East London - Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s East London manufacturing plant marked a milestone with the celebration of two anniversaries: 25 years of women on the manufacturing production line and the production of the C-Class vehicle.
It was in 1994 during South Africa’s political transition to democracy when the first group of women started working on the Merc manufacturing production line in the Eastern Cape city.
The women of 1994 paved the way for the younger generations to advance in the automotive supply chain.
To date, MBSA employs more than 1700 women who continue to manufacture the much-loved vehicle.
The first C-Class, the W201 model, rolled off the line in 1994, and women formed part of this feat.
Commenting on these milestones, executive director for human resources and corporate affairs Abey Kgotle said: “We believe that diversity and inclusion underlie our commercial success.
“Companies with more diverse workforces perform better and we are very proud to have been a part of such progressive milestones that have helped us lead the premium automotive market in South Africa.”