According to overseas media reports on the 5th, as South Africa's 220,000 workers have recently launched a large-scale strike due to salary problems, General Motors and BMW have stopped all production of their major metal parts manufacturing plants in South Africa. The South African Metal Workers' Union (Numsa) recently rejected the salary increase offered by the South African Steel and Engineering Industry Alliance (Seifsa), which said it has raised its salary by 10% this year, while Numsa has asked for a 12% increase. The industry expects the strike to occur. Increase the possibility of tension.
General Motors subsequently issued a statement saying that strikes in the steel and engineering industries have had a huge impact on the supply of parts on the company's production lines, but in the next two weeks, it will still ensure that there are enough cars for sale. The company has implemented contingency plans to minimize damage and ensure adequate vehicle inventory.
A GM spokesperson said the company is more worried that if the strike lasts for more than a few weeks, the inventory of small trucks and SUVs will be seriously inadequate. Last year, a similar one-month strike resulted in a total loss of more than $2 billion in related automakers. The strike that began on July 1 this year is also not to be underestimated, which may jeopardize one-third of South Africa's manufacturing output. Moody's, the world's three major rating agencies, also warned that South Africa's credit rating may be in a "dangerous state."