Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau tabled the department’s Annual Performance Plan in Parliament, outlining plans to revitalise industrial parks, expand Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and strengthen investment promotion as government seeks to translate improving economic conditions into sustained job creation and more inclusive growth.

Tau told lawmakers that DTIC planning has taken account of external shocks affecting the economy, including the impact of United States tariffs and the economic knock-on effects of global conflicts. Tau said DTIC intends to implement industrial policy more aggressively and engage Parliament on areas identified for improvement.

The job targets, however, have drawn mixed reactions from analysts and business group representatives.

Gideon Joubert, Spokesperson for Free SA, said job creation linked to SEZ activity does not appear overly ambitious in absolute numbers, but warned that SA’s long-running de-industrialisation trend poses a serious constraint. Joubert pointed to job losses and risks in sectors such as smelting, petroleum refining and manufacturing, including parts of the automotive value chain, arguing that reversing decline will require more than incremental interventions.

Investment analyst Jamiel Carim, Head of Investment at Africa International Advisors, said higher investment levels will depend on stronger reform to reduce the cost of doing business. Carim described SA as highly regulated and said policy uncertainty around regulation and property rights discourages some forms of investment. Carim also highlighted infrastructure decay and safety concerns as major barriers, citing challenges across roads, rail, ports and airports.

–ChannelAfrica–