Rising cement imports threaten South Africa’s local manufacturers, PPC warns
South African cement manufacturer PPC has warned that rising cement imports could put further pressure on local producers, potentially undermining domestic production and investment. The post Rising cement imports threaten South Africa’s local manufacturers, PPC warns appeared first on Nairametrics .
South African cement manufacturer PPC has expressed concern that growing imports of cement could negatively impact domestic producers. In a statement on September 29, 2026, PPC CEO Matias Cardarelli warned that an increase in cement imports could force local manufacturers to relocate production and investment to neighboring countries, potentially undermining the industry.
This comes as PPC faces weaker demand and competition from imports, particularly from Mozambique and Vietnam. According to PPC, continued growth in imports could make local cement manufacturing less commercially sustainable, prompting the company to consider relocating operations to more favorable conditions outside of South Africa.
The report also revealed that PPC has experienced weaker cement sales volumes in its South Africa and Botswana operations over the past five months, attributed to factors such as high diesel costs, weak demand, and aggressive price discounting by competitors. Despite previous government efforts to shield local manufacturers from cheaper imports, such as the 2022 request to commit to no price increases in exchange for safeguard action against imports from China and Vietnam, doubts remain about the effectiveness of these measures.
Recently, Dangote Cement's South African subsidiary, Sephaku Cement, joined other local producers in seeking protection from cheaper imports after the South African trade regulator found prima facie evidence of dumping from Mozambique and Vietnam. The investigation into this alleged dumping may lead to further trade measures to address the impact on South African manufacturers.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is also investigating potential price manipulation in its cement industry, examining market conditions in comparison to those of South Africa and other African countries. While the Nigerian case focuses on pricing and competition, PPC's warning specifically addresses the broader issue of imported cement and its potential consequences for local production and investment.
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