Second-hand car imports gobbled $469 million in 2014 alone

Zimbabweans spent $469 million importing vehicles from different countries last year, at a time capacity utilisation for local car assemblers fell to a lowly five percent, with growing calls for the capacitation of the local car manufacturing industry in line with the objectives of Zim-Asset.

Figures from the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency show that $469,78 million worth of all vehicle types found a market in the country. Of the vehicles, the highest value was for those for the transportation of goods at $65,37 million and 2-litre petrol cars at $59,29 million.

Apart from motor vehicles and coaches, ambulances, tractors, golf and racing cars were also imported. The amount is, however, lower than $620 million recorded in 2013 owing to the slow-down of the economy.

Most of the cars came in as second-hand vehicles as Zimbabweans continue to shun firms like Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries and Quest Motor Corporation due to affordability factors and the lack of variety.

Industrial Development Corporation general manager and chief executive Mike Ndudzo said to attain viability, Willowvale, a unit of State-controlled IDC, needed to attain minimum economic off-take for completely knocked down kits of at least 4 000 units per year.

He said Government should come up with measures to enforce the Presidential Procurement Order on purchasing of vehicles by public institutions to enable the motor assembly industry to recover.