Toyota has confirmed that it was forced to again halt its South African car plant on 17 October, due to a strike by 480 workers at parts supplier Toyota Boshoku, which makes seats and door panels for the OEM.
According to a Reuters report, Toyota South Africa Motors spokesman Leo Kok acknowledged: “Lack of supplies has forced us to stop production.” He added the plant received 700 units from the supplier daily and was likely to remain closed for the duration of the strike at the key supplier.
Local union officials have said workers at Toyota Boshoku’s car seat factory in Durban are demanding a Rand 1,500 (US$173) retention bonus to return to work, the company having only offered a Rand 200 bonus.
At the beginning of October, the South African assembly plant, located in Prospecton, Durban, which builds the Corolla, Fortuner, Hilux and Ses’fikile taxi, was halted by a three-day stoppage that resulted in the loss of 2,428 vehicles.
Toyota is South Africa’s biggest vehicle manufacturer, and has capacity to build 220,000 vehicles a year.
