Public urged to give input on draft City Manufacturing Support Policy
23 October 2025
Capetonians are invited to provide their input on the City’s draft Manufacturing Support Policy, which aims to build on the measures outlined in the 2018 policy.
‘Cape Town is open for business. Since the establishment of our dedicated Investment Facilitation Branch within the Economic Development and Investment Department, we have worked continuously to cut red tape for companies, speed up approvals, and showcase the opportunities in our city. This new policy is the next step in making Cape Town the easiest and most attractive place to do business in South Africa,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
The 2018 Investment Incentives Policy proved to be quite valuable and combined financial and non-financial incentives to stimulate economic growth. While uptake was strong in the manufacturing sector, other targeted industries such as film, IT, and business services showed limited interest. In addition, the large-scale financial incentives proved costly and, in some cases, were used by firms to expand existing operations without creating significant new jobs.
In reviewing the policy, the City found that non-financial incentives, such as streamlined approvals and hands-on facilitation, were most prised by investors. With a revised focus on supporting the manufacturing industry, the draft policy is looking to:
Extend support across all 33 industrial areas in the metro, ensuring that opportunities are more evenly spread.
Prioritise non-financial support, including faster approvals, help with permits, and active investment facilitation.
Target job creation
Introduce smaller, strategic financial elements only where they add the most value i.e. development application fee waivers (full exemption of land use, building plan and wayleave application fees).
Offer a Generic Environmental Management Programme (GEMP) available for development projects within the Atlantis urban area that require biodiversity offsets for their Environmental Authorisations.
‘This is a simpler, smarter, and more cost-effective policy. It positions Cape Town as a globally competitive destination for manufacturing investment. Most importantly, it is jobs-focused. By offering the kind of support that businesses really need, we are building a platform for sustainable growth,’ said Alderman Vos.
The draft Manufacturing Support Policy is currently out for public participation until 3 December 2025.
‘This is not a static tool. it will continue to evolve with investor needs and global competition, but always with one mission in mind: creating more jobs and opportunities for Capetonians,’ said Alderman Vos.
How to Have Your Say capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Have-your-say/Issues-open-for-public-comment/draft-manufactur,’ing-support-policy .
Online
Submit your comments online.
Email
Email your comments to Investment.Facilitation@capetown.gov.za .
Delivery
Deliver your written comments to the address below:
For attention: Christopher Hewett
Economic Development and Investment Department
12th Floor, Tower Block
Civic Centre
12 Hertzog Boulevard
Cape Town
8000
Telephone
Call 021 444 7691 between 08:00 and 16:30 on weekdays to submit your verbal comments.
Caption: Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, visiting a clothing factory.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
