South Africa’s Automotive Business Council, Naamsa, has appointed Dr Mncane Mthunzi as its permanent Chief Executive Officer, ending an interim leadership period and placing a seasoned strategist at the helm as the industry confronts its most turbulent period in a generation.
Mthunzi, whose appointment took effect on 7 September 2026, steps into the role at a time of profound global and domestic challenges. The sector is grappling with the accelerating shift towards new-energy vehicles, intensifying competition for investment, and a rapidly restructuring global trade environment. Perhaps most acutely, the industry is reeling from a 25% sectoral tariff imposed by the United States under Section 232 of its Trade Expansion Act, which has decimated vehicle exports to the US—collapsing 74% in 2025, from 25,544 units to just 6,530. Exports have continued their downward trajectory, falling a further 36% in the first half of 2026.
Mthunzi brings a formidable background to the role, having held senior leadership positions at Edcon and Massmart, and served as Strategy Lead on the Presidency’s Red Tape Reduction project . This experience in both corporate turnarounds and government policy is seen as vital to navigating the industry’s complex challenges. In his first statement, he emphasised that South Africa cannot rely on past successes and must compete “decisively for the investment, technology, skills, markets and opportunities that will define the next generation of mobility” .
His mandate, as outlined by Naamsa, includes strengthening competitiveness, securing existing and new investment, accelerating localisation, supporting the new-energy vehicle transition, and forging closer collaboration between industry, government, and labour . As the automotive sector contributes significantly to manufacturing, exports, and employment, Mthunzi’s leadership will be critical in charting a course through this transformative and high-stakes period.
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