Originally launched in 2018 with support from the AIH Logistics Group, the Mahindra plant started as a small-scale facility. Due to increasing demand and growing success, it quickly reached a point where a purpose-built vehicle assembly facility became feasible, giving birth to this new plant, located close to Mahindra’s original 2018 assembly site.
The now upgraded plant is expected to create nearly 29,000 direct jobs and an additional 50,000 in related sectors. It will also play a major role in developing skills within the local economy, especially for the people of Durban. The new facility is located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, within the Dube Trade Port Special Economic Zone.
These developments are said to position Durban as a future hub for the all automotive assembly industry and are likely to encourage further investment into the region.
Although not entirely new, this 14,000m² facility replaces Mahindra’s previous semi-knockdown (SKD) plant. It now operates as a full production plant capable of assembling 1,000 Pik Up single and double cabs per month. This expansion is a direct response to increased demand for the bakkie.
The plant now enables full nuts-and-bolts production, allowing Mahindra to scale up operations, contribute to exports, and become the company’s first official production site outside of India.
KwaZulu-Natal’s MEC for Economic Development, Cyril Xaba, briefly attended the event before heading to a meeting. In his short address, he stated:
“Undoubtedly, this event marks a new chapter in automotive production in the country and KwaZulu-Natal.”
Mahindra South Africa’s CEO also hinted at upcoming models joining the production line. When asked about future releases, he mentioned that the Global Pik Up launch might be closer than expected. He also confirmed plans for two locally launches of electric vehicles, but noted that it’s only a matter of “when.”