"Mazda Southern Africa (Pty.) Ltd., which was established by Mazda Motor Corp. in Johannesburg in July, will commence operations in South Africa in July 2014, Mazda officials said.
Through the wholly owned subsidiary, Mazda will be able to independently control the import and sale of its vehicles as well as provide customer services.
Currently Mazda vehicles are distributed in South Africa by Ford Motor Co. of Southern Africa (Pty.) Ltd. Mazda has a long history in South Africa, dating back to the brand's introduction in 1963.
"With 600,000 vehicles sold per year, South Africa is the biggest automotive market on the African continent," said Yuji Nakamine, Mazda's senior managing executive officer. "The establishment of a national sales company and introduction of more next-generation products will give the Mazda brand a much greater presence and contribute to the overall development of the South African market."