STEEL INDUSTRY: Conducting your business with the DUTIES-SWORD hanging over your head (yet another testimony)

STEEL INDUSTRY
Conducting your business
WITH THE DUTIES-SWORD HANGING OVER YOUR HEAD

How does the import duties affect your business?
(click here to share your experience)
Below is another testimony from one of our members

Dear Gerhard

In 1995 my company employed … people in the manufacture of steel products, it closed because of trading conditions (including BBBEE issues). In 2018 my company employed … people. In 2020 we are down to … people and we are now more importers than manufacturers.

Today I am quoted on the import of one of the products that we manufacture (including shipping): R23 750.00. My material only price in South Africa is R23 926.00 (not including labour or overheads). The South African market is very small and getting smaller – we cannot even think of exporting which would create jobs for people. Instead, we talk of importing.

I believe the Government needs to change its policies. Import duties protect the inefficient local companies and make our product non-competitive on the international market which restricts the opportunity to export and stops job creation.

The Government needs to apply its funding where it will work for the benefit of the country – in this case we need to ensure that ISCOR – through government funding (if necessary) produces at below world prices.

Regards

We are all in this together.
Privileged and challenged to be South African.