Approximately 2 200 jobs in South Africa’s cement industry are at risk due to imports, with cheaper imported cement pricing up to 40% lower than locally produced cement. The report, titled “The socio-economic impact of substituting local cement production with cement imports,” was commissioned by PPC and conducted by the Centre for African Management and Markets (Camm). The report highlights that imports from Namibia and Mozambique, along with threats from Pakistan, pose a significant challenge to the domestic cement industry. Panellists suggested that the government consider temporary customs tariffs on imports to level the playing field. The potential impact includes job losses and an annual economic value loss of around R2.6 billion.
