The biennial CAR Conference, which will take place on November 5 at the Johannesburg International Motor Show at NASREC, will be themed: The SA motor industry in challenging times: How to Survive and Prosper – this year.

A panel of influential speakers will evaluate South Africa’s volatile economic environment at present and will focus on how the automotive industry can benefit both locally and globally through sustainable development and growth.

Since 2006, South Africa’s socio-political environment as well as its economic landscape has changed dramatically. Brand Pretorius, the CEO of McCarthy Limited, will once again act as Conference Chairman and will address how sales have slowed over the past two years due to a number of what he terms as "perfect storms".

He will explore how global issues, such as a decrease in foreign investment and slowdowns in the trend-setting United States, have affected our local automotive markets due to fluctuating demand. He will also explain how local issues such as the rolling electricity blackouts, increasing interest rates and the Imposition of the National Credit Act, have as a result, led to further decline in business and consumer confidence, which has impacted negatively on vehicle sales, particularly sales of passenger cars.

However, the McCarthy chairman believes that all is not lost and the slowdown in sales will pass when a number of positive factors come into play. He will highlight that, due to our emerging black market and our growth in tourism, transformation can occur. We need to look at massive capital investment - Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (ASGI), which involves government investments of R485bn by 2014. If we manage to develop South Africa’s local infrastructure by adapting to global requirements, Pretorius believes that it could potentially lead to significant growth in output by the motor industry and substantial improvements can be made.

Joining Pretorius as a speaker at the Conference will be Dr Johan van Zyl, the president of Naamsa and Toyota South Africa. They will address the issue of the South African motor industry policy, and provide an update on the MIDP.

The CAR Conference has established itself as a source of high quality information and insight into trends impacting on the motor industry. It is essential for those involved at management level in any aspect of automotive and component marketing, exporting, manufacturing and retailing to attend and take part. That includes advertising, vehicle finance, fleet managers and buyers, insurance executives, dealer principals, sales and service managers, human resources managers, shop stewards – and other senior staff in the retail side of the motor industry and allied businesses.

The conference venue caters for 450 guests and is generally over-subscribed, so early confirmation of bookings is essential.

REGISTRATION

All persons which to register for the CAR Conference should contact the CAR Conference Organiser, Trudie Frazer, on 012 667 6323 or trudief@mweb.co.za.