Free Ses'fikile service plan to boost safety in the taxi industry

With the service plan, taxi owners and operators are assured of free safety inspections and comprehensive services with Genuine Toyota parts for the taxi’s first 60,000km. The service plan is intended to support the industry viability and ensure the safety of taxi commuters.

Says Andrew Kirby, president and CEO of Toyota SA, “The complimentary service plan will give all taxi owners and operators the opportunity to keep their vehicles in perfect running condition for longer and will support their efforts to operate profitable and sustainable businesses.”

Parts and manufacturing investment

When the Ses’fikile was introduced in 2007, it was the first fully compliant taxi under the South African government’s Taxi Recapitalisation Plan. Since then, Toyota has upgraded the vehicle seating, introduced more cost-effective, locally-sourced components; kept the vehicle compliant to all regulatory requirements and subsidised Ses’fikile service/repair parts to the value of R5 million per year.

Toyota has invested more than R550m to date in the Quantum Plant at its production facility at Prospecton in Durban. Production of the Quantum was first localised in 2012 with a SKD (Semi Knock-Down) facility which was then upgraded to a full CKD (Complete Knock-Down) site in 2015. A further R11m was invested in upskilling staff working specifically at the Quantum Plant.

Toyota has also subsequently started with an aggressive localisation plan for the majority of parts and components, with the aim of mitigating the weakening rand/yen exchange rate.