2025 – a year of resilience and recalibration

It turns out that 2025 was a year that tested the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone’s agility but also reaffirmed its strategic direction, writes acting executive of zone operations, Sibusiso Khuzwayo.

As 2025 draws to a close, the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) continues to cement its position as one of South Africa’s leading special economic zones (SEZs) – an achievement built on resilience, collaboration, and a sharpened focus on sustainable industrialisation.

Yet 2025 was anything but ordinary. The year placed TASEZ at the forefront of numerous conferences, industry engagements, and national conversations on automotive manufacturing, transformation, and economic development.

These platforms allowed us to present TASEZ’s successes and the challenges we continue to navigate.

They also reinforced the importance of capacitating TASEZ so that we not only meet our mandate, but deepen our impact on communities, stakeholders, and industry partners.

Strong relationships

Strengthening relationships with tenants was a key priority. Improved engagement has already laid the groundwork for future collaborations, particularly projects designed to uplift communities and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Industry-wide discussions on the future of the automotive sector, marked by technological shifts, supply chain pressures, and evolving investment landscapes, also prompted TASEZ to reassess its long-term strategy. We have had to rethink our tenant mix to ensure that TASEZ remains sustainable even as the automotive sector faces economic headwinds.

Highlights of 2025

What stands out most during the year is a mix of organisational achievements and personal milestones.

From an organisational perspective, TASEZ significantly expanded its collaboration footprint.

Engagements with the National Skills Fund, universities, the CSIR (the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), the AIDC (the Automotive Industry Development Centre), and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development strengthened the zone’s innovation ecosystem.

These partnerships also supported TASEZ’s emerging e-mobility concept, positioning the SEZ as a future leader in new-energy technologies and skills development.

As acting zone executive 2025 marked a number successful initiatives such as:

• The rollout of the Integrated Facilities Management System
• Strengthening departmental capacity within Zone Operations and the Tshwane Trade and Investment Office
• Launching an internship programme in partnership with the Services SETA
• Representing TASEZ at the IoW Summit led by Tshwane University of Technology
• Hosting youth-led MSME delegations and engaging stakeholders at a BBBEE workshop
• Advancing TASEZ’s BBBEE strategy to better support MSMEs and people with disabilities
• Welcoming a high-level visit from Standard Bank’s commercial managers

These engagements helped us demonstrate what TASEZ does, why it matters, and how it can play an even bigger role in transforming the economy.

More to do

Despite the great strides already made, there is always more to do.

First on the list is the need to further capacitate zone operations, ensuring the SEZ maintains its infrastructure, supports tenants effectively, and strengthens sustainability.

Second is the need for improved collaboration across TASEZ’s internal departments. We cannot work in silos, but must support each other so that we deliver on our mandate in a way that benefits all stakeholders.

Looking at TASEZ’s broader economic impact, it is clear that the organisation is making meaningful progress, particularly through Phase 2, which focuses strongly on supporting black industrialists.

TASEZ has a tremendous opportunity to lead by bringing together funding institutions, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, aftermarket players, the National Empowerment Fund, and the Automotive Industry Transformation Fund. If we implement this effectively, it can serve as a model for other SEZs such as Dube TradePort, Richards Bay, and the AIDC.

In addition, partnerships with the CSIR on research and innovation will further support TASEZ’s ambitions in industrialisation and advanced manufacturing.

Looking forward

From the perspective of zone operations, there are three key priorities for the coming year that will allow TASEZ to unlock more responsiveness, agility, and meaningful impact.

:Further capacitating departments to improve efficiency and service delivery;

• Implementing a strong enterprise and supplier development programme in partnership with the zone’s tenants; and
• Streamlining processes for invoice approvals and service provider sourcing.

TASEZ is poised to play a transformative role in strengthening the South African economy by driving employment opportunities, empowering MSMEs, and equipping the workforce with future-ready skills.

With its commitment to industrialisation, sustainability, and inclusive growth, Africa’s first automotive city continues to evolve as a catalyst for long-term national development – one that remains resilient even in the face of industry uncertainty.