[Question] What is wrong with our manufacturing sector?

[Blurock]

From the Frontier Forum

Despite having the strongest manufacturing base in the region and strong demand for manufactured goods in African economies, South Africa’s manufacturing sector continues to underperform. Ongoing strife between labour and investors in the country’s manufacturing sector – particularly the metal industry – has only served to highlight how divergent the future vision for manufacturing is in South Africa. According to the World Bank, South Africa’s manufacturing value add as a percentage is now down to 12% of GDP – the lowest amongst all the BRICS countries. What is to be done to fix manufacturing in South Africa? What are the views of industry, government and labour and how can these be reconciled?

What are your views? What can we do to improve?

[roryf]

Relaxing the Labour Laws and not giving the unions as much power.I am able to grow my manufacturing business if I wanted to and employ more people but I am VERY reluctant at the moment.I would rather automate more for now and grow at a slower rate.

Land claims are also affecting my business as farmers are very wary of growing their farms.SA needs to create some stability wrt to land claims so that our farmers can farm and not stress.

These would be factors that impact on my business directly.

[desA]

SA needs new ideas.

[Justloadit]

Hire and fire with out recourse. Far too many slapgats in positions which are not productive.

[Blurock]

What about innovation? Are we still developing new ideas that can make a change? Where is the next Pratley Putty, or Creepy Crawley?

[adrianh]

Innovation doesn't get lazy ass workers to work or care.

[Blurock]

Innovation doesn't get lazy ass workers to work or care.

Can you find an innovative way to motivate them? Don't we do need innovation to move forward? Innovative designs, products, working methods etc to get ahead in the game. How innovative are you in your designs - where do you get your inspiration from?

[adrianh]

It is not about being ahead of the game. The most important thing that this country needs is sustainability. I am not only referring to the green movement but also to the longevity of business.

Design inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere, it is something that happens subconsciously when you have lots of dots that your mind can choose from to connect. Innovation and inspiration starts off with a thirst for knowledge and understanding of how the world works, be it scientifically or anything else. Thinking outside of the box is absurd if you have nothing to think about. There is a school of thought that seems to believe that you can learn to think outside the box by merely reading a self help book, the world does not work this way. No matter how much a layman reads about how a brain surgeon thinks it will not make them a great brain surgeon. People want to reap rewards without putting any effort in. They've been trained to think this way because of instant gratification brought about by credit, get the BMW today and pay for it later, get given the degree today and learn how to apply it later, get the inspiration today and learn about the world tomorrow....

People need to get off their lazy asses, they need to educate themselves and create their own sustained livelihood...One of my Zim employees sings in a choir and travels all over with the choir, another is doing matric this year and the third is busy with second year though Unisa...yet my white South African employee sits on his ass, has 5 garnishing orders, comes in late to work most of the time, owes me 12 days in annual leave, calls in sick nearly every Monday and does not bother to complete work that I give him to do at home to enable him to dig himself out of his financial hole.... It all goes back to locus of control, my Zim employees take responsibility for their own lives and the other one sits back and wants everybody else to wipe his butt for him!

[desA]

It all goes back to locus of control, my Zim employees take responsibility for their own lives and the other one sits back and wants everybody else to wipe his butt for him!

Develop a new range of easywipe toilet paper for the lad.

[adrianh]

Develop a new range of easywipe toilet paper for the lad.

Made from barbed wire!