Cape Town - South Africa launched a multi-billion rand incentive programme on Tuesday aimed at boosting the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector, where a global economic downturn and a volatile exchange rate have hurt exports.
Manufacturing contributes about 15% to gross domestic product but contracted during a recession in 2008/09 that slashed one million jobs, a fifth of them in the sector.
The three-year Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP) will offer grants worth R5.bn to companies that replace obsolete equipment, retain jobs and comply with a black economic empowerment drive among other criteria.
Economists doubt the effectiveness of such programmes especially after ruling African National Congress governments have spent billions of rands to train workers and improve competitiveness, only to see large sums laid to waste by corruption and as the ranks of unemployed swell.
South Africa has lost ground in several manufacturing sectors because of the high cost and low productivity of its workforce.The average South African factory worker makes about six times more than a Chinese factory worker and is less efficient, according to data from both governments.