How South Africa Killed Its Manufacturing Sector and Trapped Millions in Poverty

In this clip, Frans Cronje breaks down how South Africa lost its manufacturing base, with terrible consequences for the poor.

12 min

In this clip Frans Cronje traces the rise and fall of South Africa's industrial economy since the end of the Second World War. He shows how the manufacturing economy has seen its share of GDP halved since the 1970s and explains that the consequences have denied South Africa the most important social and economic bridge between rural poverty and an urban middle class future.

Related Videos

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

21.7.2026

Gabriel Makin

3 days ago

10 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

20.7.2026

Frans Cronje

4 days ago

6 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

20.7.2026

Frans Cronje

4 days ago

11 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

17.7.2026

Reine Opperman

7 days ago

4 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

16.7.2026

Warwick Grey

8 days ago

21 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

16.7.2026

Frans Cronje

8 days ago

3 min

Video

THE COMMON SENSE

-

15.7.2026

Helen Zille

9 days ago

13 min

WE MAKE SOUTH AFRICA MAKE SENSE.

HOME

OPINIONS

POLITICS

POLLS

GLOBAL

ECONOMICS

LIFE

SPORT

InstagramLinkedInXFacebook