Industrial policy aims to promote diversification and tailor interventions to the needs of individual manufacturing industries. To support evidence-based policymaking, TIPS has completed a series of notes on the main manufacturing subsectors in South Africa. These briefing notes provide information on the contribution to the GDP, employment, profitability and assets, the market structure and dominant producers, major inputs and international trade. They bring together data from Statistics South Africa, Quantec and Who Owns Whom to provide a more detailed overview of each sector.

Industry Studies, linked below, are available for the following sectors: Automotive, Capital Goods, Clothing and Textiles,
Electrical Equipment, Electronics, Food Processing, Horticulture, Plastics, Steel, and Wood and Paper

Additional studies will be added when finalised

AUTOMOTIVE

Industry Study: Automotive Manufacturing 2023

Industry Study: Technological Change in South Africa’s Automotive Industry

Industry Study: International Trade in South Africa’s Automotive Industry 2024

Industry Study: Sustainability Report Automotive Industry

CAPITAL GOODS

Industry Study: Capital Goods in South Africa 2024

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Capital Goods Industry 2024

Industry Study: International Trends in the Capital Goods Industry 2024

Industry Study: Sustainability in the Capital Goods Industry 2025

CLOTHING AND TEXTILES

Industry Study: Clothing and Textiles 2024

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Clothing and Textile Industries

Industry Study: Clothing and Textiles International Trends 2024

Industry Study: Sustainability in the Clothing and Textile Industries 2025

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

Industry Study: Electrical Equipment 2023

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Electrical Equipment Industry

ELECTRONICS

Industry Studies Update: Electronics October 2025

Industry Study: Electronics Industry

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Electronics Industry

Industry Study: International Trade – Electronics Industry

Industry Study: Sustainability Report – Electronics Industry

FOOD PROCESSING

Industry Studies Update: Food Processing

Industry Study: Food Processing

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Food Processing Industry

Industry Study: International Trends – Food Processing

Industry study: Sustainability Report Food Processing

HORTICULTURE

Industry Study: Horticulture Value Chain 2024

Industry study: Technological Changes in the Horticulture Industry

Industry Study: International Trends in the Horticulture Industry

PLASTICS

Industry Study: Plastics 2024

Industry Study: South Africa’s International Trade in Plastics

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Plastics Industry 2024

Industry study: Sustainability Report Plastics Industry

STEEL

Industry Studies Update: Iron and Steel October 2025

Industry Study: Steel and Related Products

Industry Study: Technological Change in the Steel Industry

Industry study: International Trends in the Steel Industry

Industry Study: Sustainability in the Steel Industry

WOOD AND PAPER

Industry Studies Update: Wood and Paper October 2025

Request for Proposal to Convert the TIPS Manual Just Transition Project Evaluation Tool into a Real Time, On-line Digital Tool

TIPS is seeking a service provider to automate the existing framework evaluation process using a real time, online digital tool. The aim of the project is that anyone can input their project’s details online and receive a real time answer of whether their project qualifies as a just transition project or not.

For more information about the bid and details of how to apply download PDF or click here.

Closing date for bids: 20 August 2024

 Just Transition Project Tagging Tool (1st Iteration)*

To deliver just transition projects on the ground, South Africa needs to be able to ensure that just transition funding and financing starts flowing immediately and is credibly, consistently and transparently deployed. To facilitate this, TIPS has developed a tool using an evidence-based, iterative methodology which can tag (label) a project as: just transition, not just transition, or just transition plus.

A 1st iteration of the tool is presented in this paper.

*Note that the paper was previously called A Just Transition Transaction Framework: A Framework for Financing Investments in a Just Transition.

Download report or read online: Just Transition Project Tagging Tool (1st Iteration)

This report has been made possible by the support of the African Climate Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. 

Just Transition Project Tagging Tool (1st Iteration): An Application to Real World Projects

In this paper the 1st iteration of the tool is tested against real world projects. The tool underperforms and a 2nd iteration is proposed.

Download report or read online: Just Transition Project Tagging Tool (1st Iteration): An Application to Real World Projects

This report has been made possible by the support of the African Climate Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. 

Just Transition Project Tagging Tool (2st Iteration): A User's Guide

This paper provides a user’s guide to the tool’s 2nd iteration The guide allows all interested parties to apply the tool to potential just transition projects and see whether they would be tagged as just transition or not.

