Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, said during a meeting held in Sandton recently before the South Africa-Italy Summit, that the Chamdor automotive projects in Krugersdorp, in which provincial government partnered with the Italian Government, would also have a team of trained mechanics to fix high-end models.

"The automotive hub that will be opened in the Chamdor area in the West Rand is for after-sales support for all brands of vehicles that may be sold in the country. We are also looking at training for high-end vehicles like the Ferrari because we don’t build Ferraris in this country, so Ferrari is going to have a team dedicated to training local people in fixing Ferraris. It might not be an engine overhaul, but if it is an electrical problem then you would be able to go there,?Vadi said.

He added that this year 250 chief executives from across the continent would be attending the summit, which will be held early next month in partnership with The European House Ambrosetti, an Italian NGO.

The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), which is Gauteng’s automotive parastatal, said the project was part of government’s international relations initiative and Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy.

This MoU allows both the Gauteng province and the equivalent Emilia-Romagna region to collaborate on various mutually beneficial programmes. Subsequent to the signing of the MoU, the GGDA (Gauteng Growth and Development Agency) then also entered into an MoU with its equivalent agency in Italy, known as the E35 Foundation, with common interests. This was signed during a mission to Italy led by the MEC for Social Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, on 26 May 2017. This MoU refers to identified projects for collaboration between E35 and the GGDA. The project more specifically identified by the AIDC, which also attended the Italy mission in May [last year], was around the support that the Italy partners could provide to the township economy,?said AIDC spokesperson Mashadi Mangale.

She said the Chamdor hub would bring significant economic activity to the West Rand and had targeted 15 small businesses, which would be specialising in mechanical and auto body repairs, as well as parts sales.

She added that the hub would be serviced by master artisans and other leading professionals in the automotive field, and that it would be a centre for training and skills transfer in the motor industry.