At present, less than 10% of the unemployed actively looking for work are absorbed into the labour market each year. What about the 90% who will not make it? What are our strategies to support the economic inclusion of this large group of people – who are mainly young? This Development Dialogue focused on lessons – and opportunities – from the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which has supported over two million jobs and livelihood opportunities since its inception in 2020. It looked at the role such publicly funded employment programmes can play in support of complementary livelihoods, self-employment and enterprise development pathways for those marginalised from other employment opportunities in our economy - and what that means for how such programmes are designed.

What happens to Sasol’s Secunda Coal-toChemicals-and-Liquids facility, which is a major contributor to the domestic economy, illustrates the difficulties South Africa faces in its transition to a lower-carbon future. Sasol, the only domestic source of petrochemicals for a myriad of downstream industries, is heavily reliant on coal, and hence is a major greenhouse gas emitter. Increasing carbon taxes, environmental pressures and potential carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM), combined with declining coal and gas reserves that could affect its export markets, cloud its future.

This development dialogue will discuss the recently released TIPS report that explores these issues, other constraints facing Sasol and policy options going forward. Read the paper and policy brief here.

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) Development Dialogue on Gendering Industrial Policy

Opening Remarks by Moderator:  Liako Mofo (TIPS)

Presentations and discussion:

• Neva Makgetla (TIPS) – Insights from Paper
• Nokwanda Maseko (TIPS) – Insights from Paper
• Josephilda Hlope (DPME) – Discussant

PRESENTATIONS

Nokwanda Maseko (TIPS) Women’s economic access and the limitations of “men in hard hats” industrial policy.

Neva Makgetla (TIPS) Toward an industrial policy for women

MEDIA

NEVA MAKGETLA: Women lose out with SA industrial policy

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Liako Mofo is a senior economist at TIPS. She has worked on trade policy and regional value chains in different sectors.

Dr Neva Makgetla is a senior economist at TIPS. Makgetla has published widely on the South African economy and worked for many years in government.

Nokwanda Maseko is a senior economist at TIPS. Her work is at the intersection of industrial policy, gender and the just transition. She previously worked as a Budget Analyst at the National Treasury, and as an Assistant Director for Industrial Policy at the Economic Development Department.

Josephilda Hlope is Outcome Facilitator responsible for Social Protection and Social Cohesion and leads engagement on the G20 Development Working Group at the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. . She served as Chief Policy Analyst in the Advisory Services Directorate Economic in the Presidency from 2008 to 2010, and was a member of the National Planning Commission Secretariat for the NDP in the Presidency from 2010 to 2014. As part of her career, she has developed evidence-based policies and programmes, streamlined monitoring and evaluation processes, and implemented innovative national development strategies.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy. TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

If you wish to join, in-person at TIPS offices, 234 Lange Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria, South Africa or virtually please register here.                                     

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) Development Dialogue on The Role of Masterplans in South Africa

PRESENTATIONS

Neva Makgetla (TIPS) – Outcomes of the Masterplans evaluation 

Lunga Msengana (TIPS) – Insights from Masterplans Project Management Unit on lessons learned from implementation

MEDIA

SA warned to lower emissions or lose its EU export status (iol.co.za)

NEVA MAKGETLA: Towards an industrial policy for job creation (businesslive.co.za)

BACKGROUND

This Development Dialogue will evaluate some of the key lessons learned from implementation and the thinking around how we should locate master plans in our industrial policy and some of the key insights from the TIPS evaluation of Masterplans.

It will look at the issues that the project management unit are dealing with on master plans as well as successes and how to better align them with industrial policy. Including the critical role of the PMU, the implementation process and the governance structures while highlighting how we work together and better with all relevant stakeholders to revitalise South Africa’s economy and society through Master Plans.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy. TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

If you wish to join, in-person at TIPS offices, 234 Lange Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Dr Saul Levin is the Executive Director of TIPS since 2014. He has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg, with his thesis on industrial financing. Saul has held senior posts in several government departments.

Presenters

Zukiswa Kimani is the Chief Director: Industrial Policy at the dtic responsible for managing, evaluating and developing South Africa’s industrial policy. She is an expert in Industrial Policy and Sector Strategy with a demonstrated history of working in government administration. Skilled in research, policy analysis, government, strategic planning, and project management. She is an operations professional with a Master's degree focused in Development Economics and International Development from The Australian National University.

