Volkswagen commemorates 75 years of South African production in Kariega

Volkswagen evaluated the history of the Kariega facility 75 years after the start of production in South Africa. The first Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line on August 31, 1951, in what was then known as Uitenhage.

The facility originally belonged to SAMAD and also produced automobiles of other brands. Volkswagen acquired a controlling stake in 1956; The factory became Volkswagen of South Africa in 1966 and became fully owned by Volkswagen AG in 1974.

It has been announced that approximately 40 models and more than 4.8 million vehicles have been produced to date. The current schedule includes Polo and Polo Vivo; Tengo is also planned to be added. The Volkswagen Group Africa name was adopted in 2025 and the company also coordinates regional assembly activities.