The multi-faceted South African motor industry is a formidable employer with about 33 000 people working at seven vehicle manufacturing plants and 250 000 more that are employed by importers of vehicles, component manufacturers and after-market suppliers and service providers.
“Collectively-speaking the retail sector is massive in terms of the number of companies involved, as it is made up of 14 000 employers, most of them of small to medium size, which makes them very important in the larger economic picture in South Africa,” said the CEO of the Retail Motor Industry organisation (RMI), Jeff Osborne, speaking at the very well-attended RMI conference at Automechanika SA, which was staged at the Johannesburg Expo Centre today (March 10).
“It is a global trend that small and medium businesses are the largest creators of employment and South Africa is no exception in this regard. The RMI membership; is made up of about 85% SMME’s which means companies with up to 20 employees.
“In the automotive aftermarket we have the fortunate situation that there is a healthy relationship between the large companies and the small and medium employers. The larger employers fulfil la crucial role in many ways as trendsetter and investors, leading the way and creating opportunities for smaller employers to service many of their needs and to grow in this environment,” explained Osborrne.
“The way our industry is structured underpins the need for a strong, representative and active employer and business organisation and here the RMI and its predecessors have filled this need for more than 100 years. It is particularly effective because it is an organisation owned and governed by the very members it represents and serves, ensuring it stays in touch with member’s needs,” concluded Osborne.
No comments:
Post a Comment