Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa has confirmed that the Jaecoo J5 will be one of the first models produced at Chery Group’s new South African manufacturing plant after the official groundbreaking of the facility on Friday.The production facility, located in Rosslyn, 29km northwest of Pretoria, was recently acquired from Nissan South Africa, which had owned the site since it first opened in 1966.The move forms part of the Chinese brand’s broader local expansion strategy, with the J5 expected to become a key model in its product line-up. The compact SUV has been on sale locally since September 2025 and has quickly established itself as one of the brand’s stronger volume sellers.The company said local production of the J5 will include both internal combustion engine (ICE) and new energy vehicle (NEV) derivatives, expanding the range of powertrain options available to South African buyers.According to Omoda and Jaecoo South Africa, local production of the model aligns with its strategy of strengthening its presence in the market with products tailored to local driving conditions and consumer demand.Since its South African launch last year, the Jaecoo J5 has recorded 2,630 sales, providing an early indication of the model’s growing momentum in the market.In addition to Jaecoo production, the Rosslyn facility will also build T1 and T2 series SUVs for Chery subsidiary Jetour.Business Day