The Southern Africa Stain-less Steel Development Association (Sassda) is aligning is activities with government’s newly launched Industrial Policy Action Plan, or Ipap2.

Sassda communications specialist Yumna Emeran says that the association’s most immediate project is its jewellery and arts and crafts project, which is being pursued in conjunction with the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Cape Craft Design Institute, in Hermanus. She explains that the project aims to integrate stainless steel with uniquely African materials, such as abalone shells, and other precious and nonprecious gemstones.

A total of 13 third-year Cape Peninsula University of Technology and eight third-year fine arts sculpture students from the University of Stellenbosch 
will participate.

The project kicks off in early April when all participants will be put through a basic stainless steel training course. Armed with this knowledge, these artists will partner with the Overstrand community and work with the existing wire and beading 
crafters. Downstream value 
opportunities are apparent with the need to develop distribution and logistical channels.

Emeran says that the project is currently in its early stages, as the business plan for the project must still be finalised and put forward for funding, but there have been discussions with relevant stakeholders and a lot of interest has been shown.

Another initiative is the Tea-spoon Project, which, with the necessary support, could get off the ground fairly soon. There is no need for significant investment 
and the technology used to manufacture spoons already exists. 
Emeran says that the production process is relatively labour intensive, but there will be opportunities for downstream employment.

The Gauteng provincial government and the City of Johan-nesburg have expressed interest in participating in this project. Sassda will bring in the National Tooling Initiative to assist by 
developing the tooling for making the teaspoons.

“The project is in the research and development phase and early indications show that it is pos-
sible to manufacture teaspoons at a cost less than the imported product. A project like this one will create jobs. The first step in this project will be to focus on teaspoons and later move into other forms of cutlery,” says Emeran.

Sassda is intent on developing stainless steel in the green sector by promoting stainless steel solar water heaters. She says that Sassda is trying to ensure that the one-million solar water geysers that the Department of Energy and the Department of Trade and Industry are hoping will be produced and installed in South Africa by 2014 can be used as a localisation opporunity for stainless steel manufacturers.

The industry feels that the market is not sustainable without the support of the relevant legislation and building regulations. She says 
that, owing to the extremes in temperature, as well as variable cor-
rosive environments, some
imported products will fail 
prematurely.

Manufacturing stainless steel solar water geysers would also provide plumbing, welding, electrical, tooling, maintenance and repair job opportunities.

“Sassda welcomes the Ipap2 
initiative and will do everything in its power to contribute to the creation of sustainable enterprises,”
concludes Emeran.