VerifiedMercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) is the local subsidiary of the German luxury carmaker. Mercedes-Benz South Africa runs a major vehicle production plant in East London in the Eastern Cape, which has built cars for local sale and for export for decades, and sells Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles through dealers across the country.
- Registered name
- Mercedes-Benz South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- Type
- Private company (vehicle manufacturer)
- Fields funded
- Scarce and critical skills for automotive manufacturing
- Website
- mercedes-benzsa.co.za
- Phone
- 0800 133 355
The East London plant
The East London plant is one of Mercedes-Benz’s key manufacturing sites outside Germany, according to a provider record checked in August 2026. The plant has become best known for building the C-Class sedan, much of it shipped from East London’s port to markets overseas. That export role makes the plant important to the Eastern Cape economy, where the motor industry, its component suppliers and the East London Industrial Development Zone employ thousands of people.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s website did not respond when BursariesAfrica checked on 15 September 2026, so this profile relies on the provider record, our earlier guide and widely reported information about the company.
Why a carmaker funds students
Modern car plants depend on engineers, technicians and artisans who can run robotics, paint shops, logistics systems and quality control. Mercedes-Benz South Africa supports bursaries and artisan training relevant to automotive engineering and manufacturing, according to the provider record. BursariesAfrica’s earlier guide describes a bursary for scarce and critical skills fields, open to Grade 12 learners and tertiary students, with workplace exposure at the company.
Timing
The 2025 intake closed on 22 January 2025. No 2027 closing date had been published when BursariesAfrica checked, so expect a call around December 2026 or January 2027 on Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s own careers site.
How to research Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Visit Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s careers pages regularly from November and register for job alerts if the portal offers them. Search news reports about the East London plant to understand its production plans, because changes in export volumes affect how many trainees and graduates a plant needs. Ask Walter Sisulu University, Nelson Mandela University or Buffalo City TVET College whether Mercedes-Benz South Africa takes students for in-service training.
Be wary of adverts on social media asking for fees; a genuine Mercedes-Benz South Africa bursary never charges applicants.
Compare the BMW bursary and the Toyota South Africa Motors Bursary.
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