ABOUT US
About / Company Overview
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Zeda Limited holds the license to the iconic Avis brand in South Africa and 10 other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Zeda operates the widely recognised Avis and Budget global brands, under a long-term license agreement with the Avis Budget Group. Additionally, the company employs over 1000 employees, contributing to its operational success and growth.
Established in 1967, Avis Rent a Car is one of the oldest car rental companies in South Africa. The company has over 20 000 vehicles in the fleet. Our car rental offering is broken down into several categories and we sell a range of value-add products.
Avis Fleet was established in 1980 and has become Africa’s largest fleet management company, managing more than 200 000 vehicles. Avis Fleet’s solutions provide customers with the expertise, experience, and technology to enhance the operation of their vehicles. Solutions are uniquely shaped around customers’ business vision and objectives and easily adapted as needs change to help customers get maximum business mileage from corporate fleet management.
Avis Car Sales is the used car disposal channel for rental and leasing vehicles through an extensive network.
Our Purpose
Zeda’s purpose is “connecting humanity”.
Our mobility solutions foster greater connections between individuals, unlock new business opportunities, support the growth of several industries and ultimately contribute to Africa’s economic development.
- Connecting humanity across the Southern African economy
- Enabling individuals to get to their places of work
- Propelling industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, mining, telecoms, agriculture, tourism, financial services, industries and healthcare
- Partnering with the public sector to enable effective service delivery
- Providing mobility to clinch those pivotal business deals
- Providing small, micro, and medium-sized businesses with mobility to grow their businesses
- Enabling journeys to connect with loved ones
- Positively contributing to livelihoods
Our Vision
Our vision is to be a trusted mobility solutions leader in our chosen markets. To achieve this vision, we focus on our six areas of differentiation:
Customer value proposition
Customer value proposition
Innovation
Innovation
Employee value proposition
Employee value proposition
Operational excellence
Operational excellence
Strategic partnerships
Strategic partnerships
Sustainability
Sustainability
Our key strategy focus areas
As Zeda continues to innovate and grow, we refine our strategy to achieve our objectives and enhance shareholder value.
We have four key strategic focus areas to deliver sustainable shareholder returns:
- Diversify and lower the cost of funding and grow asset-light businesses
- Grow the integrated mobility business across all products, services and geographies
- Drive growth through innovation by expanding and evolving our product proposition
- Enhance customer value management through our delivery model
ESG Journey
We promote best-in-class sustainability practices to reduce our environmental footprint, contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development and
enhance our governance practices.
The Avis Budget Group was born in Detroit in 1946, the brainchild of Warren E Avis who noted the brisk development in
commercial aviation after World War II and figured that people would need to get from airports to other destinations.
OUR HISTORY
Decades of innovation, expansion and dedication put Zeda firmly on the map in Southern Africa as the preferred car rental company, a major
tourism player, and a leading fleet management operator.
Our roots trace back to 1967 when Zeda Rental Cars and Tours was established in Bloemfontein with a “rental fleet” of three vehicles and a R20
000 loan.
Avis has played a pioneering role in developing the Southern African car rental market. Before 1980, in anticipation of the end of Apartheid
and the potential for regional travel, Avis expanded into neighboring countries.
Today, its footprint covers South Africa and 10 other African countries.
Key Milestones
1967 - Zeda Car Rental and Tours (Pty) Ltd is established in Bloemfontein to serve the needs of business travellers and hunters.
1968 - Zeda Car Rental and Tours (Pty) Ltd adopts the Avis brand.
1972 - The car rental service expands to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
1980 - The business diversifies into full maintenance and leasing, and expands outside South Africa.
Mid 1980s - Becomes the largest Avis licensee outside the United State and registers as Zeda Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
1997 - Avis Southern Africa lists on the Johannesburg, Namibian and Botswana stock exchanges.
1998 - Avis Luxury Cars launches.
2001 - Avis Chauffeur Drive launches.
2005 - Barloworld Limited acquires full ownership of Avis Southern Africa and delists the company.
2009 - Avis becomes the first car rental company to become carbon neutral.
2020 - The rental business segment and leasing segment are integrated. Heavy commercial vehicles are introduced into the leasing
segment.
2022 - Zeda Limited is unbundled from Barloworld and prepares for listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
2023 – Zeda launches iLease, a leasing product for individuals.
2024 – Zeda pays its first interim and year-end dividends as a listed company.