Mexico City. Managers of the Chinese brand Jetour have announced that after intense negotiations by Chery SA and Nissan, an agreement has been reached to purchase the manufacturing plant that the Japanese automaker has in Rosslyn, South Africa.

Through this operation, Chery will continue manufacturing the Navara pickup, known in Mexico and other markets as Frontier; in addition to the introduction of other products such as Tekton and Nissan Patrol.

Courtesy Jetour Soueast

Although the factory has a production capacity of up to 45,000 units per year, derived from the significant drop in sales of close to 20 percent for Nissan in that market, during 2025 it was only able to place just 8,700 units in the region.

The acquisition agreement includes the purchase of the land, as well as its buildings, assets integrated into the plant, such as production machinery; in addition to a stamping plant located near that industrial area.

Courtesy Jetour Soueast

According to the president of Nissan Africa, Jordi Villa “The operation guarantees that the Rosslyn facilities will continue to contribute to the South African automotive sector”; statements that are based on the fact that Chery has confirmed that the majority of the workers who currently work there will receive job offers with conditions similar to the contractual ones they enjoy until now.

In this regard, Villa commented that with this agreement, the majority of the workforce will have the opportunity to keep their jobs, and that this will impact the possibility of maintaining supplies by the industrial cluster in the area.

Courtesy Jetour Soueast

This strategy directly benefits the all-terrain SUV firm Jetour, which is part of the Chery SA automotive group, one that in November 2025 set foot on African soil solidly through the showcase that represented the presence of T2 as an official vehicle that served as transportation for world leaders attending the G20 Summit held in Johannesburg.

“We know the region and we already have a presence there, so we consider that we are taking a very safe step with flattering prospects, even globally,” said the CEO of Jetour Soueast in Mexico, Johnny Fang.

Courtesy Jetour Soueast

All of the above “demonstrates the growing role of Chinese automobiles on the global scene. In this specific case, it guarantees the continuity of use of manufacturing assets in South Africa, and confirms the global confidence we have in the industrial infrastructure of the countries in which we operate,” concluded the head of the Jetour Soueast operation in Mexico.

If the sale is completed, which depends on the fulfillment of certain conditions, such as current regulatory approvals; This would end in mid-2026.