South Africa Ford recalls Kugas over fires

Almost 50 of the cars have reportedly caught fire

US car giant Ford has recalled more than 4,500 of its Kuga model in South Africa for safety checks after dozens of them caught fire since 2015.

Investigations show the fires were caused by overheating in some parts of the engine which led to oil leaks, said Ford SA chief executive Jeff Nemeth.

The recall affects the 1.6 litre model, built in Spain between 2012 and 2014.

The firm has been under pressure to act since motorist Reshall Jimmy, 33, burnt to death in his Kuga in 2015.

A total of 48 of the vehicles have so far caught fire in South Africa‚ 11 of them this month, the local TimesLive newspaper reported.

South Africa's motor industry ombudsman Johan van Vreden demanded that "Ford must act - now."