Chery SA officially opens Rosslyn Plant

The Chery Rosslyn manufacturing plant has officially been opened in Pretoria, marking the Chinese automaker’s transition from vehicle importer to local manufacturer in SA.

Chery Rosslyn manufacturing plant

Image: Chery South Africa

In January 2026, we reported on Chery South Africa’s plans to acquire Nissan’s assembly plant in Rosslyn. Dating back to 1963, it’s one of SA’s longest-operating automotive manufacturing facilities. Now, Chery has officially cut the ceremonial ribbon on the (renamed) Chery Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria. While Chery has yet to confirm its full local production roster, high-volume models like the increasingly popular Jetour T1 and T2, the Jaecoo J5, and the Chery Tiggo Cross are already locked in for 2027 production at Rosslyn.

This marks the Chinese brand’s transition from a vehicle importer to a local manufacturer. The firm plans to invest in retrofitting and upgrading the plant’s facilities and utilities over the next 12 months. The first units are expected to roll off the assembly line by mid-2027. During the ramp-up period spanning six months over Q3 and Q4 2027, Chery aims to produce 15 000 units in total, or 2 500 vehicles per month. Thereafter, the facility will work towards its maximum annual production capacity of 50 000 vehicles.

Chery will retain 692 existing employees, while creating nearly 3 000 additional direct and indirect jobs across manufacturing, supply chain, and services. Furthermore, the company has launched an extensive localisation programme with Tier-1 suppliers, targeting a 40% local component threshold for fully produced vehicles.

Chery aims to establish SA as its African manufacturing, export, and R&D headquarters. By turning Rosslyn into a comprehensive automotive hub and expanding its local dealer network, Chery is setting the stage for long-term regional growth, with the ultimate goal of exceeding 100 000 annual vehicle sales in South Africa.

As a reminder, Chery Group’s local brand portfolio comprises Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, iCaur, and Lepas. While Jetour operates independently from Chery on a local level, the two entities are closely related globally, with the latter ultimately falling under the broader Chery Group umbrella.

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The post Chery SA officially opens Rosslyn Plant appeared first on CAR Magazine.


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