China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its role in Africa is controversial. This paper argues that African countries should work through regional organisations, such as the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to use their agency and negotiate with China to advance their own…

Industry Master Plans have emerged as an important industrial policy intervention and approach to strengthening and growing South African industrial capacity. The approach to and process of developing these plans has brought about a comprehensive understanding of specific industry dynamics, engagements between key stakeholders in an industry, and the actions…

Thandi Phele is the Acting Deputy Director General of Industrial Competitiveness and Growth Branch at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). Since her appointment in the acting position, she has been providing thought leadership to South African industrial policy and driving key programmes aimed at industrialisation and localisation. Key among these, she continues to lead the development and implementation of various masterplans led by the dtic: Automotives; Retail-Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather; Poultry; Sugar; Steel and Metal Fabrication; and Furniture. She has been instrumental in the development and deployment of a number of industrial policy tools to…

Although declining slightly compared to the third quarter of 2020, South Africa maintained a high trade surplus in the fourth quarter of 2020, at R103 billion. Year-on-year, this marks a more than 300% increase in the trade surplus compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The surplus is the result…

The Import Tracker is a quarterly analysis of import trends. It provides an overview of import patterns and look at the causes of surges in manufacturing imports, and their likely impact on industry. Quarter 4, 2020 is now available. Import Tracker Q4 2020.

This policy briefs aims to provide an overview of the characteristics of the vulnerable groups in the petroleum-based transport value chain; an understanding of the dimensions of the impact and expected timeframes for the transition; and an overview of the proposed resilience plans. It first looks at the characteristics of those…

Business Day - 8 February 2021 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

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News 24 - 13 February 2021 by James de Villiers

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Engineering News - 15 February 2021 by Schalk Burger

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Fin 24 - 18 February 2021 by Lameez Omarjee

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Business Day - 22 February 2021 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

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Mining Weekly - 23 February 2021 by Marleny Arnoldi

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Engineering News - 23 February 2021 by Donna Slater

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ESI Africa - 24 February 2021 by Theresa Smith

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Engineering News - 25 February 2021 by Tasneem Bulbulia

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Engineering News - 26 February 2021 by Terence Creamer

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Business Day - 7 March 2021  by Gaylor Montmasson-Clair

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Business Day - 8 March 2021 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

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ESI Africa - 10 March 2021 by Theresa Smith

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Business Day TV - 10 March 2021 by Michael Avery

Michael Avery talks to a panel about the demand for bioplastics in SA

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