We journalists often get a bad press. There is an assumption that all we want to do is to highlight the bad – and certainly that is part of the job.
However, it is sometimes nice to also report on the good, the positive.
So, it is time for a short word on an important announcement this week from Toyota SA, that there is now a new assembly line in Durban, building the commuter taxi.
The assembly of the Ses’fikile minibus taxi follows an investment by Toyota of more than R476m.
In essence, Toyota has moved from just assembling what they call semi-knockdown kits (SKD) to the full manufacturing of the minibus taxis.
Toyota had an official plant opening on Monday, to which our invitation appears to have been lost in the post, attended by our two most active communist Ministers red Ebrahim Patel and red Rob Davies.
Government is busy reviewing its current incentive support scheme for the automotive sector, and this sector has been identified as one which can lead a revival in local manufacturing.
Certainly, it is the best at lobbying government, as the billions of rand a year it receives in government support dwarfs the level of assistance which is given to all other sectors.
Tweet of the Day:
Prince Charles (@Charles_HRH): Dear Oxford English Dictionary, ‘Twerk’ is not a new word; that’s where people from Yorkshire go in the morning. Regards, Charles.
Famous-Quote.net (@famousquotenet): A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have. – Gerald Ford
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