One in every five new vehicles sold in South Africa in the first quarter of 2026 was Chinese. From retreat to takeoverIn the passenger car market, Chinese brands took a 16.8% share in 2025, up from 11.2% in 2024 and less than 9% in early 2023. Chery first entered South Africa in the late 2000s but withdrew in 2018 after struggling for traction. Chery South Africa CEO Tony Liu has called the country the company’s ‘gateway to the African continent’What is happening in South Africa is the spearhead of a continental strategy. “The question isn’t whether Chinese brands should be here in South Africa,” said Cress.