A Year of Change, a Future of Purpose
This is the final edition of Stainless Magazine for 2025, marking the close of a year filled with unexpected developments within the Association, the industry, and the country at large.
At this time last year, we reflected on a busy 12 months that included our 60th Anniversary celebrations and the return of the Stainless Steel Awards. Now, as we look back on 2025, we recognise a year shaped by significant shifts, from major changes in global geopolitics and trade relationships to new challenges confronting local exporters who face growing uncertainty around existing and future markets.
Not all surprises were negative, however. We continued to enjoy relative stability in electricity supply and the welcome relief of South Africa’s removal from the so-called financial grey list. Typically, GDP growth slows in the latter half of the year, but 2025 brought a positive revision to growth forecasts. Still, we know that unless South Africa can consistently sustain growth above 3%, neither our economy, our industry, nor our people will experience the improvement we need.
When assessing the current state of the stainless steel industry, we must do so against the broader backdrop of the decades-long decline of the national steel industry, once a powerful pillar of South Africa’s economic development. Although it still employs close to 200 000 people and contributes around 1.5% to GDP, the sector has been weakened by years of deindustrialisation, declining production,job losses, and a steady erosion of competitiveness. This decline has not occurred by chance, but as the result of systemic policy failures, poor coordination, and inadequate implementation of recovery frameworks.
Strategic Direction Towards 2030
It became increasingly clear during 2025 that the steel industry is not recovering as intended under government’s 2021 Steel Master Plan. Recognising this and noting the Plan’s acknowledgment that the local stainless steel industry warrants its own dedicated strategy, Sassda has taken the initiative to develop a sector-specific strategic plan extending to 2030. This process is already underway and expected to be fully implemented within a year. While Sassda’s mandate remains unchanged, the 2030 Strategy will sharpen our focus on supporting current exporters and assisting members looking to enter global markets.
Given the limited size of the domestic market, growth at sustainable levels can only be achieved through export expansion. For this reason, Sassda has applied for registration as an official Export Council to secure full benefits for members. We have also invested in developing staff skills and capacity to provide enhanced support in areas such as weld inspection and ISO readiness. Combined with our strong technical expertise, these capabilities will reinforce Sassda’s consultancy offering as we move towards 2030.
With improved access to local and African market intelligence, we aim to position Sassda as the preferred source of stainless steel information in South Africa. The industry must be ready to seize the game-changing opportunities on the horizon, including those linked to South Africa’s recently published energy plan, which features a potential nuclear build. Localisation and innovation remain strong sources of optimism, particularly
as attention shifts to global markets. Most importantly, there is considerable scope for growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, the world’s largest developing market, right on our doorstep.
Celebrating progress and looking ahead
While these strategic developments have unfolded behind the scenes, 2025 was also an excellent year for our ongoing activities. Our four regional golf days have now become a firm tradition and were, once again, resounding successes. The Gauteng event even introduced a well-attended padel competition. Our digital presence continues to grow across social media platforms, and we have achieved solid exposure in mainstream industry publications. Sassda also represented members’ views effectively in the government’s investigation into import tariffs, demonstrating objectivity and ensuring that the full value chain was fairly represented throughout the process. This digital edition of Stainless Magazine is designed for easy reading anywhere, including over the December holidays. As always, it features the popular GPS Global Market Intelligence roundup, insights from a successful recent business breakfast, and updates on the Stainless Steel Master Plan. Our more technically minded readers will enjoy the articles on electropolishing and the circular economy, while an in-depth feature on Ethiopia as part of our African Market series may well challenge your perceptions about doing business on the continent.
With that, the Sassda team and I extend our heartfelt thanks for your loyal and energetic support throughout 2025. We wish you a restful and peaceful festive season, and a safe return in the new year to continue working with a material that remains, quite simply, brilliant!
Michel Basson, Sassda Executive Director