The agreement between CCIG and SIGA will see SIGA e-mobility and CCIG combining their technology and expertise to assembly electric buses for the African market from a facility in the ELIDZ. According to AIDC Eastern Cape CEO, Mr Thabo Shenxane, the entity received a request from the Chinese Auto player last year, to assist them to find a local partner that would utilise CCIG technology to manufacture electric buses for the African market. “We went out on a request for South African companies with the requisite experience and manufacturing capability to express their interest and following a rigorous process, we shortlisted and finally recommended SIGA e-mobility to CCIG”, said Shenxane.

CCIG Vice President, Mr. Simone Tassi, commended the AIDC Eastern Cape for their agility, efficiency in undertaking the assignment and in ensuring that adequate due-diligence was undertaken in the search for the local partner. “Within a short time of our first meeting with SIGA e-mobility, we were confident that their experience in the automotive sector, their technical know-how, and their existing capacity would make them the best partner in establishing our footprint in the African commercial vehicle market,” said Tassi.

According to SIGA e-mobility Innovation Officer, Pat Nodada, the partnership with CCIG was an important part of the company’s plan to expand the company’s footprint to the Eastern Cape. “Our company built the first electric busses for the City of Cape Town almost 10 years ago and we have worked with all major global OEMs in the last ten years to deliver BRT busses in South Africa. This project is the next step in realising our vision of establishing a multi-OEM platform that will produce new energy commercial vehicles for Africa. We are already talking to a number of other brands to utilise our facility” said Nodada.

ELIDZ CEO, Thembela Zweni, has welcomed this new investment and has committed the ELIDZ to working together with all role players to make the project a success. “There is already a world class factory that has been identified and prepared for this partnership and the ELIDZ is waiting in the wings to not only help settle the investment, but to also ensure that it facilitates access to infrastructure, incentives and other support mechanisms required to operationalise this investment”, said Zweni. The ELIDZ is home to over 20 automotive suppliers. In the last 20 years, it has attracted more that R8 billion worth of private sector investment from various countries including Germany, USA, Canada and China.

Last week, a collaboration agreement was signed between the ELIDZ, AIDC Eastern Cape, CCIG and SIGA e-mobility at the CCIG factory in China. The visit and signing ceremony was part of the Eastern Cape China Investment and Trade Mission, led by Premier Lubabalo Mabuyane , to promote economic ties between China and the province.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) , Nonkqubela Pieters , touted the partnership as an important one for the Eastern Cape province. “It cements a unique collaborative effort that will see our province grow and diversify the footprint of the automotive sector. This collaborative effort is a first for our province because it is not only attracting foreign direct investment, but it is also ensuring that there is meaningful participation of a South African automotive player, there is transfer of technology and skills and there is increased socio-economic benefits for the citizens of our province,” she said.

ELIDZ CEO, Thembela Zweni , has welcomed this new investment and has committed the ELIDZ to working together with all role players to make the project a success. “There is already a world class factory that has been identified and prepared for this partnership and the ELIDZ is waiting in the wings to not only help settle the investment, but to also ensure that it facilitates access to infrastructure, incentives and other support mechanisms required to operationalise this investment”, said Zweni. The ELIDZ is home to over 20 automotive suppliers. In the last 20 years, it has attracted more that R8 billion worth of private sector investment from various countries including Germany, USA, Canada and China.

South Africa is at advanced stages of developing a legislative and incentive framework to encourage the adoption of new energy vehicles in the country. This in response of the growing global focus on the reduction of energy emissions and achievement of global sustainability goals. This move has created an opportunity for the province and the ELIDZ specifically to position itself as the manufacturing hub for new energy vehicles in the country.