New vehicle sales in South Africa dropped by 24pc to 37,403 units in September from the previous year, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA). Aggregate domestic sales improved on the back of easing of lockdown restrictions.
Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini-buses stood at 12,267 units during September, representing a decline of 8.9pc from the corresponding month last year.
Sales for medium and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a weak performance with 680 units sold and 1,658 units, respectively, a decline of 14pc in the for medium commercial vehicles and a drop of 5.8pc in the heavy trucks and buses segment compared to the previous year.
The COVID-19 hit sector is still being challenged by various issues including weak demand. The government has reduced taxes on new vehicle purchases to stimulate demand.