South Africa Steel Market

South Africa Steel Market Overview:

The South Africa steel market size reached USD 6.82 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, the market is expected to reach USD 9.48 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.35% during 2025-2033. Infrastructure growth, industrialization, and rising demand from important industries like construction and automotive are some of the drivers propelling the market. Government regulations, international investments, and the transition to sustainable steel production also boost the market's expansion and increase South Africa market share.

South Africa Steel Market Trends:

Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure development is one of the primary drivers of the South African steel market's growth. The country's growing emphasis on large infrastructure projects, such roads, bridges, and trains, particularly in the construction and transportation sectors, is driving up demand for steel products. The government's infrastructure expenditure under the National Development Plan (NDP) has spurred a number of development projects, which calls for a significant supply of steel. The rising demand for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings brought on by urbanization in South Africa's major cities further increases the use of steel. As South Africa focuses on infrastructure development and economic recovery, it is expected that steel demand would rise in sectors such residential, commercial, and industrial construction, increasing the competitiveness and market share of the country's steel industry. For example, in May 2025, the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) recommended that South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) put safeguard charges on imports of hot-rolled steel. The taxes, which begin at 13% in the first year, are intended to shield domestic industries—which are essential to infrastructure projects—from the import boom, which Itac claims is seriously harming the regional steel industry.

Automotive Industry Growth

The expansion of the South Africa steel market growth has been significantly influenced by the automotive industry. Major international automakers including BMW, Toyota, and Volkswagen operate in South Africa, making it one of the continent's most significant automotive production hubs. For the construction of vehicles, these firms need high-quality steel materials, especially for the chassis, body structures, and automotive parts. The need for sophisticated steel materials that meet lightweight, high-strength standards has increased due to the move towards electric vehicles (EVs) and more environmentally friendly automotive solutions. South Africa's steel market share is growing as a result of the automobile industry's increasing demand for steel, which is fueled by both domestic production and export needs. For instance, in November 2024, Scaw Metals produced its first hot-rolled coil at its new R5-Billion Germiston mill in South Africa. This marks a significant milestone for the country's steel industry, reintroducing competition into the flat-steel market. The expansion, which increases production capacity to 750,000 tons per year, is expected to replace about R4 billion worth of steel imports annually. The project also supports South Africa’s manufacturing sector by providing steel for downstream manufacturing industries, including automotive component production.

South Africa Steel Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and provincial levels for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on type, product, and application.

Type Insights:

• Flat Steel
• Long Steel

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the type. This includes flat steel and long steel.

Product Insights:

• Structural Steel
• Prestressing Steel
• Bright Steel
• Welding Wire and Rod
• Iron Steel Wire
• Ropes
• Braids

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the product have also been provided in the report. This includes structural steel, prestressing steel, bright steel, welding wire and rod, iron steel wire, ropes, and braids.

Application Insights:

• Building and Construction
• Electrical Appliances
• Metal Products
• Automotive
• Transportation
• Mechanical Equipment
• Domestic Appliances

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the application. This includes building and construction, electrical appliances, metal products, automotive, transportation, mechanical equipment, and domestic appliances.

Provincial Insights:

• Gauteng
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Western Cape
• Mpumalanga
• Eastern Cape
• Others

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and others.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

South Africa Steel Market News:

• In May 2025, South Africa’s CSIR begun pilot-scale production of high-quality 316L stainless steel powder for 3D printing, previously reliant on imports. Using a new ultrasonic atomiser, the CSIR aims to localise and boost the additive manufacturing (AM) industry. This development supports job creation, industrial growth, and technological advancement.
• In March 2025, ArcelorMittal South Africa postponed the closure of two steel mills after securing a 1.683 Billion-Rand ($91 Million) loan from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). The loan will help delay the closure of the Newcastle and Vereeniging mills, safeguarding 3,500 jobs. The government also promised to address issues like cheap imports, high energy costs, and regulatory challenges.

South Africa Steel Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the South Africa steel market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the South Africa steel market on the basis of type?
• What is the breakup of the South Africa steel market on the basis of product?
• What is the breakup of the South Africa steel market on the basis of application?
• What is the breakup of the South Africa steel market on the basis of province?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the South Africa steel market? 
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the South Africa steel market?
• What is the structure of the South Africa steel market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the South Africa steel market? 

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC’s industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the South Africa steel market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the South Africa steel market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the South Africa steel industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.