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 been overtaken by…"

Presentations Muhammed Patel (TIPS): Green H2: a potential export commodity in a new global marketplace Jason Bell (CREDD): Insights from green hydrogen for sustainable (re)industrialisation in South Africa paper Sören Scholvin (UCN): Green hydrogen and linkage-based development in Chile Bruce Young (Wits Energy Centre): TIPS Development Dialogue Green hydrogen and industrial policy slides Background This Development Dialogue…"

In the face of rising electricity costs, persistent power outages (loadshedding), and the emergence of domestic and international carbon taxes, there has never been a better time for businesses in South Africa to adopt renewable energy (RE) to realise significant savings on their electricity bills, lower their tax liability, secure a reliable supply…"

Localisation has become an increasingly important part of South Africa’s industrial policy as articulated by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. At its core, it is a strategy to identify and support sectoral priorities for industrialisation. Those functions are also central to the well-known import-substitution and export-oriented models. The localisation approach remains…"

This Working Paper analyses the linkages between industrial policy and local economic development planning in South Africa in terms of both economics and governance. It outlines the role of four groups of municipalities in the economy: the largest metros (Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, Cape Town and eThekwini); the five secondary cities in Mpumalanga…"

A critical mechanism behind the unusually deep inequality in South Africa is the very small number, by international standards, of small businesses in the country. On the one hand, far fewer people earn livelihoods from their own businesses than in other upper middle-income countries. That fact largely explains South Africa’s extraordinarily high level…"

The Black Industrialists Policy aims to increase the participation of black South Africans in operational management, rather than just financial ownership, of enterprises in key sectors and value chains. The programme was launched in 2015 by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, supported by the Industrial Development Corporation and the National Empowerment…"

Industrialisation cannot take off without adequate services such as logistics, engineering, finance and security, as well as human and social capital development. Moreover, the service sector generates around two thirds of the GDP and employment, and six out of seven jobs for women. An effective industrial policy, then, should incorporate measures to maximise…"

This Research Report, along with the Policy Report, provides the ‘first draft’ of a proposed Water and Sanitation Industry Master Plan. It puts forward a vision and associated interventions, forming the foundation of a Water and Sanitation Industry Master Plan for South Africa. The reports complement the 2018 Department of Water and Sanitation …"

Industrial policy in South Africa faces the challenge of overcoming profound inequalities while building a more dynamic, productive and competitive economy. In this context, the current disruption in the electricity system provides both opportunities and threats. This paper reviews the nature, impacts and causes of the disruption as the basis for understanding the…"

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 required to strengthen…"

This working paper provides an initial overview of the impacts and outcomes of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) policy. It also draws on business responses to a questionnaire to gain insights into the implementation process. The paper evaluates the BBBEE Codes against their core objectives – representivity in ownership, management and skilled…"

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a slowdown in international trade, and disrupted global supply chains and the organisation of work. In addition, pre-existing inequalities and structural constraints on growth have been exacerbated. Economic policy interventions that have been implemented in response to the pandemic have highlighted pre-existing tensions between key economic players…"

The introduction of a chrome export tax, announced by Cabinet on 21 October 2020, will bring immediate benefits to the ferrochrome industry, and also presents an opportunity for South Africa to support the development of the downstream industry. In the context of a post-COVID-19 recovery plan, industrial development is a priority and requires…"

Business Day - 3 September 2019 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist) Read online at Business Day. Or read as a PDF."

In August 2019, the National Treasury released a discussion paper on economic policy for comment, titled Economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness: Towards an Economic Strategy for South Africa. The paper lists a compendium of proposals loosely arranged around six “fundamental building blocks” for sustainable growth plus a host of “growth reforms” organised…"

The relaunch of industrial policy from early 2019 included proposals for Master Plans for priority industries. The Master Plan approach sets a framework for constructive engagement and implementation that can respond to changing circumstances and evidence. This policy brief draws on experience with the development of Master Plans for various sectors as well…"

The paper considers new heterodox theoretical contributions to the industrial policy debate in developing countries. Specifically it focuses on the challenge of “getting industrial policy right in circumstances where the country is run by flawed leaders presiding over a politically weak and internally fragmented state” (Change 2010). The paper covers new theoretical thinking…"

The 2007 launch of the National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) and the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) could not have anticipated the impact that the global financial crisis of 2008/2009 and subsequent recession would wreak on South Africa’s economy. With its strong focus on the manufacturing sector as a key driver of balanced development, the…"

The roots of the industrial conflict in the North West province platinum mining belt in 2012 that led to the Marikana massacre cannot be found in the normal narrative of low wages and circular migrant labour entrenched under apartheid. Although South African miners earned far less than their equals in industrialised economies, their…"