Having evolved from the discovery of gold more than 100 years ago, the manufacturing sector has long been a crucial part of South Africa’s economy and the Gauteng province is working to ensure further development in the industry.
The manufacturing sector remains a critical component of the domestic economy, and in Gauteng alone it employs 600,000 people in over 9,000 enterprises. It is therefore one of the biggest employers in the province.
Manufacturing includes basic iron and steel, fabricated and metal products, food, machinery, electrical machinery, appliances and electrical supplies, vehicle parts and accessories, and chemical products
More recently however the provincial government has moved to try and re-align the manufacturing sector away from traditional heavy industry input markets and low value-added production towards sophisticated, high value-added production
Gauteng Advanced Manufacturing Sector Key Action Plan
With this in mind, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (DED) has been working on a new strategy agreed by the provincial government known as the Gauteng Advanced Manufacturing Sector key Action Plan (GAMSKAP).
The decision behind GAMSKAP was an undertaking made by the provincial government to make a special effort to focus on value-added and exports sectors, with the primary aim of diversifying Gauteng’s industrial base.
GAMSKAP’s main objective is to identify interventions that will enable the province to revitalize both the natural-resource based and advanced manufacturing growth in the province with a focus on integrating SMMEs.
Sectors identified under GAMSKAP are the following:
GAMSKAP investigates various issues including supplier development, technology, research & development, access to finance and skills transfer and policy matters.
Furthermore, GAMSKAP identifies ways to increase the share of high-value tradable manufactured goods through radical improvement of manufacturing capability, capacity, activities and exports in the province.
The Gauteng DED has established provincial-wide Manufacturing Sector Development Task Teams with a specific mandate of ensuring coordination of targeted interventions across the province to foster alignment of regional economic activities.
GAMSKAP is a vital programme that will encourage a cohesive approach across the province and help to build strong and innovative manufacturing capabilities in Gauteng.
For more information about GAMSKAP and the manufacturing sector in Gauteng, please contact the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (DED) directly:
Name: Fezile Ngqobe
Email: Fezile.Ngqobe@gauteng.gov.za
Tel: +27 11 355 8000
