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Trade and Industry

Trade and Industry (63)

Industrial policy forms the core of TIPS’s work. In this context, TIPS supports the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), the Departmenet of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and several other departments and stakeholders with targeted studies to support policy development for industrial and trade policy as well as manufacturing growth.

TIPS undertakes research, among others, into national and regional sectors, value chains and clusters; the impact of state and private institutions on manufacturing  growth and diversification; the barriers to entry to small and medium enterprise in manufacturing; the extent and nature of innovation; and the impact of manufacturing on broader economic growth and development, income distribution and job creation.

Trade research has also been an important research area of TIPS since its establishment.  TIPS has looked at many different aspects of international trade, including country studies, trade policy, export development and the relationship between trade and industrial policy. 

See past projects

11 September 2025

The AfCFTA: From negotiations to implementation - A developmental regionalism approach

  • Year 2025
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Professor Faizel Ismail
  • Countries and Regions Africa
How can the cotton, textiles and apparel regional value chain drive the implementations of the AfCFTA? The key message of this paper is that the AfCFTA should be implemented in a manner that addresses the existing asymmetries between the member states and the need for all members to benefit from…
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Published in Trade and Industry
20 July 2025

Development of the cosmetics sector strategy in South Africa

  • Year 2025
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Pundy Pillay and Sakhile Ndlovu
The aims of this study were to review current policies and initiatives in the cosmetics sector, including funding support; developing a cosmetic sector strategy over the short- and long-terms; and defining funding and technical models to support the implementation of the strategy. It comprises a brief literature review, analysis of the…
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Published in Trade and Industry
20 July 2025

Summary Report of the Feasibility Study on the Promotion of Use of Timber in Construction

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Enterprises University of Pretoria (Pty) Ltd
This report is a summary of a feasibility study that explores the potential of promoting timber in South African construction by addressing challenges and leveraging benefits. It emphasises capacity building and demand creation deliverables to unlock timber’s environmental, economic, and social benefits in various construction industries. The study was prepared…
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Published in Trade and Industry
28 January 2025

Options for localising steel inputs for the infrastructure build programme

  • Year 2025
  • Author(s) Dr Neva Makgetla
The steel value chain has been in a long-term downturn since the mid-2000s. Only the mini mills, which produce long steel, and parts of downstream manufacturing have grown. The new public infrastructure build programme, especially for electricity and rail, should support recovery by boosting domestic demand. It may, however, just…
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Published in Trade and Industry
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09 December 2024

Evaluation of the industry/sector master plan process

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Dr Neva Makgetla
  • Countries and Regions South Africa
This research evaluates the progress and outcomes to date from the master plan approach to industrial policy, which was initiated in 2019. To that end, a main report analyses the 10 master plans published as of December 2023 using the theory of change methodology: the automotive industry; poultry sector; retail, clothing,…
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Published in Trade and Industry
30 November 2024

Draft of the South African Medical Devices Masterplan – Value Chain 2024

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Liako Mofo, Gillian Chigumira, Wendy Nyakabawo
  • Countries and Regions South Africa
The medical devices sector in South Africa is characterised by its complexity and diversity, involving numerous products, companies, and rapid innovation cycles. This sector, despite not being a major employment generator, plays a crucial role in healthcare delivery and offers significant growth potential through both local manufacturing and international investments.…
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Published in Trade and Industry
14 October 2024

Options for long steel: An evaluation

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Neva Makgetla
  • Countries and Regions South Africa
In late 2023, ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) announced it would close down its long steel unit, including its mill at Newcastle, unless government, its workers and its customers increased their support. In early July 2024, it said it would delay the closure depending, again, on greater support from stakeholders. This…
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Published in Trade and Industry
01 October 2024

South Africa's petrochemicals and basic chemicals in the context of South Africa's energy transition: Sasol's Secunda coal-to-chemicals-and-liquids facility

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Dr Roderick Crompton; Dr Bruce Young, and Tristan Hahn
  • Countries and Regions South Africa
The central question of this paper and policy brief is: what is the future of the South African petrochemicals and plastics, ammonia, fertiliser, explosives and other chemical value chains of the Secunda petrochemical complex in the light of Sasol’s stated greenhouse gas emission reduction plans and other assessed business constraints? Given…
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Published in Trade and Industry
23 May 2024

Supply security issues pertaining to the designation and exemption of the South African petroleum industry (SAPIA) from the Competition Act

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation the dtic and TIPS
  • Author(s) Deyar Natha and Zavareh Rustomjee
Participants in the petroleum industry value chain, represented by the South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA), are currently granted exemption from the Competition Act largely on the basis of ensuring security of supply of petroleum products. This exemption was invoked in 2002 for 18 months to ensure fuel supply security…
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Published in Trade and Industry
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02 May 2024

Electrical Equipment Regional Value Chain Between South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe 2024

  • Year 2024
  • Organisation TIPS
  • Author(s) Lucas Mthembu (TIPS) Masana Baloyi (TIPS)
  • Countries and Regions Southern African Development Community (SADC)
The demand for electricity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is anticipated to double from 280 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2010 to 570 TWh by 2030. By extension, the region will require significant amounts of electrical equipment, which includes items that are used for generation, conversion, transmission, supply,…
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Published in Trade and Industry
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