Durban Automotive Cluster
The DAC is an industry driven initiative, drawing on the leadership and expertise of individuals from a broad range of automotive member firms and using it to identify and address a wide variety of challenges confronting the automotive industry.
The low levels of local content in the automotive value chain undermine sustainable competitiveness of the sector principally through the exposure to cost-raising factors such as exchange rate volatility, duties and tariffs, and logistical costs. In order to address local content and cost competitiveness, the DAC analyses automotive industries in countries that have successfully increased local content, examines opportunities for firms to capitalise on the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP), and increases dialogue between local automotive manufacturers.
The activities of the DAC are managed by an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for determining the strategic direction and overseeing the finances of the public-private partnership, while the core focus areas or programmes and identified interventions are directed by Technical Steering Committees (TSCs) of industry representatives that meet on a regular basis.
In addition to the strategic and financial management of the DAC, the Executive Committee is also responsible for the following:
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Annual performance review of the DAC and progress of the local automotive industry
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The Annual General Meeting
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The DAC Resource Centre
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Interaction and cooperation with institutions in support of effectively and efficiently attaining DAC objectives