Deputy Minister Steenhuisen Highlights Municipal Infrastructure as Hurdle to South Africa’s Manufacturing Growth BODY: Johannesburg, South Africa – Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, John Steenhuisen, has flagged municipal infrastructure as a significant impediment to the growth of South Africa’s manufacturing sector. During a discussion at the Manufacturing Indaba 2026, Steenhuisen emphasized the need for improved infrastructure following the national government’s success in stabilizing electricity supply. He noted that despite this progress, municipal-level challenges such as electricity and water outages are throttling the manufacturing process.
Steenhuisen called for interventions by the National Treasury to ensure that municipalities invest in and maintain critical infrastructure.
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of harbours and ports, emphasizing that functioning ports and logistics are crucial for enhancing trade and logistics within the continent. Steenhuisen advocated for the development of corridors within the continent to facilitate the movement of goods and services.
The event, held at the Sandton Convention Centre, also discussed the impact of soaring electricity costs and the influx of imports on South African manufacturers.
A call for the country to produce more goods for export, reindustrialize, and create factory jobs has grown louder. Steenhuisen suggested that strengthening localization would reduce South Africa’s dependence on imported manufactured goods, which can be buffeted by international events, as seen during the recent Middle East conflict.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: enca
Source: Zandile.Khumalo
