January 2023
www.automobil.co.za
the deepest business reach into the sa retail motor industry
contents
columns
03 . Driver’s Seat: Jakkie Olivier, CEO of the RMI
03 . Editor’s Letter: Reuben van Niekerk
18 . A 2023 economic outlook
36 . Tackling wage issues on behalf of our members
37 . Driving skills development
38 . Navigating compliance requirements
40 . Achieving transformation through gender equality
41 . Wellbeing: The current state of the wellbeing industry
42 . Financial planning in 2023
44 . Tech Talk: What’s the diff?
news
05 . News
10 . Industry News
12 . The 2023 RMI Board
14 . RMI News
associations
20 . MIWA: Staying relevant in an evolving automotive aftermarket
22 . SAVABA: Gearing up for 2023
24 . ARA: Remaining relevant into the fifth industrial revolution
26 . NADA: Facing new and existing challenges
28 . SAMBRA: Driving a safer, more equitable and transparent sector
30 . SAPRA: Navigating petroleum retailing in 2023
32 . TEPA: Striving towards a cleaner more compliant sector
34 . VTA: Driving safety on our roads
regulars
46 . A review of labour and employment trends in South Africa
47 . A commercial law review
48 . Member Update
49 . Sales: November 2022 vehicle sales figures
Editor
Reuben van Niekerk
reuben@automobil.org.za
Sub-editor
Suzanne Walker
Regular contributors
Roger Houghton
Nicol Louw
Publisher
Wilken Communication Management
Tel: 012-4604448
Advertising Sales
Greg Surgeon
greg@automobil.org.za
Automobil is produced monthly by Wilken
Communication Management for the Retail
Motor Industry Organisation. The views and
opinions expressed in the publication are not
necessarily those of the publishers or the Retail
Motor Industry Organisation. While precau-
tions have been taken to ensure the accuracy
of advice and information contained in edito-
rial or advertisements, neither the publishers
nor the Retail Motor Industry Organisation can
accept responsibility for errors, misrepresenta-
tions or omissions, or for any effect or conse-
quence arising therefrom. Permission to repub-
lish any article or image or part thereof must be
obtained in writing from the publishers.
www.automobil.co.za
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www.automobil.co.za
January 2023
www.automobil.co.za
January 2023
DRIVER’S SEAT
For information on the RMI and its workings, visit www.rmi.org.za or call 011 886 6300
EDITOR’S LETTER
I
wish all our valued members, industry stakeholders and
staff the very best for 2023. As we move into this new year
with fresh prospects, we remain optimistic for the year
ahead and start the year on a sound financial footing. Our
strategic goals are crystal clear and our strong, committed
leadership team is united and focused on adding value to all
our members and the automotive industry.
The past two years have taught us several lessons.
Perhaps the greatest one is that we can never re-
main stagnant and need to continuously adapt,
transform and innovate.
For the first time in many years, we are
pleased to bring you a January edition of
Automobil and thought there was no better
way to kick off the new year than with some
industry insights and thoughts from each of
our different associations. You will notice a few common themes which run
through the commentary centred around keeping relevant, encouraging
innovation, lobbying for a more sustainable and cleaner environment, and
a fairer and more equitable trading and labour environment. There’s also a
strong focus on empowerment, transformation, training and upskilling of
members in order to embrace our changing environment.
I trust you will enjoy reading the different insights provided and find
ways to integrate some of the prospects into your own businesses. As al-
ways demonstrating value to consumers remains key and this will be facili-
tated by the various initiatives planned.
We look forward to a positive year and remain committed to always
keeping the interests of our members and the industry top of mind, while
making a real and lasting difference in the industry we support and serve.
Jakkie Olivier
RMI Chief Executive Officer
A year of prospects,
stability and innovation
elcome to this bumper January edition of Automo-
bil. We took the decision to expand our offering to
12 issues a year and in doing so offer readers infor-
mation from all sectors of the automotive industry, including
all eight RMI Associations as well as all the support functions
of the RMI. This information has been curated to equip read-
ers with the information needed to tackle the year ahead with
confidence.
2022 was a tough year and the perfect storm for busi-
nesses. The difficult recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,
the fallout from the Ukraine war, disruption of global supply
chains, sky rocketing energy costs, the local Eskom energy
crisis, political instability and climbing inflation are just some
of the things that have impacted negatively on local business-
es and their clients and many of these factors are set to con-
tinue into 2023.
According to Statistics South Africa, the total number
of liquidations in South Africa increased by 44.8% in Au-
gust 2022 compared with the same period a year ago. The
total number of liquidations increased by 18.8% in the three
months ended August 2022 compared with the three months
ended August 2021.
There is no doubt that doing business in South Africa in
2023 will remain challenging and business owners need to
adequately prepare their businesses in order to minimise the
effect that these challenges have on their daily operation.
The advantages that small to medium business have is that
they are adaptable. Business owners need to think and act dif-
ferently in 2023 not only through growing their business skills
but by learning from successful peers who have ridden out and
even grown during one of the most turbulent economic times.
This issue of Automobil aims to do exactly that, by providing in-
sights from experts originating from every corner of the auto-
motive aftermarket and in doing so allowing business owners
to set their operations up to succeed in 2023.
Reuben van Niekerk
reuben@automobil.org.za
Planning to
succeed in 2023
Take the Automobil reader survey here
View the November sales figures here