VOLKSWAGEN SOUTH Africa has produced its two millionth vehicle - a silver-coloured Jetta 4. Speaking at the function, Nelson Mandela Metro executive mayor Nceba Faku said the celebration of two million cars was proof that the people of the Nelson Mandela Metro could build globally competitive products. "We are filled with pride that Volkswagen is truly a globally competitive company and that we can say that the people of the Nelson Mandela Metro have made it happen. As a manufacturer Volkswagen has also shown belief in the future and commitment to the people of this area by investing in the community as well as projects like the Uitenhage Despatch Development Initiative (UDDI) to encourage employment opportunities along with local and provincial government," said Faku. Speaking at the milestone event, Volkswagen South Africa Managing Director Hans-Christian Maergner said it gave the company two million reasons to be positive about its future when considering the next generation of products to be built in Uitenhage. "It is important that we acknowledge where we have come from - but even more importantly it gives us a foundation from which we can grow and aspire to in future," said Mr Maergner. "In fact, from the financial doldrums of the mid-1990s, the real breakthrough came in 1998 when Volkswagen South Africa was awarded an ongoing export contract of the Golf 4 to the European market. There had been export programs before - to China, to Australia and to the United Kingdom - but the guaranteeing of 30 000 cars for export every year took the company into the export premier division - a lead that has been followed by other manufacturers. One of the many reasons to be excited about our future is that we proved that we could do it. We proved we could export the Golf 4 into Europe at the same service, delivery and quality levels as other Volkswagen Plants around the world. And we are proving that again by showing we can do it with the Golf and Polo hatchback into international markets. "There are no guarantees in the automotive world today but if we meet our production targets, our quality targets, our return on investment, and if we can continue to improve, we can assure a future for ourselves and the next generation of Volkswagen car owners in South Africa. We have done it before - our investments this year alone in infrastructure and tooling for future products will exceed R800 million - and I know that our employees will play a major part towards assisting us in reaching our goals." Maergner also pledged that the company would donated R1 for every car that has been produced over the last 57 years to community projects. "Of the overall amount of R2 million that has been set aside it will be divided into R1 million for the Volkswagen Community Trust, while the balance will be allocated to job creation projects and to support community initiatives around the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Uitenhage and surrounding areas. This R2 million donation is in addition to our ongoing social responsibility projects," Mr Maergner said. To mark this milestone occasion Volkswagen South Africa had on display cars like the Studebaker and early VW Beetles to symbolise the factory's beginnings as South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors in 1946 - followed by an array of cars such as the Audi 100, VW Fastback, Golf Mark 1 & 2, T3 Microbus and Golf 4 to symbolise each important motoring era for the company. The company changed its name to Volkswagen South Africa in 1966 and celebrated the production of its 1 millionth car in 1988. * Volkswagen South Africa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG of Germany, is based in Uitenhage where it assembles Volkswagen Citi Golf & Caddy, Polo & Polo Classic and Golf 4 & Jetta 4 vehicles. It also imports a large range of Volkswagen and Audi vehicles. In 2002 it was one of the largest car manufacturers on the African continent - building 77 000 vehicles for the South African and overseas markets - including 30 000 Golf 4s for export to Europe and the United Kingdom. More than 5 100 people are employed at the facility that includes a Press Shop and Engine Manufacturing section. The company also exported components to the value of R1,6 billion last year. It has been accredited with the ISO 9001, VDA 6.1 and ISO 14000 quality and environmental management systems.