Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles and medium- and heavy-trucks in South Africa continued to decline significantly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with overall vehicle sales in the country dropping by 98.4% in April, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA).

Light commercial vehicle sales were at 318 units in April a significant decline of 9,494 units or a fall of 96.8% from the 9,812 light commercial vehicles sold during the corresponding month last year.

Meanwhile, sales for medium- and heavy-truck segments in the industry also performed weaker and at 64 units and 87 units, respectively, according to NAAMSA. This reflected a decline of 515 vehicles or a fall of 88.9% in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and, in the case of heavy trucks a decline of 1,327 vehicles or a fall of 93.8% compared to the corresponding month last year.

Overall, the aggregate domestic new vehicle sales numbers continue to decline at the back of the recent developments around the coronavirus and challenging economic conditions in the country.

“The April new vehicle sales and export figures represent a barometer of the COVID-19 impact on the automotive industry and the economy at large,” according to NAAMSA. “Businesses and consumers are currently uncertain on what the future holds through the lockdown restrictions.”

The new vehicle sales statistics for April 2020 reflects a substantial decline of 36,213 units or 98.4%% from the 36,787 vehicles sold during the same period last year. Overall, out of the total reported industry sales of 574 vehicles, 1.9% went to industry corporate fleets.