New Commercial Exports In Uphill Battle Against Used Vehicles

Exports of new commercial vehicles from South Africa to the rest of the region are constrained by relatively open borders for the importation of used trucks. Volumes, where numbers are available, are low. According to Namibian-owned asset management firm IJG, Namibian commercial vehicles led the overall new vehicle sales in February, with 606 units sold compared to 511 passenger vehicles. Light commercial vehicles were the top sellers of the month, at 540 units. This is a 5.6 year-on-year y-o-y decrease compared to February 2024.Medium commercial vehicle sales totalled 25 units, a 25 month-on-month increase and 66.7 y-o-y rise. In contrast, heavy commercial vehicle sales declined by 14.6 y-o-y, totalling 41 units, but significantly higher than the 14 units sold in January.In February, 33 extra-heavy vehicles were sold. There is no age restriction on the importation of right-hand drive trucks into Namibia, according to Ship.Cars. Data on trucks limited It says there is a demand for used vehicles, but specific data on trucks is limited.Various finance options are available to commercial vehicle buyers in Namibia, which are linked to the countrys repo rate.The average is around 8 for new vehicles and 11.75 for used. Botswanas new commercial vehicle sales average around 4 641 units a year, which is below the global median. This includes light commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, coaches and buses, according to Maxinomics.The market in Botswana is ranked 83rd globally and eighth in Africa. Tunisia is first, followed by South Africa.No age restrictions in BotswanaThere are no age restrictions on importing used vehicles, including trucks. Importers must pay 27 customs duty and 12 VAT.According to Statistics Botswana,used vehicles made up 78 of the total first registrations in the first quarter of 2024, with 82.5 from Japan. The majority of new vehicles 78.2 were from South Africa.Finance costs are also linked to the prime lending rate, which was 6 in March 2025. Zimbabwe has opened the market for older used trucks by lifting a ban on importing commercial vehicles older than 10 years.Statista points out that the Zimbabwean commercial vehicle market is expected to be around 108 000 vehicles in 2025. Market growthThe data-gathering platform reports that there is significant growth in the market, with customer preferences shifting towards fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.Demand for vans and light delivery vehicles is being driven by growth in online shopping and delivery services.Commercial banks offer a range of customised packages, with a minimum lending rate of around 30 a year plus credit insurance. Mozambiques focus on safety and emission standards is supporting a market for newer, compliant used trucks.There is potential for used South African trucks, as vehicles originating from the Southern African Development Community SADC enjoy reduced tariffs.A constraint is that there are no reliable recent statistics on volumes of new and used commercial vehicles being registered in Mozambique. Commercial banks offer finance options of up to 100 of the purchase cost of vehicles, in both local and foreign currencies.The prime rate was 18.5 in March.Inspection mandatory in ZambiaZambia has no age limit on imported vehicles, but they must pass inspection procedures.According to Statista, sales of commercial vehicles are expected to reach 154 000 this year.Zambia is following the regional shift to more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. Financing options are based on the repo rate, which is around 14.5. One of the key trends is a shift to light commercial vehicles, which are more versatile and cheaper than heavy commercials.Buyers are also looking for durable vehicles which can withstand travelling on the countrys poor roads. Economic growth and government investment in key sectors are supporting demand for commercial vehicles. ER