Sales for Mahindra bakkies and SUVs jumped by over 600 units in March to 2 253 vehicles, setting a new all-time record and welcoming Mahindra into the hallowed 2 000-unit-per-month club.
According to naamsa, the automotive industry business council, Mahindra delivered more vehicles in one month than ever before. The total of 2 253 vehicles is nearly 40% higher than the previous record of 1 613 vehicles set a month earlier in February.
With this new record, Mahindra has jumped to the eighth largest vehicle manufacturer in the country, a mere two months after it entered the South African top ten. It has also set a new all-time sales record of 15 088 vehicles in one financial year.
On its way to setting this impressive, new record, Mahindra surpassed every internal milestone and broke every model sales record on its books. For instance, it sold the most SUVs in one month (1 000 units in March), it sold the most bakkies ever (1 256 bakkies in March) and delivered the most Scorpio-N SUVs in one month (145 units in March).
A detailed analysis of the naamsa sales figures for the financial year to end-March shows that Mahindra is the fastest-growing vehicle brand among the high-volume (more than 500 units per month) brands. Mahindra has occupied this top spot three times in the past decade, in 2018, 2022 and now in 2025.
“We are more than thrilled about our sales performance over the past 12 months, but especially by the underlying story told by these numbers,” says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.
“The overwhelming majority of sales in the past month and past year were made to individuals and not as bulk sales to fleet buyers. This is a true reflection of the health of the Mahindra brand.
“We would like to thank each dealer and every member of the extended Mahindra family for their support over the past year.”
The major jump in sales over the past 12 months reflects the hard work done by Mahindra and its business partners to grow and support the brand and the fast-growing customer base.
In the past year, the group has broken ground on a brand-new, made-for-purpose manufacturing facility at the Dube Tradeport in Durban. This facility will soon replace the current factory and offer the brand a new level of advanced assembly of its range of Pik Up models and a production capacity of over 1,000 units a month.
More recently, Mahindra has taken occupation of a new parts distribution warehouse and training facility in Midrand, Gauteng. This facility more than doubles the group’s holding capacity of parts and components, and it will soon house the brand’s parts storage, training centre and special fitment centre under one roof.
In the past financial year, Mahindra has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to investigate a fully-fledged vehicle manufacturing facility for completely knocked-down vehicles (CKD) in South Africa. The parties have also agreed to investigate the manufacturing of parts for fully built-up electric vehicles in South Africa.
“In February, we thanked our customers and partners by hosting them and our fans at the Mahindra Fusion Fest. This ground-breaking celebration of art, fashion and music has set a new benchmark for a vehicle brand in South Africa.
“For us, this is a big ‘thank you’ to South Africa, our second home outside of India. It is also a signal to the country and its people that we are here to stay and that we will continue to invest in the country to grow our market share and develop the country in general,” says Rajesh.
Disco Thunder
Wendy Luhabe\’s first step into entrepreneurship came in 1991 when she launched Bridging the Gap, a consulting firm that assists young black South Africans entering the working world. In 1993, she launched Women Investment Portfolio Holdings, the first fund to provide capital to women-owned businesses in South Africa. In 2002, she launched Africa\’s first Women-Focused Private Equity Fund. She also published her first book entitled: Defining Moments: Experiences of Black Executives in South Africa\’s Workplace. Luhabe launched her Foundation in 2002, to educate young disadvantaged black women, particularly from rural areas. In 2011, Luhabe was asked by Hillary Clinton to join the International Council on Women\’s Business Leadership (ICWBL). In 2014, she was appointed Member of the Board at The Abraaj Group, a global investment firm. In 2014, she was awarded Woman of Worth from the Jewish Achievers Awards in South Africa. In 2014, she was awarded the Lieutenant of the Victorian Order (LVO) by the British Royal Family. In 2015, she was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards.