JOHANNESBURG - It’s been a tough year for workers in South Africa, and now Ford is announcing retrenchments.
The automaker has issued a formal notice of its intention to cut over 470 positions.
According to trade union Solidarity, the job losses will be at Ford’s Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria and the Struandale engine plant in Gqeberha.
Ford says the decision follows a realignment of production capacity in response to market demand.
In total, 391 operator roles in Silverton, 73 in Struandale and 10 administrative positions are at risk.
The union points to rising economic pressure, global political uncertainty, and restrictive government policies as key factors weakening competitiveness.