At least 140 Chery vehicles distributed to Namibia are among those covered by a safety recall announced in South Africa over defects that could cause rear suspension collapse or brake failure, according to South Africa’s National Consumer Commission (NCC).
The vehicles comprise 107 Chery Tiggo 4 units and 33 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0 units, forming part of a wider recall involving 23,667 Chery and Omoda vehicles distributed across South Africa and neighbouring countries.
However, Namibian dealerships have disputed or are yet to confirm whether vehicles sold through their local operations are affected, despite the NCC confirming that vehicles covered by the recall were distributed to Namibia.
NCC spokesperson Phetho Ntaba confirmed to The Brief that the affected models had also been distributed to Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Lesotho.
The recall involves two safety defects affecting the rear suspension and braking systems of different vehicle models.
In the Chery Tiggo 4 and Omoda C5, welding irregularities on the rear axle sleeve could cause the axle to dislodge, potentially resulting in rear suspension collapse.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0 has a separate defect involving the front brake pipe, which may come into contact with the turbocharger assembly, causing wear and possible brake-fluid leakage.
According to the NCC, the defect could reduce braking performance, increase stopping distances and potentially result in collisions, serious injuries or fatalities.
Ntaba said suppliers could be required to notify consumers who purchased affected vehicles, as well as the relevant authorities in countries where the vehicles were distributed.
She confirmed that the Commission regularly exchanges recall information with consumer protection authorities in neighbouring countries to alert them to potential safety risks.
“The NCC regularly shares the information with consumer protection authorities in the affected neighbouring countries,” Ntaba told The Brief.
Despite the NCC’s confirmation, Chery M+Z Namibia New Vehicle Sales Representative Tiaan Snyman said the dealership was aware of the recall but maintained that vehicles supplied through its local operation were not affected.
Snyman said the Tiggo 4 recall involved older Tiggo 4 Pro models manufactured between 2018 and 2022 or 2023, rather than the newer models currently sold by the dealership.
“We only sell new vehicles, so it’s all 2026 models,” the dealership said, adding that it entered the Namibian market in 2022.
However, the dealership’s explanation differs from the NCC’s recall notice, which identifies affected Tiggo 4 vehicles as those made available for sale between 17 October 2023 and 27 March 2024.
Regarding the Tiggo 8, Snyman said vehicles involved in an earlier recall had already been recalled, inspected and returned to the road.
He maintained that the latest South African recall was unrelated to vehicles supplied through the dealership’s Namibian operation.
Meanwhile, Omoda Noval Namibia said it was awaiting formal communication from Omoda South Africa before confirming whether vehicles sold locally were affected.
The dealership said it had not received confirmation that Namibian customers were affected and could not establish how many Omoda C5 vehicles had been sold in the country.
It also indicated that “there’s been no internal discussion” about assessing whether locally sold vehicles could have similar defects.
On whether the defects had resulted in accidents or injuries, Ntaba said the NCC had not received any reports or complaints directly linked to the rear axle welding and brake-pipe defects.
However, she confirmed that Chery had informed the Commission of two incidents, although details were being treated as confidential.
Consumers have been advised to check their vehicle identification numbers (VINs) through Chery’s website or contact authorised dealerships to establish whether their vehicles are included in the recall.
Owners of affected vehicles should arrange inspections and repairs through authorised dealerships, with all remedial work to be carried out free of charge.
Where a vehicle is considered unsafe to drive, consumers should contact their dealership or Chery’s contact centre to arrange towing.
Separately, the NCC is investigating Chery over allegations that certain vehicles were recalled without the Commission being formally notified.
The investigation, initiated in October 2026, is examining whether the manufacturer complied with its obligations to report safety-related recalls.
Ntaba said that if the investigation established that Chery had failed to notify the Commission promptly, potentially exposing consumers to further risks, the matter could be referred to South Africa’s National Consumer Tribunal.
