South Africa factory?

[Cossor]

Just wondering what comes from VW via South Africa these days?
Was told Golf (For Australia) made in SA, now Germany.
Also Jetta in SA? But dealer tells me new Jetta will be made in Mexico.
Journalists were critical of VW from SA re quality control. So perhaps the Golf's with prob's came from SA?
Just guessing!

[phaeton]

Alot has changed since the Golf was produced in South Africa VW now has the Volkswagen Way production scheme ala Toyota Way.

Polo 5dr is the only model that comes here from SA.

[GeorgeMK1]

However the VW factory closed in SA didnt it?

[madglf3]

My Mk4 was made in South Africa - it still has a mosquito trapped inside one of the rear interior lights (which I like to think of as my little bit of South Africa lol).

[PassatB6]

I had Sth African made MkIV. It was brilliantly put together and has had zero issues after 100,000+ kms apart from one blown rear tail light bulb.

[anthony]

The Golf 4 Generation models were all made in SA,as well as all Golf 5 models,excluding the R32 models and 3 door GTI.

Jettas were built there for 2008 and 2009,and the previous model Polos were built there,except not the GTI.

As Phaeton said,the new Polos are built there,but only 5 door models.

[Maverick]

My Mk4 was made in South Africa - it still has a mosquito trapped inside one of the rear interior lights (which I like to think of as my little bit of South Africa lol).

Where was the interior light made? you'll find it was most likely Germany. Very little was manufactured in SA and over 95% of the car was shipped from Germany and other locations in Europe.

The Golf 4 Generation models were all made in SA,as well as all Golf 5 models,excluding the R32 models and 3 door GTI.

GTI 5 doors until MY08 where built in Germany as well.

JJournalists were critical of VW from SA re quality control. So perhaps the Golf's with prob's came from SA?
Just guessing!

SA made cars are exactly the same as the German made cars, nearly all the assembly takes place in Germany and the actual production of the cars is nearly fully automated and the lines are identical in their operation. Nearly every part is made in Germany or other parts of Europe and shipped to SA. And welding and painting work exactly the same way in the Southern Hemisphere as they do on the Northern Hemisphere.

[tessie]

....same here, our Mk V Golf Sportline made in SA, 72,000 on the clock, seems sturdy and well-built like all Golfs, not a single issue so far, touch wood.

[hooba]

SA made cars are exactly the same as the German made cars, nearly all the assembly takes place in Germany and the actual production of the cars is nearly fully automated and the lines are identical in their operation.

Mav, not that I'd ever say that your wrong , however this article says otherwise.

The VW South Africa plant is significantly more labour intensive than most Western European assembly plants, employing a workforce of 6000 to build around 120,000 per annum.

The Pamplona factory built more than 220,000 Polos with a staff of 4000 in 2007

Source: Volkswagen Polo

[cube_3]

Too add to Hooba's update on staffing: VW have also had the issue of striking workers in South Africa. (The Mexio plant has also has this issue.) Worker strikes are quiet common across many sectors of SA industry and obviously having disgruntled protesting workers is going to affect quality of work. If a proper study was done, you would probably find that any "bad" batches of VW's were made during these times.
A few examples:
Volkswagen plant shut after strike - Political economy | Moneyweb
Automotive World - South Africa: NUMSA strike cripples export production at Volkswagen plant
Sacked South African Volkswagen workers appeal for international support