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Our
Past
1896
Benz
Velo, the first car to be imported into South Africa, makes its appearance 1948
East
London chosen as location for Car Distributors Assembly (Pty) ltd (CDA) to assemble
various marques, including Nash, Fiat, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Auto Union,
DKQ, Land Rover, Hino, Prince and Commer 1952
Mercedes-Benz exhibits commercial vehicles at Van Riebeeck Festival in Cape Town
1954
Daimler-Benz
opens office in South Africa 1958
SA
Auto Union acquires franchise for Mercedes-Benz products and a new Pretoria-based
company - United Car and Diesel Distributors (Pty) Ltd - appointed sole distributor
1966
CDA
Ltd becomes wholly owned subsidiary of United Cars and Diesel Distributors (UCDD)
1979
Daimler-Benz
AG grants license to Atlantis Diesel Engines (ADE) to manufacture Mercedes-Benz
commercial vehicle engines
1982
Assembly of Honda cars starts at UCDD 1984
Daimler-Benz
AG acquires 50.1% of UCDD. Remaining shares held by Ernst Göhner Foundation in
Switzerland (23.4%) and Volkskas Bank (26.5%) Company registers as Mercedes-Benz
of South Africa (Pty) Ltd (MBSA)
1986 CDA
Ltd renamed Mercedes-Benz of South Africa (Pty) Ltd, East London 1992
Daimler-Benz
AG purchases Volkskas Bank shares, to gain 76.6% shareholding of MBSA 1994
Colt L200 pick-up manufacture commences with the first global joint venture between
Daimler-Benz AG and Mitsubishi Motor Corporation 1996
Manufacture
of Freightliner trucks starts in East London. This is the first Freightliner Completely
Knocked Don (CKD) assembly operation in the world 1997
MBSA
relocates offices from central Pretoria to Zwartkop, Centurion 1998
Daimler-Benz
AG merges with Chrysler to become DaimlerChrysler. Shares are listed
simultaneously in New York and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
November 17: Day One campaign to market the merger is launched
November 25: R1.4 billion investment in South Africa by DCAG is announced in the
East London Imbizo attended by President Nelson Mandela 1999
April 19: Mercedes-Benz of South Africa (Pty) Ltd becomes DaimlerChrysler South
Africa (Pty) Ltd (DCSA)
2000
September 19: New DCSA plant facilities inaugurated by President Thabo Mbeki and
DaimlerChrysler AG Chairman, Jürgen Schrempp
September 24: First shipment of right-hand drive Mercedes-Benz C-class vehicles
leaves East London for Japan 2001
April:
DCSA granted full Mitsubishi franchise for South Africa. Pajero Joins Colt to
become Mitsubishi Motors June:
DCSA acquires a 75% share of Sandown Motor Holdings September:
Western Star incorporated into DCSA 2002
Mitsubishi
Canter trucks added to product range.
12 June: DCAG accepts Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS Award from UN's
Kofi Annan for the DCSA / PPP HIV/AIDS Workplace Project - for more information
click here
Highest
annual turnover yet recorded: 20.4 - billion ZAR
Highest
production record achieved at East London plant with 47 665 Mercedes-Benz
C-Class and 8 488 Mitsubishi Colt vehicles.
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