Download report or read online: Just Tansition Project Tagging Tool (2nd Iteration: A User's Guide

Launch: Just Transition Transaction Framework: A First Iteration - August 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/K-KNQjoEyPI

Presentation

A  Framework For Financing Investments in A Just Transition - Sandy Lowit, TIPS Research Fellow

Media

TIPS sets out to create a South Africa-focused Just Transition Transaction Framework - Engineering News 21 August 2023

PROJECT TO DEVELOP A CONTRIBUTION TO A JUST TRANSITION FINANCE ROADMAP

In 2021 TIPS embarked on a 12-month research project to contribute to a first iteration of a Just Transition Finance Roadmap. The project has approached just transition finance as a separate use of climate funds, with different challenges, metric and ambitions. Unlike mainstream just transition roadmap thinking, it adopts an action-based research approach, looking at place-based investment needs at a project level. The research aims to provide evidence of the characteristics of just transition projects in South Africa and hence their financing needs. A gap analysis is being undertaken to understand what will be required to systemically support just transition activities. The bottom-up approach aims to culminate in articulating the characteristics of a future financial ecosystem, which systemically supports mobilising appropriate, sustainable just transition finance aligned to government climate and social development policy. The roadmap suggests a short-term action agenda to begin such a journey.

TIPS received funding from the EU and GIZ through the SPIPA initiative, UK PACT, and the CDC Group to research and draft an initial Just Transition Finance Roadmap for South Africa. SPIPA is the Strategic Partnerships for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement. The CDC group is the UK government’s Development Finance Institution and is becoming British International Investment. UK PACT is the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions and is a donor funded programme of the UK Government.

RESEARCH AND REPORTS

A Just Transition finance roadmap for South Africa: A first iteration - Sandty Lowitt (TIPS)

A just transition finance roadmap aims to articulate a new end vision for the financial ecosystem which perfectly aligns lending and investment actions to idealised government environmental and social policies which support a net zero economy. Once a final vision is articulated, the roadmap provides routes and signposts to arrive at such a destination. This first iteration of a just transition finance roadmap for South Africa, is an initial attempt to understand the nature of the challenge of just transition finance in South Africa, what a system level change to the financial eco system could look like and an action agenda for the next four years to begin moving towards such a vision

Toward a contribution to a just transition finance roadmap in South Africa - Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)

This working paper begins the process of framing a just transition narrative in the context of the South African financial system.

Views from an Emerging Market: Characteristics of South African Just Transition projects and the challenges they raise for the local and international financial eco system - Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)

This paper briefly describes the project research completed and then focuses on the financing characteristics that high just transition ambition projects exhibit.

POLICY BRIEF

Toward a Just Transition Finance Roadmap for South Africa Action Agenda - Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)

This policy brief focuses on the action agenda of the first iteration of a just transition finance roadmap for South Africa. The policy brief considers possible actions and activities in terms of: public finance measures, policy and regulation; financial instruments; institutions and disclosure, monitoring and evaluation. A cross-cutting theme across these areas is the need for the financial ecosystem to begin experimenting so as to learn by doing. Creating an evidence base is crucial to support forthcoming policy discussions

PRESENTATION 

Understanding the demands a new financial eco system will need to meet - Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)

Roadmap progress report - presentation. 

EXPERT PAPERS

These expert think pieces were commissioned to support and inform the broader research and thinking of the drafting of a first iteration of a contribution to a  just transition finance roadmap for South Africa. The papers form part of the UK PACT funding.

Initial framework of social indicators for investments in a Just Transition - Synergy

TIPS Just Transition Finance Roadmap Workstream: Communication, awareness & outreach - Nicole Martens (Martens Impact Advisory)

Insights for South Africa's Just transition Finance Roadmap: Nexus of project needs and financing response - Chantal Naidoo (Rabia Transitions Initiative)

Scaling the Just Transition for community-based and community-placed projects - Fumani Mthembi (Knowledge Pele)

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH 

Finance and the Just Transition - Sandy Lowitt (TIPS)

This working paper, commissioned by Presidential Climate Commission, is part of a series that will provide an evidence-based foundation for a new Framework for a Just Transition.

