Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa has confirmed that the Jaecoo J5 compact SUV will be among the first models to enter production at Chery Group’s newly established manufacturing facility in Rosslyn, located about 29 kilometres northwest of Pretoria.

The announcement follows the official groundbreaking of the plant, which represents a significant step in the Chinese automaker’s expansion strategy within the South African market.

The facility itself has a long automotive history, having previously been owned by Nissan South Africa since its opening in 1966 before being acquired by Chery Group.

The redevelopment of the site is intended to strengthen local manufacturing capacity and support the company’s ambition to tailor vehicles more closely to South African driving conditions and consumer needs.

The Jaecoo J5, a compact SUV that only launched locally in September 2025, has already shown promising performance in the market, recording approximately 2,630 sales to date.Its early success has positioned it as one of the brand’s stronger-selling models in South Africa.Local production is expected to further enhance its competitiveness by improving availability and potentially broadening specification options.

Importantly, production of the J5 will include both internal combustion engine (ICE) and new energy vehicle (NEV) variants, expanding drivetrain choices for consumers.

This aligns with broader global trends towards electrification while still maintaining traditional engine options for markets where they remain in demand.

In addition to the Jaecoo J5, the Rosslyn plant will also manufacture T1 and T2 series SUVs under Chery subsidiary Jetour, indicating a wider production footprint and deeper investment in the local automotive sector.The move is expected to support job creation and reinforce South Africa’s position as a regional manufacturing hub for the automotive industry.