TRANSFORMATIVE AUTOMOTIVE CLUSTER OF SOUTH AFRICA

Economic transformation
  • 7704 Slovo Gardens, Wintervedt, Pretoria 0190
  • Mabopane, Gauteng
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • +27 68 655 1003
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Driving Change: How TACSA Is Bridging South Africa’s Youth Skills Gap and Transforming Township Workshops

Posted by Floyd Baloyi (Community Manager) on 11 June 2025, 13:40 SAST
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South Africa’s automotive industry is one of the most advanced in Africa—yet its benefits have not fully reached township and rural communities. The Transformative Automotive Cluster South Africa (TACSA) is changing that. This initiative is redefining the future of informal mechanics, bridging the youth skills gap, and laying the foundation for a sustainable, inclusive automotive ecosystem.

Youth Skills Development at the Core

With youth unemployment hovering above 40%, TACSA has placed young people at the centre of its mission. The initiative partners with TVET colleges, SETAs, and local training providers to:

  • Train unemployed youth as certified service technicians
  • Introduce diagnostic and repair skills relevant to modern vehicles
  • Provide pathways into formal automotive value chains
  • Foster youth entrepreneurship through mentorship and workshop incubation

By modernising the learning pipeline, TACSA is helping youth build careers, not just jobs.

Workshop Modernisation & Digital Access

The use of digital platforms like HaynesPro allows workshops to access:

  • Real-time repair instructions and diagnostic protocols
  • OEM service schedules and part specifications
  • EV fault detection and hybrid servicing support

This leap into digital diagnostics helps build trust with customers and raises service quality to industry standards—even in the heart of the township.

Building Township Micro-Economies

Through public-private partnerships, TACSA drives local growth by:

  • Sourcing parts locally through accredited distributors
  • Encouraging workshop cooperatives and shared resource hubs
  • Increasing vehicle owner trust in township-based services
  • Channeling government and donor support into viable community-owned enterprises

The result? A thriving local economy with jobs, spending power, and mobility.

The Road Ahead: Scaling the GATE Model

TACSA’s expansion blueprint is the Gauteng Automotive Township Economy (GATE) model—a scalable framework designed to replicate success across other provinces.

Planned developments include:

  • Additional township workshop clusters
  • EV charging hubs and training sites
  • Youth recruitment drives in high-unemployment regions
  • Collaboration with OEMs and government bodies for funding, tools, and certification pathways

Conclusion: A New Era for Automotive Inclusion

TACSA is not just an initiative—it is a movement. It champions the power of township innovation, youth potential, and industry-wide transformation. By merging digital diagnostics, vocational training, and local entrepreneurship, TACSA is creating a roadmap for inclusive mobility and economic equity in South Africa.

automotive industry, ev skills, informal sector transformation, public-private partnerships., south africa, tacsa, township economy, workshop modernisation, youth skills development

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