What this means
This is a news-style article highlighting the 13th Manufacturing Indaba held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 14–15 July 2026 under the theme “Made in Africa: Scaling Growth, Shaping Trade.” It reports speeches by Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition John Steenhuisen, focusing on the need for Africa and South Africa to move from exporting raw materials to producing higher-value manufactured goods, and on competitiveness constraints such as weak municipal infrastructure and unreliable water/electricity. The article also describes the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) as an example of an integrated industrial ecosystem supporting localisation, supplier development, skills training, logistics, and investment, positioned to support South Africa’s automotive and reindustrialisation objectives.
