South Africa’s machinery and equipment industries have recently come under huge pressure. Falling demand after the 2008 financial crisis and rising energy costs have harmed the sector. These trends are concerning as the sector employs 10% of the country’s total manufacturing workforce.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s ‘new dawn’ needs vision and smart programmes for reindustrialisation
At the heart of the upheaval in SA in recent years is the poor performance of the economy, underpinned by an evolving political settlement that has not benefited the majority. In his inaugural state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa made industrialisation and increasing investment the main priorities for reviving the economy, announcing an investment conference and jobs summit to take place later this year. He has just kicked off an international drive to lure investors.
How to get SA going
The economy must reverse decades of deindustrialisation if it is to tackle the country’s urgent challenges
Shake up economy, says think-tank
South Africa must develop its production capacity and cut its reliance on resource exports, a report says