Open letter to ITAC regarding importation of second hand vehicles into South Africa

TO: [International Trade Administration Commission of SA] mcollins@itac.org.za, rvanvuuren@itac.org.zaHi

Introduction

I am a average struggling African and I cry every time I see the prices of South African manufactured motor vehicles in other countries like the UK and Japan that are much cheaper and better quality than vehicles of the same value in South Africa.

It’s sad that you cannot compare the quality of the second hand cars available in the UK and Japan with the South African 2nd hand market.

This leads me to think that the policies regarding the importation of second hand vehicles for personal use it unjust and unlawful.
Please could you answer the following question with honesty.

Questions

1. What right does any person, group or entity have to deny me the right to import a high quality second hand RHD vehicle from the UK or Japan?

2. Why are only the rich who are able to afford to live abroad, the medically disabled and motorsport drivers allowed to these bargains?

2.1. You say the reasons for the restrictions are to protect the local manufacturing industry but it’s ok as long as you meet the above mentioned criteria?

2.2 Why are the financially disabled excluded?

3 ALL right hand drive Volkswagen and BMW vehicles in the UK are manufactured in South Africa, how does re-importing a vehicle manufactured in SA harm the manufacturing industry?

3.1. If you are not protecting the local manufacturing industry who are you protecting?
3.2 Are you protecting the local second hand market because that seems to be the end result of these policies?
3.3 Are you protecting the profits of South African car dealers?
3.4 Are the organizations involved with these import policies then not part of a motor vehicle price fixing scandal? (DTI, ITAC, SARS and the South African Government Corporation)
4. As a free human being living on the southern tip of Africa am I not allowed to acquire a motor vehicle from a foreign country to travel upon private roads within my area of living?

RegardsMichael Hawthorne

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