South Africa still faces legacy problems and other severe challenges in our national drive to create jobs, alleviate poverty, address historical inequality and build a sustainable future for all our people. To this end, the country needs a burgeoning manufacturing sector. Our economy cannot achieve our goals on the basis of importing most of the products we use. A thriving manufacturing industry creates jobs and business opportunities, enables skills development, and improves our competitiveness in global markets. Putting South African industry first should therefore be a priority for all South Africans.
Government is leading the way with its Local Production and Content initiative, which flows from the government’s policy framework that includes the National Development Plan, the New Growth path, the Industrial Policy and Action Plan and the Preferential Public Procurement Finance Act, among others. Local Content is an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).