At a local Cape Town factory this week, James Vos, the City’s Mayco member for economic growth, unveiled the draft Manufacturing Support Policy, setting out a refreshed approach to attracting investment, supporting manufacturers, and creating jobs in the metro.
The policy builds on the 2018 Investment Incentives Policy but shifts the focus toward non-financial support and practical facilitation that investors say matters most.
“Cape Town is open for business,” Alderman Vos said. “Our Investment Facilitation Branch has been working to cut red tape and fast-track approvals. This new policy takes the next step by giving businesses the tools and support they need to grow and hire locally.”
While the 2018 incentives successfully drew investment, they were costly and sometimes led to limited job creation. Businesses told the City that faster approvals, guidance on permits, and hands-on facilitation were the support mechanisms they valued most.
Non-financial assistance
The draft Manufacturing Support Policy proposes to expand support to all 33 industrial areas in Cape Town to promote balanced growth.
It will prioritise non-financial assistance, including streamlined approvals and active investment facilitation, and focus on creating sustainable jobs.
Furthermore it proposes the introduction of financial measures where they deliver real value, such as development application fee waivers, as well as offering a generic Environmental Management Programme for Atlantis-based projects requiring biodiversity offsets.
“This is a practical, cost-effective, and jobs-focused policy,” Vos said. “It strengthens Cape Town’s competitiveness as a manufacturing hub while helping local residents access meaningful work.”
The draft policy is open for public comment until 3 December 2025.
