion.

Kenya, a rising power in East Africa, was at number six, at R1.5-billion.

Figures from 2013, however, place Algeria as South Africa’s third biggest African export market, at R3.1-billion. Nigeria was at number six, at R2-billion, while Kenya was absent from the top-ten list.

Lamprecht believes that the expansion of free trade agreements among African countries, as is currently under discussion, would benefit South Africa’s automotive industry greatly.

South Africa produced 64% of the vehicles assembled in Africa in 2015.

Total global automotive exports from South Africa increased by R35.8 billion – or 30.9% – to R151.5-billion, in 2015, up from the R115.7-billion recorded in 2014.

The UK with 101 704 vehicles, followed by the US, Australia and Japan, were South Africa’s top destinations for car and bakkie exports in 2015. European Union members received 173 796 vehicles.