Manufacturing Indaba roadshow opens in Durban in September

It will host manufacturing experts, who will address the province’s delegates, meet with the private sector manufacturers and discuss opportunities and challenges related to the province’s manufacturing industries.

With high-level government and industry role-players speaking at the conference, the programme is tailored to meet the needs of the province’s manufacturing businesses. In addition, the event will host over 20 manufacturing companies that will be exhibiting their products and services to the delegates in attendance, with a focus on expansion and access to new markets.

KwaZulu-Natal's manufacturing sector is the second largest in the country, following Gauteng. The sector is geared for exports, with nearly a third of South Africa's manufactured exports being produced in KwaZulu-Natal. The diversified nature of its exports is significant and the sector generates 20% of provincial employment. The largest manufacturing industries are the automobile and components sector, pulp & paper products, chemicals & petrochemicals, and food & beverages. The mining sector, which includes titanium dioxide, zircon along with iron, steel and ferroalloys, is particularly important.