Motus plants Sinotruk flag on Gauteng’s busiest freight corridor

September 17, 2026

A new Sinotruk dealership alongside the N1 is targeting long-haul, construction and municipal fleets, as Motus expands its commercial vehicle (CV) offering into Chinese trucks.

Motus Sinotruk Midrand has opened on the border between Midrand and Centurion, giving the Chinese truck brand a new presence along one of South Africa’s most important CV corridors. Owned by the Motus Group, the dealership has additional significance as the first Chinese CV dealership in the Motus Retail stable.

Naude Terblanche, dealer principal at Motus Sinotruk Midrand, says changing customer requirements played an important role in the decision. “Transporters in South Africa are continuously looking for new and more cost-effective solutions for their logistics requirements. We, as the Motus Commercial Vehicle Division, want to offer our customer base a one-stop shop,” he explains.

Location is everything

For a truck dealership, the N1 position is strategic. “The N1 location places us right in the heart of one of South Africa’s busiest commercial vehicle corridors – exactly where a CV dealership wants to be,” says Terblanche.

While the immediate Gauteng market is important, the dealership does not intend limiting itself geographically. “We will serve customers both locally and nationally and we will be guided by our customers and their specific transport needs as the business grows,” he continues.

Gauteng is an obvious priority for any truck manufacturer seeking volume in South Africa, given the province’s concentration of distribution centres, fleet headquarters, construction activity and major freight routes. Terblanche describes it as “of the utmost importance”, noting: “Gauteng is South Africa’s economic hub and the logical starting point for any OEM’s growth strategy in this market.”

More than a sales operation

Truck buyers increasingly expect a dealership to provide much more than a vehicle handover. Parts availability, workshop capability and roadside support can have a direct impact on fleet utilisation. Motus Sinotruk Midrand therefore incorporates vehicle sales, a certified finance and insurance manager, a fully equipped workshop and parts sales, supported by technical personnel.

The facility also has overnight accommodation for drivers when required and sufficient space for trailer parking. The operation currently employs 10 people, although Terblanche stresses that this is only the starting point.

“We are ready to scale up as and when required. On the technical side, we have a fully qualified aftersales manager overseeing both the workshop and parts departments,” he says.

Workshop and parts staffing will expand as throughput increases and the number of Sinotruk vehicles operating in the market grows.

Long-haul leads the charge

The dealership sees considerable potential in several sectors, but long-haul transport is expected to be particularly important. “At this stage, we believe the strongest potential lies with the SITRAK GS7 480-hp truck tractor for long-haul applications,” Terblanche says. “This model is already creating waves in trucking circles.”

He believes the HOWO construction range could also become an important part of the business, particularly mixers, tippers and water tankers. “It’s still early days and we’re learning daily which models will ultimately hold the most potential for our market,” he adds.

Within the dealership’s immediate area, the initial focus will be on long-haul, construction and municipal fleets.

Pictured at the official opening of the dealership are (from left to right): Michael Man, country manager for South Africa at Sinotruk; Eric Zgonglong, Sinotruk SA operational manager; Kobus Volschenk, COO Motus Retail; Paul Jooste, franchise executive Motus CV Division; Naude Terblanche, dealer principal Motus Sinotruk Midrand; Gideon Jansen van Rensburg, CEO Motus Retail; Rory Schulz, COO Sinotruk SA; Robert Patson, regional sales manager Sinotruk SA; and Allen Yu, sales support manager Sinotruk SA.

Price is only part of the equation

Chinese truck brands have expanded their presence in South Africa substantially, with price often forming part of their appeal. However, fleet purchasing decisions are increasingly being made on operating costs rather than acquisition price alone.

Terblanche believes Sinotruk’s value proposition is relevant in the current economic environment. “In a tough economic climate, pricing certainly plays a role – and Sinotruk delivers a well-built, reliable truck at a realistic price that is more than capable of doing the job,” he says.

He is equally clear that purchase price cannot be the entire conversation. “Total cost of ownership is the way forward for selling trucks in the South African market. By adopting this mindset, we help our customers operate their fleets more profitably, which makes sound business sense over the long term,” he emphasises.

Terblanche does caution that, as a new operation, the dealership still needs time and operating data to establish where Sinotruk’s strongest total cost of ownership advantages lie. “With our customers’ input, we expect to identify these sweet spots sooner rather than later,” he says.

Downtime under scrutiny

The challenge for any growing truck brand is ensuring that its aftersales infrastructure develops alongside vehicle sales. Terblanche says customer feedback will guide parts stocking, particularly when it comes to fast-moving service items. “We focus on properly stocking fast-moving service parts, getting repairs right the first time and keeping the customer informed throughout the time their vehicle is with us,” he explains.

The dealership has not yet built enough workshop history to publish firm turnaround targets. “It’s early days and we’re yet to have our first vehicle through the workshop, so it’s too soon to commit to firm figures,” stresses Terblanche. “That said, based on industry standards, a truck booked in for a routine service should leave the dealership the same day.”

Breakdown assistance is already available. Mobile servicing is planned as customer demand develops, while parts can be delivered if a customer is unable to collect them. Technicians are receiving regular training through Sinotruk South Africa. “For start-up dealerships like ours, training can also be arranged on-site at our premises – and I must give credit to Sinotruk for their flexibility in this regard,” says Terblanche.

Trust before targets

Despite the inevitable pressure on a new dealership to generate sales, Terblanche says his first-year ambitions are centred on building relationships rather than chasing a number at all costs. “My ambition for the first 12 months is to build a customer base that can rely on us at any given moment and to establish trust from the very first interaction with our sales team,” he explains. That trust, he believes, is fundamental in CV retail: “Customers buy from people they trust – people they know have their best interests at heart.”

Beating the dealership’s share of Sinotruk’s national sales target would make for a successful first year, but Terblanche is already thinking further ahead. “I want this dealership to be more than just a place filled with trucks,” he says. “My vision is for it to be a hub of opportunity – a place where innovation meets reliability and where service excellence drives everything we do.”