General Motors South Africa (Pty) Ltd , or GMSA, was a wholly owned subsidiary of American automobile manufacturer General Motors. It manufactured and distributed automobiles under the Chevrolet, Opel and Isuzu brands.[1][2][3] The deal with Isuzu was approved by the Competition Commission on 27 November 2017.[4] The company was headquartered in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa.
Founded in 1913, GMSA initially distributed Chevrolet vehicles before beginning to manufacture and distribute vehicles of all of GM's brands in 1926, with the Series AA. By the 1960s this included the British Vauxhall marque[6] and the Ranger, marketed as "South Africa's Own Car".
Following the transition to democracy in the 1990s, GM acquired a 49 percent stake in the company in 1997, and in 2004 the company once again became a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, reverting to its original name.[9]
General Motors announced its withdrawal from the South African market on 18 May 2017 after GM's top management had informed its workforce and dealers of the decision.[13]
In 1974, General Motors South Africa Ltd. began constructing GM-designed locomotives rather than importing them from the United States. In January 1987, GMSA was sold to local management which continued production as the Delta Motor Corporation.[5] The company failed after one order of 11E-Type locomotives were constructed using GMSA leftovers. Delta Motor Corporation focused instead on automobile engines rather than locomotives, shutting down the plant where the locomotives were constructed.
The locomotive customers for GMSA (1974–1987) were:
