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partnerships, shared intelligence, and the courage to invest in the future,” said Basson. Despite its challenges, South Africa’s stainless steel sector stands on the threshold of renewal. With global sustainability trends aligning with African industrialisation, and with coordinated action under Sassda’s Master Plan, the industry has an opportunity to reclaim its role as a cornerstone of modern manufacturing.
Governments from Angola to Côte d’Ivoire are now restricting raw exports and incentivising local production. “We’re seeing a clear shift from raw material extraction to value creation,” Bonnett said. Infrastructure, Energy, and Technology Africa’s infrastructure boom presents further opportunities. Major port, rail, and corridor projects, from the Lobito Atlantic Corridor to new east-west logistics routes are connecting inland resource hubs to global markets. Simultaneously, a wave of investment in energy projects, from renewables to nuclear, is driving demand for durable, corrosion-resistant materials. Bonnett highlighted that energy diversification, mixing fossil fuels, renewables, and circular systems, requires stainless steel in everything from pipelines and turbines to hydrogen storage. “The clean energy transition isn’t just about megawatts; it’s about materials. Stainless steel has a central role in that value chain.” ICT infrastructure is another fast-emerging segment. With data centre development accelerating across Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, stainless steel is being used in structural frameworks, cooling systems, and secure enclosures. Combined with growth in mining and local mineral processing, particularly for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, these trends are widening the continent’s industrial base. Trade and Market Access: The AfCFTA Advantage South Africa currently exports about R570-Billion in goods to Africa each year, mostly to SADC countries. Yet its presence in East and West Africa remains limited. Bonnett argued that this imbalance represents untapped potential, especially as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continues to reduce tariffs and streamline market access. “AfCFTA is not just a trade deal, it’s an industrial platform,” he said. “Once the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System come fully online, we’ll be able to transact in local currencies, reducing forex risk and opening new pathways for small and medium exporters.” He called for South African manufacturers to invest in compliance, logistics, and localised partnerships. “If we’re serious about regional integration, we must move from talking about Africa as a market to engaging it as a network,” Bonnett said. Collaboration as the Key to Competitiveness Both Basson and Bonnett emphasised that success will depend on collaboration across the value chain, from policymakers and producers to academia and end users. Innovation, cleaner technologies, and strategic advocacy must all converge if the sector is to thrive. “Industrial competitiveness isn’t built in isolation. It’s built through
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Issue 4 – 2025
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