GM job cuts relief

Zero retrenchments after 570 leave motor giant voluntarily

But GMSA spokeswoman Denise van Huyssteen said the workforce rationalisation process had been completed at all its operations nationally, including its sales and marketing facilities in Johannesburg, and no retrenchments had been necessary.

Opel will, however, continue to be sold in South Africa after distribution of the brand in the country was awarded to the Williams Hunt Group, which enjoys a strong presence in Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape.

GMSA has also announced a raft of new high-level management appointments, which show key management members have been absorbed into Isuzu structures.

“The bottom line is that those employees have lost their jobs. And there are many workers whose job supports between six and seven members of their extended families, so we regard all job losses as negative.”

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that Isuzu’s continued and increased investment in the Bay had prevented a far worse outcome. “The current high levels of unemployment are of great concern and that is why we are going to call on the government to establish a jobs summit,” he said. “We need the government to get the economy growing and to grow jobs.

“We also need the government to sort out the corruption and all of the other problems in the state-owned enterprises as this is part of the problem.” Speaking about the changes at its two production facilities in the Bay, Van Huyssteen said the Isuzu KB bakkie production line at Struandale had been consolidated into a single production platform last month.