WEBINAR 

The Just Transition - Insights into the financial roadmap 

recording here

Presentations

Media

Press release: Financing the Just Transition puts a spotlight on financial institutions

Article: Ramaphosa to chair inter-Ministerial committee to oversee R131bn just transition offer (Terence Creamer, Engineering News 25 November 2021)

Article: Just Transition: SA's battle for green power accreditation (Thuletho Zwane, City Press 28 November 2021)

SA-EU JUST TRANSITION FINANCING ROADMAP: TECHNICAL PEER-TO-PEER  COUNTERPART KNOWLEDGE SHARING -  A SERIES OF THREE WEBINARS

Funding for webinar series by GIZ, EU,  and GME

WEBINAR ONE

The role of DFIs (Development Finance Institutions) in deploying financing to Just Transition projects

recording here

Invitation

Post Event Report

WEBINAR TWO

Mobilising institutional investor flows to finance Just Transition activities

recording here

Invitation

Post Event Report

WEBINAR THREE

The challenges facing commercial and investment banks in funding a Just Transition

recording here

Invitation

Post Event Report

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is a multi-stakeholder body established by the President of the Republic of South Africa to advise on the country’s climate change response and pathways to a low-carbon climate-resilient economy and society. 

TIPS research for the PCC included the technical report:

Technical Report No. 1: A Review of local and international policy debates (Muhammel Patel)

Five working papers that provide an evidence-based foundation for a new Framework for a Just Transition - a practical guide to ensure that South Africa’s transition to a low-emissions economy is well-managed, just, and equitable. The Framework will also build on existing just transition debates in the country, the vision set out by the National Planning Commission, and a new series of thematic and social-partner consultations that will gather a diverse range of views on what it means to achieve a just transition.

Policy primers for a South African Just Transition framework (Gaylor Montmasson-Clair)

Unemployment and sustainable livelihoods: Just Transition interventions in the face of inequality (Nokwanda Maseko)

The Just Transition in coal (Neva Makgetla)

Finance and the Just Transition (Sandy Lowitt)

Governance and the Just Transition (Neva Makgetla)

The views expressed in the papers represent those of its authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the PCC or its Commissioners. 

Funding provided by the European Climate Foundation

This project for the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition involved a study on the alignment of the quality infrastructure/ technical infrastructure in South Africa. It included four case studies on the quality infrastructure (QI) in other countries: Australia, Brazil, Kenya and the Republic of Korea.

Quality Infrastructure in Australia

Quality Infrastructure in Brazil

Quality Infrastructure in Kenya

Quality infrastructure in the Republic of Korea

Opportunities to develop the lithium-ion battery value chain in South Africa

The world of mobility is rapidly changing. The market for electric vehicle (EVs), in all their forms, is growing exponentially. Combined with technological disruptions in the energy space, the rise of EVs puts battery technologies at the core of sustainable development. Multiple technologies and chemistries, with their respective advantages and shortcomings, are competing in a market currently dominated by lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Both South Africa’s government and industry have indicated their intention to position the local value chain as a key player in the mobility of the future. This is critical to ensure a just transition to e-mobility which would notably preserve, if not increase, job creation. Indeed, South Africa hosts a vibrant automotive manufacturing value chain. Like in the rest of the world, the domestic industry, however, produces internal combustion engine vehicles and components.

This research project explores the opportunities for South Africa to have a role in the LIB value chain. The main report and policy brief were prepared by TIPS on behalf of the Low Carbon Transport - South Africa (LCT-SA) Project. The project was initiated and funded by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). The TIPS team are: Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, Lesego Moshikaro and Lerato Monaisa. It was overseen by a Steering Committee comprised of Ashanti Mogosetsi (UNIDO), Marie Blanche Ting (UNIDO), Gerhard Fourie (Department of Trade, Industry and Competition – the dtic), Hiten Parmar (uYilo), Jenitha Badul (Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries – DEFF), Shahkira Parker (DEFF), Bopang Khutsoane (Department of Transport – DoT), Marleen Goudkamp (DoT), Minnesh Bipath (South African National Energy Development Institute – SANEDI), and Tebogo Snyer (SANEDI). Phillip Ninela (the dtic), Umeesha Naidoo (the dtic), and Mandisa Nkosi (UNIDO) acted as an internal technical task team.

Download Main Report or read report online

Download Policy Brief or read policy brief online

Media

Press release: Lithium-ion batteries offer an electrifying opportunity for South Africa

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), an economic policy research institute based in Pretoria, is conducting research with the Green Economy Coalition (www.greeneconomycoalition.org) aimed at better understanding the challenges faced by South Africa’s local green/social entrepreneurs.
 
TIPS is inviting all Green and Social Entrepreneurs/Small Businesses in South Africa to participate in an online survey. The information obtained will contribute to improving the understanding of the types of challenges faced by small businesses (particularly in terms of financial inclusion). It will help formulate policy recommendations in line with entrepreneurs’ needs.
 
