Media Statements

South African clothing, textile, footwear and leather (CTFL) manufacturers could gain an additional R5.11 billion a year in local sourcing revenue, adding R7.16 billion to GDP and supporting around 51 684 direct and multiplier jobs, if local content requirements already set out in policy are more fully applied in practice. 

The Localisation Support Fund (LSF) has published new research on South Africa’s sorghum price forecasting and bioethanol market, which reveals that the country could unlock significant economic value by building a domestic bioethanol industry using locally grown sorghum and sugarcane.

The Localisation Support Fund (LSF) today released the findings of a comprehensive feasibility study confirming that the rapidly expanding regional market for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is creating the commercial foundation needed to support domestic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell manufacturing in South Africa.

A domestic industrial hemp market opportunity valued at R40 billion by 2040 is within South Africa's reach - but only with the right industry development and policy support. That is the headline finding of a landmark industrialisation study published today by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF), in partnership with the Presidency, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). 

With the right industry development and policy support, an additional 81 million garments per annum could be sourced by South African retailers from local garment manufacturers by 2030. This is according to a comprehensive feasibility study report published today by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF). Achieving this could increase local sourcing by 20%, add nearly R8 billion in annual manufacturing output, and create up to 34,000 jobs.

The global market for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) is projected to experience rapid growth in the coming years, driven by the growing need for Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) to support renewable energy integration and the accelerating shift towards net-zero targets. This is according to a new study commissioned by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF).

South Africa’s furniture industry has received a major boost with leading furniture retailer Coricraft now producing an increasing variety of upholstered seating locally at its Epping facility in Cape Town. This milestone, supported by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF), demonstrates how local production can protect and grow jobs, reduce reliance on imports, and lay the foundation for a more competitive domestic supply chain.

Over 34 000 clothing retail and manufacturing jobs could be displaced in South Africa by 2030 if offshore e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu continue to gain market share. This is according to a new study commissioned by the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) and conducted by BMA in support of the Retail-Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather (R-CTFL) Masterplan.

Against the backdrop of escalating load shedding and substantial backup power expenses, the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) has released a comprehensive report that analyses the local manufacturing capacity for essential components for three primary renewable energy technologies, namely: Solar PV, Wind, and Battery energy storage systems. The report is aimed at supporting the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) process.

South Africa - Today the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) released a report on the findings of a study on the Value Chain Mapping of the South African transmission and Distribution Networks and the allocation of the South African Manufacturing Capability to the Value Chain Elements, which highlights anticipated growth in the electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) value chain; and opportunities for localisation within the T&D value chain.

Over the years, South Africa's manufacturing sector has undergone a significant decline. The sector's contribution to the country's GDP has dropped from a peak of 24% in 1981 to just under 14% (13.7%) in 2022 (Stats SA). The manufacturing sector’s contribution has not recovered since the global economic crisis of 2008 when its contribution to GDP was 16%. To date, the sector contributes 13%, on average.