South Africa Faces Declining Commercial Vehicle Sales

The commercial vehicle market saw sales fall by 7.5% in April, compared to the same time last year.

by Staff

May 16, 2018

South Africa Faces Declining Commercial Vehicle Sales — *Photo courtesy of Pixabay.*

1 min to read

The South African commercial vehicle market recorded a 7.5% decline in sales in April, compared to year-to-date figures from 2017, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, Associated Motor Holdings, and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors.

April sales also fell short by 22.1% compared to the previous month.

Gert Swanepoel, managing director of UD Truck South Africa, attributes the decline to trucks recently being targeted for attack, industry strikes, and several public holidays during the month.

Extra heavy commercial vehicles did see an 8.1% increase compared to April 2017. Medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales fell by 12.1% and 8.5%, respectively.

The country has seen 7,674 new commercial vehicles sold so far in 2018.

Topics:New Vehicle Sales Global South Africa Global Fleet

More Global Fleet

A person holding a clipboard and writing on an inspection checklist beside the wheel of a large white vehicle, likely conducting a fleet or safety inspection.

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention

Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.

Cover of a whitepaper titled “The Hidden Costs of Departmentally Assigned Vehicles on Your Fleet” featuring a black fleet vehicle driving on a road at sunset. Subheadline reads: “Discover how your fleet can reduce costs and minimize risk by implementing vehicle sharing.” The document focuses on fleet optimization, vehicle sharing, cost reduction, utilization tracking, and risk management for fleet operations.

Why Fleet Managers Are Replacing Departmental Vehicles with Shared Motor Pools

Departmentally assigned vehicles often create hidden costs through underutilization, poor visibility, and increased administrative burden. This white paper explores how shared motor pool strategies help fleets reduce costs, improve accountability, and optimize vehicle utilization.

Fleet Costs Are Rising: Here’s How Leaders Are Responding

Fleet leaders are under pressure to reduce costs, adapt to economic uncertainty, and make smarter decisions. See how peers across North America are responding with real data, proven strategies, and forward-looking insights. Download the 2026 Market Pulse Report to benchmark your strategy and uncover where you can gain an edge.