With the government pursuing a reindustrialisation agenda, Vice President Paul Mashatile has underlined to investors the importance of a strong partnership between government and business to drive economic growth, job creation and increased manufacturing and industrial activity.

Delivering a keynote address at the Gauteng Investment Conference 2026 (GIC 2026) in Johannesburg on Thursday, Mashatile said the government needs a solid partnership with businesses that invest in skills, support localisation, integrate small enterprises into value chains and commit to long-term resilience.

“Re-industrialization is a practical, visionary strategy. It recognizes that productive capacity is the foundation of sustained growth. It should result in technology-driven factories, expanded industrial production, revitalized industrial parks and special economic zones, strong local supply chains and decent jobs on a large scale.”

In the process, he said it is the responsibility of the government to de-risk investments through policy certainty, regulatory efficiency and better coordination across all sectors of the government.

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This involves crowdsourcing private capital with development finance institutions and commercial lenders while ensuring delivery, accountability and effective project tracking.

“Industrialization cannot happen without reliable energy, efficient logistics, water security and modern digital infrastructure. That is why the government continues to invest in stabilizing and expanding energy supplies, improving rail and port systems, and strengthening water and logistics infrastructure. These are the foundations of industrial growth,” he said.

Mashatile emphasized that the future of industrialization is as much digital as it is physical.

“Data centres, artificial intelligence, fintech, cloud infrastructure and digital public platforms are now the backbone of modern economies. Gauteng is uniquely positioned to lead in this area – and we must leverage this advantage to build globally competitive digital industries.

“Africa is resource rich but value-chain poor. We export raw materials and import finished goods. We are connected to global markets yet inadequately integrated within our own continent.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gives us a platform to change this – to create regional value chains, expand intra-African trade and drive industrialization at scale,” the Vice President said.

AfCFTA is a comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement that seeks to bring all 55 members of the African Union (AU) into a single and integrated market of US$1.4 billion with a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately US$3.4 trillion.

“Its success depends on improved cross-border infrastructure, lower trade barriers, aligned standards and stronger support for African businesses.

“Equally, industrialization does not happen without investment. Investment must translate into production. Production must translate into jobs. And jobs must translate into better livelihoods.”

He said, “Industrial development should not be exclusionary. It must open up opportunities for young people, township economies and small and emerging enterprises, ensuring that growth translates into shared prosperity. This is our moment, not to extract, not to import, but to produce, innovate and lead.”

To mobilize investment, advance industrialization and accelerate inclusive economic growth, the Gauteng Government brought together global investors, African governments, municipal leaders, development finance institutions, banks and the private sector under one roof at GIC 2026.