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Volkswagen Group Africa, Kariega

The Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) plant is located in Kariega, an industrial town around 750 km east of Cape Town and 1,000 km south of Johannesburg. With just over 3,500 employees, VWGA is the largest private employer in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro where it is located.

The plant, which has been building Volkswagens since 1951, stretches over 518 378m² and produces 710 vehicles per day. Apart from manufacturing engines, the Kariega plant currently builds the Polo Vivo and Polo for the South African market, and is the sole supplier of the Polo for European and Asia-Pacific markets. The Kariega plant is also the only manufacturer of the Polo GTI.

In addition to its South African operations, VWGA is also responsible for the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Volkswagen Group Africa also has assembly facilities in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana.

Facts and figures

As of: April 2025

Plant:

Kariega                                                                         
Aerea: 518,378 m² (12/2025)

Production:

156,837 vehicles and 27,080 EA111 engines (12/2025)
710 units per day

Models:

Volkswagen Polo, Polo GTI and Polo Vivo; EA111 Engines

Employees:

3,598 (12/2025)

Press releases

  • Volkswagen celebrates 75th anniversary in South Africa
    Volkswagen celebrates 75th anniversary in South Africa
    08/31/26
    Company

    Volkswagen celebrates 75th anniversary in South Africa

    For a third of the time there has been a Uitenhage (now Kariega), there has been Volkswagen in Uitenhage. The small industrial town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, established in 1804, has been home to Volkswagen for 75 years, during which time the brand has built their legacy within the country. The makers of the People’s Car are celebrating their 75th anniversary of building and selling Volkswagens in South Africa, marking the first Beetle being built in the Kariega factory.
    Read on
  • Volkswagen limited-edition Polo GTI Edition 25
    Celebrating the birthday of an icon: Volkswagen presents limited-edition Polo GTI Edition 25
    05/17/23
    Models

    Celebrating the birthday of an icon: Volkswagen presents limited-edition Polo GTI Edition 25

    25 years of the Polo GTI! – To mark this anniversary, Volkswagen is launching the special-edition model Polo GTI Edition 25. It was in 1998 that the Polo first added those three iconic letters to its name: GTI. Now, a quarter of a century after the launch of the Polo III GTI, VW presents a limited edition of the current 152 kW (207 PS) Polo GTI. The powerful drive is impressive, but it’s not the only thing that stands out about this sporty compact car: with features including sports suspension, the electronic differential lock XDS, a comprehensive range of standard equipment and some special design highlights, the anniversary model is something special. The Polo GTI Edition 25 will be available to order in Germany from 1 June, priced at €35,205.
    Read on

Media contact

Andile Dlamini
Andile Dlamini
Volkswagen Group South Africa, Head of Group Communications
Tel. +27-41-994-5042
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Further information on official fuel consumption data and official specific CO₂ emissions for new passenger cars can be found in the "Guide to fuel economy, CO₂ emissions and power consumption for new passenger car models", which is available free of charge from all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at www.dat.de/co2.