{"id":1696,"date":"2026-07-13T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T08:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/?p=1696"},"modified":"2026-07-14T13:37:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T13:37:28","slug":"vee-double-you-and-me-volkswagens-75-year-mzansi-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/?p=1696","title":{"rendered":"VEE DOUBLE YOU AND ME: VOLKSWAGEN\u2019S 75 YEAR MZANSI JOURNEY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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Sometimes the pioneer<\/strong> sets the tone and proceeds to benefit<\/strong> from their work. Sometimes they drop the ball and another picks up and eats their lunch<\/strong>. Volkswagen has been in Mzansi<\/strong> for about 75 years <\/strong>now, and is absolutely a pioneer<\/strong> in all automotive<\/strong> aspects pertaining to our country. Back in the day, when were chasing reliable wheels that could handle the dust of the Eastern Cape<\/strong> and the hustle of Johannesburg traffic, a humble Volkswagen rolled off the line and changed the game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was 31 August 1951<\/strong> in Uitenhage<\/strong> \u2013 now called Kariega<\/strong> \u2013 when the first locally-assembled<\/strong> Volkswagen Beetle emerged from the SAMAD plant. That moment wasn\u2019t just another assembly milestone; it was the official beginning of VW\u2019s love affair<\/strong> with Mzansi, and Africa as a whole. For everyday motorists, the Beetle<\/strong> represented something real: affordable<\/strong>, tough, and built right here at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Volkswagen in Germany saw something in this country, a big future potential, and they didn\u2019t waste<\/strong> time putting down roots. By 1956<\/strong>, they had secured a controlling interest<\/strong> in the local operation. Later They pumped in the equivalent of a R120 million<\/strong> in today\u2019s money, as an expansion programme that pushed daily output to 75 vehicles<\/strong>. Come the early 1970s<\/strong>, another bold R25 million (another R120 million in today\u2019s money) investment took capacity to 300 cars<\/strong> a day. Those weren\u2019t just numbers on a balance sheet; they meant jobs in a region<\/strong> that needed them, skills<\/strong> being transferred, and vehicles that ordinary South Africans could actually afford to run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The popular Kombi (Microbus<\/strong>) joined the party early, becoming the ultimate<\/strong> family hauler for beach trips to Durban or weekend braais. \u201cVee Double You and me<\/strong>! We all believe in quality!\u201d the old music slogan went, and the TV ads<\/strong> with the iconic VW logo told the story better than any brochure<\/strong>: people and cars, together, making memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fast-forward through decades of evolution, and the numbers tell a powerful tale. By 2026<\/strong>, the Kariega plant had produced over 4.8 million<\/strong> vehicles locally. That\u2019s millions of Beetles, Golfs<\/strong>, Citi Golfs, and yes, those trusty Kombis that still rumble around townships<\/strong> today among others. And the hero of the modern era is of course, the Polo. In 2026<\/strong> Volkswagen also celebrates 30 years of Polo<\/strong> production at Kariega since 1996<\/strong>. Over two million Polos<\/strong> have been built there by the end of 2025, which is quite a staggering<\/strong> achievement. Of those, around 1.42 to 1.45 million<\/strong> were exported to 38 countries<\/strong>, including Australia, Germany<\/strong>, Japan, New Zealand and the UK. In 2024 alone, they shipped a record 131 485 units<\/strong>, and hit the 500 000th current<\/strong>-generation Polo for export. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kariega isn\u2019t just assembling cars; one could say it\u2019s exporting pride. The Polo Vivo remains a bestseller<\/strong> on local charts, giving families dependable daily transport that doesn\u2019t break the bank at the fuel pump. We have tested a number of both Polo and Polo Vivos over the years, and yes, frugality<\/strong> is but one of their specialities. We regularly return about 800km<\/strong> of range from the petrol models, with the older discontinued diesels<\/strong> achieving more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today, Volkswagen<\/strong> Group Africa<\/strong> sits comfortably in the top three best-selling<\/strong> car companies in Mzansi. Whether it\u2019s the cheeky T-Cross<\/strong> for young professionals, or the Golf GTI<\/strong> (the original vrrrrrrr pha!) that still lights up enthusiasts, or the Tiguan<\/strong> for growing families, or the Amarok<\/strong> holding its own in the tough bakkie<\/strong> segment, VW has a car for every Mzansi story. These aren\u2019t just imports \u2013 they\u2019re either built or fully supported right here, with real local content<\/strong> and engineers<\/strong> who understand our conditions: high-altitude<\/strong> performance, rough roads, and the need for value that lasts<\/strong> among other considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Kariega Plant<\/strong> itself is a massive<\/strong> property and a major employer in the region, stretching over half a million square metres<\/strong> and producing around 710 vehicles<\/strong> daily. Beyond the metal and rubber, VW has always been more than a manufacturer. It was a pioneer in recognising black trade unions during tough times and investing in training black artisans<\/strong> and toolmakers. That forward thinking helped the company navigate apartheid-era challenges<\/strong> while building genuine community links that still matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the helm right now is a leader who feels like one of us. Martina Biene<\/strong>, the German-born Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa, has made Mzansi her second home. Ms Biene is the only female leader<\/strong> of a major automotive company in the country. She\u2019s embraced the culture fully \u2013 quick to talk about her love for Brenda Fassie\u2019s music<\/strong> and the vibrant energy of a proper shisanyama<\/strong> spot. That kind of connection<\/strong> from the top filters down. It shows in how VW engages with local talent<\/strong>, and keeps models relevant for our lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Volkswagen keeps investing<\/strong>, keeps exporting, and keeps delivering cars that South Africans trust. The Polo\u2019s export success<\/strong> proves the quality<\/strong> coming out of Kariega stands up in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the company marks 75 years<\/strong> in Mzansi, the story is not just about production lines and export figures anymore. It is about the mechanic<\/strong> in Kariega who rebuilt his first 1980s Kombi engine, the mother dropping kids<\/strong> at school in a Polo, the young guy dreaming<\/strong> of his first GTI, and the long-haul driver relying on an Amarok. \u201cVee Double You\u201d has grown up with us, from the Beetle days to electric<\/strong> ambitions on the horizon. In a country that loves its cars as much as its people<\/strong>, Volkswagen is not going anywhere. It\u2019s part of the journey<\/strong>, one road at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the pioneer sets the tone and proceeds to benefit from their work. Sometimes they drop the ball and another…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_regular_price":[],"currency_symbol":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[80,15],"tags":[418,643,73,642,71,246],"class_list":["post-1696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-volkswagen","tag-kariega","tag-martina-biene","tag-volkswagen","tag-volkswagen-south-africa","tag-vw","tag-vwga"],"post_slider_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"post_slider_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-1200x800.jpg",1200,800,true],"post_slider_layout_portrait_large":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-1200x1080.jpg",1200,1080,true],"post_slider_layout_square_large":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-1200x1080.jpg",1200,1080,true],"post_slider_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-600x400.jpg",600,400,true],"post_slider_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-600x900.jpg",600,900,true],"post_slider_layout_square":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo-600x600.jpg",600,600,true],"full":["https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Volkswagen-people-logo.jpg",1920,1080,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1696"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1743,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1696\/revisions\/1743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}