Ford SA Plans Job Cuts at Pretoria and Gqeberha Plants
image: Internet
by Kelebogile Matlou
Ford South Africa has announced its plan to lay off 470 people as part of a production restructuring to meet current and future market demand. Employees and trade unions have already received letters about job layoffs at the Silverton assembly factory in Pretoria and the Struandale engine facility in Gqeberha.
According to Ford, the restructure will result in the elimination of 391 operator positions in Silverton, 73 in Struandale, and ten administrative posts. The company stated that these modifications are required to improve operations and correspond with changing demand in the automotive sector.
While the retrenchments coincide with the larger automotive sector being hammered by high US export duties, Ford South Africa stated that its operations are not immediately harmed because it does not export automobiles to the US. Instead, the corporation stated that it is making essential plant adjustments to stay efficient, while regretting the job losses.
Ford has pledged to hold open conversations with unions, including Solidarity, and would provide voluntary separation packages to impacted workers. “We understand the impact this has on our valued employees, and we are committed to supporting those affected,” Ford stated.
Solidarity, on the other hand, has warned that Ford’s action portends much more hardship for the sector. Deputy general secretary Willie Venter stated that the drastic reduction in car sales reflects broader economic challenges, political instability, and government policies that are undermining the industry’s competitiveness. “When an automotive giant like Ford takes such drastic steps, it is a warning to the entire industry,” Venter said, adding that additional layoffs may be unavoidable if conditions do not improve.
The warnings come amid harsh US tariffs on South African vehicle exports. In April 2025, the Trump administration slapped a 25% duty on top of a 10% universal tariff, followed by an extra 30% in August when South Africa failed to reach a trade agreement with the United States. This increased the total tariff burden to 55%.
As a result, car and parts shipments to the United States fell by 55% in 2025 compared to the same time in 2024. The value of these exports decreased from R17.7 billion in 2024 to R8 billion this year, according to US Census Bureau statistics. Although just 8% of South Africa’s exports belong to the United States, analysts warn that the automobile and agricultural industries are among the most vulnerable to tariffs, with job losses and output cuts already visible.
