No-confidence vote in ANC

General Motors’ announcement on Thursday that it was withdrawing its manufacturing facilities from the South African market is a vote of no confidence in the ANC’s leadership of the economy, according to the Democratic Alliance.

The DA’s spokesperson on trade and industry, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said GM’s withdrawal was just one of a growing list of foreign investors who are losing confidence in South Africa’s economy.

“The DA will now write to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, to call on him to act decisively in order to prevent further potential job losses as a result of foreign investors pulling out of the country’s automotive sector,” Hill-Lewis said in a statement.

“The DA will also request that the minister report back to parliament on what the specific reasons are for GM deciding to withdraw from South Africa, and possible solutions to bring this concerning trend to an end.”

According to General Motors South Africa, it is withdrawing because South Africa can no longer “provide GM with the expected returns of other global investment opportunities”.

As a result, production and sales of all Chevrolet models will cease and Isuzu will take over the firm’s operations.

Isuzu will also be taking over the parts centre because it will be manufacturing trucks and commercial vehicles.

Hill-Lewis said the government had failed to create a climate conducive to attracting investment.

To the contrary, he said, the government was going out of its way to chase foreign investment away.

“Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has failed to strengthen investor confidence in our economy,” Hill-Lewis said.

“The captured and ineffectual ANC government, with its empty slogans, have completely destroyed our economic prospects and ordinary South Africans – particularly the poor and vulnerable – are left to bear the brunt,” Hill-Lewis said.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said it was “shocked at the news” that GM intended to pull the plug on its operations in South Africa. Numsa said there had been no prior consultation by GM with the union.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies on Thursday said he had learnt of the announcement by General Motors South Africa to cease some of their operations in South Africa with “regret and concern”. – ANA

Minister of Finance Malusi Gigaba has failed to strengthen investor confidence.

Geordin Hill-Lewis DA trade and industry spokesperson