Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the sector encompassing the production of goods through the transformation of raw materials, components or substances into finished products using labour, machinery, tools and chemical or biological processing. The sector spans a vast range of activities, from food and beverage production to the fabrication of machinery, electronics, vehicles, textiles, chemicals and construction materials. Manufacturing plays a central role in economic development, contributing to gross domestic product, employment, export earnings and technological advancement. It is typically divided into light manufacturing, which produces consumer goods and smaller items, and heavy manufacturing, which involves capital-intensive production of industrial equipment, metals and large-scale infrastructure components. The sector's competitiveness depends on factors including labour costs, skills availability, energy prices, logistics infrastructure, access to raw materials and the regulatory environment. In many African economies, manufacturing remains underdeveloped relative to services and primary industries, though industrialisation strategies increasingly prioritise value addition and local content. Global trends such as automation, digitalisation and the energy transition are reshaping manufacturing, with growing emphasis on renewable energy integration, circular economy principles and skills development to support advanced production technologies. Manufacturing's significance extends beyond direct output, as it drives demand for upstream suppliers, fosters innovation and anchors supply chains that support broader economic resilience.
Manufacturing Updates
Daily Podcast – June 09, 2026
By: Thabi Shomolekae 9th June 2026 Making headlines: GDP increased by 0.5% in the first quarter; Cholera outbreak in Nigeria's Borno kills 74; And, WHO says Congo Ebola contact... →
ActionSA wants three economic Ministers fired over Q1 job losses 
By: Thabi Shomolekae 9th June 2026 ActionSA has intensified its pressure on the Government of National Unity to immediately fire three key economic Ministers following the latest GDP... →
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber sounds alarm on 11% electricity tariff hike
By: Irma Venter 9th June 2026 The Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Business Chamber is “very concerned” about the 11% average increase in electricity tariffs proposed by the metro... →
GDP increased by 0.5% in the first quarter – Stats SA
By: Creamer Media Reporter 9th June 2026 South Africa’s GDP increased by 0.5% in the first quarter, following an increase of 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, Statistics South Africa... →
Kenya private sector activity falls in May, PMI shows
By: Reuters 4th June 2026 Kenya's private sector activity shrank for a third straight month in May, hurt by a general rise in costs for both businesses and their customers,... →
SA: Paul Mashatile: Address by Deputy President, on the occasion of Nepad@25 Years - High-Level Business Breakfast, Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town (21/05/2026)
22nd May 2026 As we mark Africa Month and celebrate twenty-five years of NEPAD, we return to that founding vision: an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful... →
Trade conditions deteriorate as fuel prices take their toll – Sacci
By: Sabrina Jardim 21st May 2026 As global trade conditions are factoring in the effect of the war in the Middle East, especially as it impacts international crude oil prices,... →
Critical skills visas remain low: Business must shape the next critical skills list to attract global talent
19th May 2026 Despite South Africa’s urgent need for investment, innovation and economic growth, applications for the very visa categories most closely linked to... →
SA: Stella Ndabeni: Address by Minister of Small Business Development, on the Small Business Development Dept Budget Vote 2026/27 (19/05/2026)
19th May 2026 The National Development Plan is clear that growth and jobs will come from small enterprises – just under 90% of new jobs and upward of 60% of new... →
GCRO, Mistra launch Gauteng 2035 scenarios report
By: Natasha Odendaal 14th May 2026 A new report has outlined three scenarios for South Africa’s most populous province by 2035. The 'Finding Our Rhythm: Pathways and Futures for the... →
