The Ford Motor Company of South Africa will be investing R600-million in its Struandale Engine Plant in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

The R600-million is in addition to the R15.8 billion investment at its Silverton Assembly Plant, which was announced in February by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The investment will be used to upgrade the Straundale Engine Plant for the production of the 3-litre V6 diesel engine for the new Ranger pick-up.

The vice president of operations at Ford SA, Ocket Berry, says the two investments will allow the company to compete internationally.

“We want to prove a point, with regards to quality and what we can achieve in SA with regards to quality and exports. We will be doing 200 000 vehicles per annum and be exporting to the global market, especially in Europe, they are waiting in anticipation and it is one of our biggest customers,” says Berry.

Struandale Engine Plant Manager Shawn Govender says the investment is fantastic news for job security and creating additional jobs.

“So this R600-million investment for the new engine is going such a long way to secure our people’s jobs here in the Eastern Cape. And as you know the Eastern Cape leads the unemployment race so we are over the moon,” says Govender.