The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has reiterated the importance of adhering to institutional and technical standards as a means of boosting localisation in South Africa.
In so doing, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) will improve to levels higher than the current 13%, a DTIC representative said on November 5.
Historically, South Africa’s manufacturing sector contributed more than 20% to GDP.
The DTIC’s localisation-focused webinar on November 5 aimed to educate consumers and manufacturers on the mandates of technical industrial institutions.
This forms part of supporting local production in South Africa, which the government has identified as a key policy objective to drive economic growth in the country.
Institutions participating in the dialogue comprised the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, the South African National Accreditation System, South Africa Bureau of Standards, as well as the National Metrology Institute of South Africa.
These institutions encourage the manufacturing of quality products, to be sold locally and internationally, and maintain a level of quality through various technical standards and requirements.
Together, these institutions unlock institutional capacity to drive industrial competitiveness and ensure the quality assurance of all locally manufactured goods.