If you identify yourself as a Green or Social Entrepreneur/Small Business, we would really value your insight. Click here to access the online survey link or copy and paste the link into your preferred Internet browser: https://forms.gle/tSEc8UA4QWaUuLVX8. You are also welcome to share the survey link with other entrepreneurs in your network. Subsequent dialogues and policy work will be informed by the outcomes of the survey. Participants will be invited to participate in the research feedback sessions.
 
The survey will close on 10 February 2021. Should you have any difficulties (such as Internet access or language) in filling in the survey, you are welcome to contact us for assistance at elize@tips.org.za or ntombi@tips.org.za.

Media release: Promoting green entrepreneurship - what are the stumbling blocks?

The National Climate Change Response White Paper requires the development of Sector Jobs Resilience Plans (SJRPs). These plans aim to protect vulnerable groups that may lose their jobs or livelihoods as a result of climate change impacts, related either to physical effects or to the transition to alternatives.The proposals for the SJRPs, and the evidence supporting them, are presented as a suite of related documents. These are a main report:  National Employment Vulnerability Assessment: Analysis of potential climate-change related impacts and vulnerable groups; the SJRP Toolbox: Summary for policy makers; and proposals for five value chains that seem particularly likely to be affected: coal, metals, petroleum-based transport, agriculture and tourism.

National Employment Vulnerability Assessment: Analysis of potential climate-change related impacts and vulnerable groups

The SJRP Toolbox: Summary for policy makers

Sector Jobs Resilience Plan: Coal value chain

Sector Jobs Resilience Plan: Metals value chain

Sector Jobs Resilience Plan: Petroleum-based transport value chain

Sector Jobs Resilience Plan: Agriculture value chain

Sector Jobs Resilience Plan: Tourism value chain

Research conducted by Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) for the Departments of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and Trade and Industry, and funded by GIZ.

TIPS research team: Neva Makgetla, Nokwanda Maseko, Gaylor Montmasson-Clair and Muhammed Patel.

This research project for the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition examines the vulnerability of South African trade to evolving climate change legislation. It aims to shed light on the trade-related risks faced by South Africa as a result of the global transition to a low-carbon economy. From a trade and industrial perspective, this transition has implications on the composition and dynamics of entire value chains. This concerns what inputs are accessed, the processes that underlie production, what goods and services are produced, as well as what happens to these products post-consumption. The research is available in a number of related documents.  A main report on The global climate change regime and its impacts on South Africa's trade and competitiveness: case studies on various sectors; detailed briefs that explore South Africa’s trade risks with different countries; and key data in Excel format. 

Main report

The global climate change regime and its impacts on South Africa's trade and competitiveness

Sector studies

Managing economic risks linked to climate change: Securing market access for South African wines

Green hydrogen: A potential export commodity in a new global marketplace

Country briefs

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with China

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with India

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with Japan

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with Russia

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with South Korea

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with the European Union

Climate change and trade risk: South Africa's trade with the United States of America

Climate change policy framework: key data (Excel spreadsheet)

South Africa: Climate change policy framework

China: Climate change policy framework

India: Climate change policy framework

Japan: Climate change policy framework

Russia: Climate change policy framework

South Korea: Climate change policy framework

European Union: Climate change policy framework

United States of America: Climate change policy famework

MEDIA

Press release: Green hydrogen - potential news export for South Africa

Engineering News 23 February 2021: TIPS research confirms business case for developing hydrogen economy

COVID-19 is having a massive disruptive effect on the local and global economy. Since the start of the outbreak, TIPS has prepared and commissioned a number of research reports and policy briefs on the economic impact of the pandemic, and is now producing a weekly Tracker on the economy and the pandemic. TIPS has also held seminars and participated in several panel discussions on the economic impact of COVID-19.

TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic

• 21 September - 4 October 2020
• 7 September - 20 September 2020
• 24 August - 6 September 2020
• 10 August - 23 August 2020
• 27 July - 9 August 2020
• 13 July - 26 July 2020
• 29 June - 12 July 2020
• Week 22-28 June 2020
• Week 15-21 June 2010
• Week 8-14 June 2020
• Week 1-7 June 2020
• Week 25-31 May 2020
• Week 18-24 May 2020
• Week 11-17 May 2020

