THE Ekurhuleni Metro will host major manufacturing companies and industry leaders over three days in June.
Seeing that the country is celebrating youth month, the City of Ekurhuleni will hold an interactive Manufacturing Roundtable at Emperors Palace on June 19, acting as a precursor to the two-day Manufacturing Indaba Conference and Exhibition to be held from June 29 to 30.
The revitalisation of the manufacturing sector is vital for the city, as it is one of the metro’s flagship projects since the introduction of the Growth and Development Strategy 2055 (GDS 2055) which aims to develop Ekurhuleni into a Sustainable City by 2055.
Since manufacturing contributes about 15 per cent of the country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), it is therefore considered a fundamental in creating jobs in an economy where one in four people are unemployed, particularly the youth.
The Indaba – hosted by the metro in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, Manufacturing Circle, Deloitte and others – will bring together business owners, manufacturing leaders, government officials, capital providers and professional experts to deliberate on the challenges that must be addressed in order to enhance manufacturing competitiveness and in turn strengthen the GDP.
The threat of other emerging economies and cheap labour continue to threaten the growth and prosperity of the South African manufacturing sector and this is amongst the challenges that solutions will be sought at the Manufacturing Roundtable, Conference and Exhibition.
“The Manufacturing Indaba and Exhibition is one of government’s many efforts to help eliminate the obstacles that pose a challenge for local manufacturers to remain competitive,” said the metro’s spokesperson Themba Gadebe.
“The municipality comprehends that a Sustainable City can be achieved by ensuring that stakeholder engagement and participation remain central to the development and success of revitalising the manufacturing sector,” he concluded.
The Manufacturing Roundtable will be held at Emperors Palace on June 19, from 8am until 4.30pm.
The Indaba Conference and Exhibition will take place on June 29 and 30, from 8am until 5pm, at the same venue.
The public is welcome to attend the conference and exhibition, but should first register to get accreditation for access to the event.
For more information on the events, individuals and businesses may contact Edward Komane on 011-999-8128 or Edward.Komane@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
Alternatively, call Nolen Martin on 011-463-9184/ 082-359-8023 or send an email to nolene@manufacturingindaba.co.za.
The Manufacturing Indaba website can also be visited at www.manufacturingindaba.co.za.
