This policy brief opens the door for a deeper understanding of South Africa’s tale of three transitions. First, the electricity transition, characterised by a shift to more decentralised, modular and renewable energy-based systems, is discussed with a focus on the necessary steps to transition the power system sustainability and inclusively. Second, the connected but…

The draft Medium Term Development Plan for 2024 to 2029 sets increased beneficiation as an outcome. Specifically, it argues that government policy on the mining value chain should “Focus on processing our minerals so that we export finished products rather than raw commodities.” This policy brief analyses progress to date…

A global transition to low-carbon development pathways, enabled by rapid technological evolution is underway. This transition was initially fostered by policy and the urgency of climate action, primarily to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The transition is increasingly driven by market forces, as greentech becomes more and more competitive. Global dynamics…

South Africa has not fully realised the benefits of localisation as a tool for reindustrialisation. A number of issues contribute to this: a) failure to consolidate demand across the state due to fragmentation of procurement plans; b) the influx of cheaper imports which threatened industries such as steel and the clothing,…

This policy brief provides a summary of nine Industrial Policy Action Plans (IPAPs) published from 2007 to 2018. The National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) set out the strategic direction for South Africa’s industrialisation. The NIPF was a framework for  IPAPs, aiming to support labour-absorbing and value-adding industries while shifting from…

Rules of origin (ROO) could have an impact on investment in Africa. In the highly contested textile and apparel sector the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) negotiations on the rules have not been concluded. The choice of what type of ROO to adopt will have far-reaching implications. African countries cannot rely on…

Over its short history, the renewable energy and battery storage industrial value chain value chain has already gone through a boom and a bust. More recently, efforts have been underway to revive the value chain. This policy brief reviews the state of the renewable energy and battery storage value chain in…

This policy brief’s main intention is to create awareness for the affected stakeholders of the UK CBAM. The brief also touches on the issues faced by firms under the EU CBAM, and shows the similarities of the two mechanisms. After initial consultation in March 2023, the United Kingdom in December 2023 announced that…

The South African start-up sector has experienced significant growth over the past decade. However, the growth of start-ups in South Africa is still far from its potential. Growth elsewhere in Africa has, in recent years, been far more rapid. Once the leading country in Africa for investment in start-ups, South Africa has…

Renewable energy sources combined with energy storage play a vital role in South Africa's pursuit of energy security and achieving its net-zero objective by 2050. As South Africa grapples with a deepening energy crisis, energy storage technologies are gaining prominence, with batteries taking precedence in the short to medium term. Given the…