Policy Briefs

• Towards a reconstruction programme
• A case for water and sanitation in South Africa's post-lockdown economic recovery stimulus package
• A case for renewable energy in South Africa’s post-lockdown economic recovery stimulus package
• Mapping the coverage of stimulus measures in response to COVID-19: What risks remain?
• Reopening the economy: Learning from success
• Macroeconomic response to COVID-19
• COVID-19 and Cape Town: What went wrong?
• Reopening the economy: Obstacles, opportunities and risks
• COVID-19: The South African steel industry
• COVID-19: The South African auto industry
• COVID-19 and small business support: South Africa needs a credit guarantee scheme
• The ratings downgrade
• COVID-19 and the economy: Lockdowns, recession and policy responses
• Coronavirus: impact of an economic slowdown in China on the South African economy

Working papers

• A case for water and sanitation in South Africa's post-lockdown economic recovery stimulus package

Media articles

• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 24 August 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 11 August 2020)
• What wine industry can do to keep its fizz amid rising threats (Business Day – 5 August 2020)
• There’s no turning back the clock after Covid – we need a reconstruction programme (Daily Maverick – 4 August 2020
• TIPS: Towards a reconstruction programme (Engineering News – 3 August 2020)
• Focus On Water Infrastructure Should Be Central To South Africa's COVID Recovery Strategy (OOSAKAnews – 29 July 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 28 July 2020)
• Grapes of wrath: South Africa could lose 90% of its wine producers due to Covid-19 ban, expert warns (News 24 – 23 July 2020)
• Covid-19 infrastructure response should focus on water and sanitation (Engineering News – 21 July 2020)
• Out-of-control Covid-19 harms economy more than restrictions (Business Day – 20 July 2020)
• TIPS Paper: A case for water and sanitation in South Africa’s post-lockdown economic recovery stimulus package (Engineering News – 17 July 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 13 July 2020)
• Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission seen as key to navigating South Africa’s ‘just transition’  (Engineering News – 7 July 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 30 June 2020)
• U-turn on lockdown will not free up the poor (Business Day – 22 June 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 22 June 2020)
• Pandemic dashes hopes for a domestic steel sector turnaround (Engineering News – 12 June 2020)
• Municipalities emerge from lockdown in poor health (Business Day – 8 June 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 8 June 2020)
• How Cape Town became SA’s Covid epicentre (Business Day – 28 May 2020)
• Why QE is the best way to fund stimulus needed to get SA through Covid-19 crisis (Business Day – 4 June 2020)
• Placing green stimulus at heart of South Africa’s postpandemic recovery would yield big co-benefits (Engineering News – 4 June 2020)
• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic (Engineering News – 1 June 2020)
• How a post-COVID-19 revival could kickstart Africa’s free trade area (The Conversation – 26 May 2020)
• We can go green if we don’t let the crisis go to waste (Business Day – 26 May 2020)
• Tips launches Covid-19 weekly monitor (Engineering News – 15 May 2020)
• With the right approach to easing lockdown, two-thirds of South Africans could go back to work (Business Day – 11 May 2020)
• 'We need level 2, fast' (Business Day – 10 May 2020)
• Western Cape Covid-19 infections out of control, warns economist (Times Live – 8 May 2020)
• Tips webinar hopes that Phase 3 holds more promise for economic recovery (Engineering News – 30 April 2020)
• Government should offer debt guarantees (Mail & Guardian – 16 April 2020)
• Risk-adjusted return to work a better idea than blunt limitations (Business Day – 27 April 2020)
• Even essential industries have suffered reduced demand (Engineering News – 24 April 2020)
• Steel industry in financial distress because of lockdown (Business Report – 19 April 2020)
• Organisation calls for govt assistance to ‘reshape’ steel industry post-lockdown (Engineering News – 17 April 2020)
• Risk-management techniques can help plot lockdown exit (Business Day – 13 April 2020)
• News Analysis: Lockdown decision is fraught with danger (Business Day – 9 April)
• Policy demands on South Africa ‘contradictory’ in the wake of downgrades (Engineering News – 8 April 2020)
• The Covid-19 crisis and the climate: A bittersweet moment (Daily Maverick – 3 April 2020)
• How we can make it easier to isolate in crowded communities (Business Day – 30 March 2020)
• Red tape is the biggest threat to coronavirus interventions (Business Day – 16 March 2020)
• Miners in South Africa face 'significant losses' (Mining journal – 16 March2020)
• Lasher lands multimillion-rand order as virus shutters China’s factories (Business Day – 11 March)
• Private sector weighed on by a weak economy and the coronavirus (Business Day – 4 March)
• South Africa miners face major losses if Covid-19 not contained (Mining Technology – 4 March 2020)
• Warning of ‘significant losses’ in South African mining industry if coronavirus outbreak is not contained soon (Mining Weekly – 3 March 2020)