
In The News
See how local and national media are covering LSF’s impact on South African manufacturing.

ET Retail
Shein and Temu outpace global retail giants in South Africa's fashion market
Shein and Temu, the China-founded e-commerce giants, have rapidly gained a significant foothold in South Africa's retail market, capturing 3.6% of the CTFL sector and generating 7.3 billion rand in sales by 2024. Their aggressive pricing and strategic marketing, initially aided by tax loopholes, have disrupted the local retail landscape
6 August 2025 at 10:37:00

IoL
Shein, Temu could cost economy R6.2bn by 2030 as offshore retailers disrupt SA job market
Between 2020 and 2024 alone, Shein and Temu captured approximately 3.6% of the total market share at a remarkable pace, outstripping traditional local retailers who took years to achieve similar penetration.
6 August 2025 at 10:00:00

Reuters
Shein and Temu outpace global retail giants in South Africa's fashion market
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 5 (Reuters) - China-founded e-commerce retailers Shein and Temu have captured a combined 3.6% share of South Africa's retail, clothing, textile, footwear and leather (CTFL) market, accounting for 7.3 billion rand ($405 million) in sales in 2024, a report showed on Tuesday.
5 August 2025 at 16:22:00

ET Brand Equity
Shein and Temu outpace global retail giants in South Africa's fashion market
Shein and Temu, the China-founded e-commerce giants, have rapidly gained a significant foothold in South Africa's retail market, capturing 3.6% of the CTFL sector and generating 7.3 billion rand in sales by 2024. Their aggressive pricing and strategic marketing, initially aided by tax loopholes, have disrupted the local retail landscape
6 August 2025 at 09:20:00

Tech in Asia
Shein, Temu outpace global rivals in South African fashion market
Shein and Temu have together secured a 3.6% share of South Africa’s retail, clothing, textile, footwear, and leather market, generating 7.3 billion rand (US$408 million) in sales in 2024, according to a report by the Localisation Support Fund.
5 August 2025 at 10:00:00

SABC News
Offshore Online Platforms | The playing field is not level: Simon Eppel
The rise in offshore e-commerce retailers like Temu and Shein has come at a significant cost to the local economy. A research report, commissioned by the Localisation Support Fund, has revealed that the online Chinese retailers collectively achieved approximately R7.3 billion in sales from South African consumers. The sites attract customers with ultra-low prices on goods, while also including free shipping, making the buys even better value. While price conscious customers may benefit, the shift in spending is contributing to job losses in South Africa
5 August 2025 at 19:10:00

SABC News
Chinese retailers collectively achieved approximately R7.3 billion in sales from South African consumers in 2024.
[WATCH] A research report commissioned by the Localisation Support Fund has revealed that the online Chinese retailers collectively achieved approximately R7.3 billion in sales from South African consumers in 2024.
5 August 2025 at 15:40:00

Engineering News
Localisation Support Fund supports local clothing, textiles businesses.
With the local retail-clothing, textile, footwear and leather (R-CTFL) sector accounting for about 14% of South Africa’s manufacturing employment, nonprofit company the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) has implemented interventions to help increase local manufacturing revenue and capacity in the sector.
20 August 2024 at 22:00:00

Crown Publications
Opportunity to localise some components in the Transmission and Distribution value chains
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.
28 September 2023 at 22:00:00

Bizcommunity
There's opportunity to localise components in the T&D value chains
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.
27 September 2023 at 22:00:00

Proudly South African
Access to Support & Industry-Focused Research within the Local Manufacturing Sector
Localisation Support Fund (LSF) partnered with Proudly South African in an insightful and informative webinar where the importance of localisation within the manufacturing sector was explored. The LSF shared about how it supports the sector through industry-focused research and the deployment of technical expertise.
4 September 2023 at 22:00:00

South African Labour News
Manufacturing still shedding jobs due to power outages, weak demand and rising input costs.
Business Times reports that employment in SA is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, but the manufacturing sector, faced with load-shedding, weak demand, rising costs and poor municipal services, continues to shed jobs.
20 August 2023 at 22:00:00

IOL
Public-private partnership launches R340m Localisation Support Fund
In a bid to assist manufacturers to increase their capacity and improve their competitiveness, the private sector in partnership with Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel launched the Localisation Support Fund (LSF) yesterday.
9 May 2023 at 22:00:00

Creamer Media's Engineering News
Private sector injects R340m in support of South Africa’s localisation drive.
A new public-private initiative has been launched in an effort to support the growth and development of South Africa’s manufacturing sector, whose recovery from the Covid lockdowns is currently being undermined by intense daily loadshedding.
8 May 2023 at 22:00:00