Johannesburg – On 25 March, at the Future Energy Storage Exhibition in South Africa, CNBM South Africa Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China National Building Materials Group, and Geely Auto South Africa Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, officially signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement for South Africa’s New Energy Transition.
By joining forces, these two leading Chinese enterprises will anchor themselves in the South African market and deepen their presence in the new energy sector. Through full value-chain collaboration, they aim to accelerate the country’s transition toward cleaner energy, electrified mobility, and localized industrial development.
This partnership closely aligns with South Africa’s national energy transition strategy and actively supports the Belt and Road Initiative’s green development vision. Both parties will leverage their respective strengths: CNBM South Africa brings expertise in photovoltaic and energy storage solutions, as well as local engineering and distribution capabilities; Geely South Africa focuses on new energy vehicles and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies. Together, they form a highly complementary partnership.
With South Africa as the core market and a reach extending across Southern Africa, the two companies will jointly develop an integrated ecosystem encompassing “new energy vehicles + solar and energy storage + charging infrastructure + green supply chain.” This collaboration aims to set a benchmark model for Chinese enterprises expanding overseas—serving Africa while sharing responsibility for sustainable development.
Under the agreement, both parties will pursue pragmatic cooperation across the entire new energy value chain. Key areas include coordinated development of new energy vehicles and charging infrastructure, implementation of integrated solar-storage-charging solutions, and the joint development of localized supply chains. Together, they will promote complementary strengths, mutual benefit, and shared success while fulfilling their environmental and social responsibilities.
As a key Chinese enterprise deeply rooted in South Africa, CNBM South Africa has long been committed to integrating advanced green energy technologies with local market needs. This strategic partnership with Geely South Africa marks a significant step in expanding CNBM South Africa’s full-scenario applications in the new energy sector and advancing its localization strategy.
Looking ahead, CNBM South Africa and Geely South Africa will work hand in hand to accelerate South Africa’s clean energy transition through practical collaboration, injecting strong momentum into the country’s sustainable development.
sultan of speed
Richard Maponya – Despite the many obstacles of the Apartheid government, Richard Maponya became a beacon of hope to the people of Soweto, starting several successful business in the area (predominantly in the retail and property space). He recently helped to develop Maponya Mall, which is one of the largest shopping centers in the country.