Dr. Neva Makgetla is a senior economist at TIPS. Makgetla has published widely on the South African economy and worked for many years in government.
 
Dr. Lunga Msengana is the PMU Head at TIPS. He is a Professional Engineering Technologist registered with Engineering Council of South Africa, he has worked as a technician, business analyst, engineer and project manager. He has had opportunities to work for Denel, Saab Tech, Molapo Technology, and Vodacom as well as more recently as Project Portfolio Manager for Eskom.

Rudi Dicks is the Head of the Project Management Office (PMO) in the Private Office of the President. He is responsible for supporting the implementation of the Presidential Jobs Summit Framework agreement, the President’s Youth Employment Initiative as well as unblocking rgulatory challenges that impact on employment and economic growth. His previous roles have been as Deputy-Director General at the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Executive Director of the National Labour and Economic Development Institute (NALEDI) which is the research arm of COSATU.

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) invites you to a hybrid Development Dialogue on South Africa in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): Impact and Renewal

Wednesday 26 June at 09:30 – 11:00 AM (SAST)

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

PRESENTATIONS

• Saul Levin (TIPS) – Presenting South Africa In AGOA: Impact, Potential and the Case for Renewal Paper by TIPS and COSATU
• Faizel Ismail (Director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance) – The Politics of Trade and South Africa

MEDIA

South Africa continues to push for long extension to Agoa well ahead of 2025 expiry - Polity 26 June 2024

Pictures

RESEARCH REPORT

SOUTH AFRICA IN AGOA: IMPACT, POTENTIAL AND THE CASE FOR RENEWAL

BACKGROUND

This Development Dialogue will unpack South Africa and the United States’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Since being signed into law in 2000 and subsequently renewed, the Act has offered preferential access to the US market for most African countries, including South Africa.

In 2022, preferential access under AGOA has according to a TIPS and Cosatu report helped South African exporters avoid US$116 million in tariffs. While these savings are relatively small compared to South Africa’s US$14,5 billion in total exports to the US, they nevertheless play an important role for key sectors such as automotives, petrochemicals, citrus, wine, and a range of others – with 59% of manufacturing exports and 75% of agricultural exports entering the US market on a preferential basis, AGOA gives South African exports a competitive edge.

Yet despite some positive impact of AGOA, the trade measure has often failed to live up to a core objective of driving the development in a diverse range of value-added exports from Sub-Saharan Africa, and supporting the creation of quality jobs in the region. While the market access offered by AGOA is beneficial, it remains difficult for many African countries to benefit from preferences that require strong existing productive capacity. These underlying challenges have been aggravated by continued uncertainty on the renewal of AGOA. .

With AGOA’s 2025 expiry and possible renewal close on the horizon, South Africa’s continuation in the programme has been questioned.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy. TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Nokwanda Maseko is a senior economist at TIPS. Her work is at the intersection of industrial policy, gender and the just transition. She previously worked as a Budget Analyst at the National Treasury, and as an Assistant Director for Industrial Policy at the Economic Development Department. 

Presenters

Saul Levin is the Executive Director of TIPS since 2014. He has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg, with his thesis on industrial financing. Saul has held senior posts in several government departments.

Faizel Ismail is the Director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance where he teaches courses on global governance, trade law and trade policy. He has a PhD in Politics from the University of Manchester. He previously served as the chairperson of the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC). He has served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the World Trade Organization (WTO) (2010-2014).

Tanya van Meelis is the Head of the Policy Unit and the Labour Market Policy Coordinator at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Tanya is an accomplished businesswoman and has served in various roles such as Chief Economist at the Economic Development Department and Acting Deputy Director General at the Transformation and Competition unit at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)

Malose Anthony Letsoalo currently serves as Chief Director: Bilateral Trade Relation – Rest of the World in the Trade Branch of the dtic. In this position, Malose is responsible for bilateral trade relations between South Africa and all foreign countries outside the African Continent, that is with Americans, Asia, Europe, and Middle East. Prior to this position, Malose served as Minister: Economic at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington DC.