Contributed by MEMSA, SAMPEC and MMP
In an era defined by energy transition, digitalisation and rising ESG expectations, the mining sector must embrace the truth behind the 2026 Mining Indaba theme: “Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships”. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Africa’s mining equipment manufacturing and mineral-processing equipment industries, where industry-led clusters Mining Equipment Manufacturers of SA (MEMSA) and SA Minerals Processing Equipment Cluster (SAMPEC) are forging vital partnerships among manufacturers, miners, government, research institutions and communities.
Supplied by MEMSA and SAMPEC
“The mining and minerals-processing sector of South Africa stands at a crossroads, to remain a raw-material exporter or beneficiate. But beneficiation has proven to be unviable for South Africa, despite huge effort and investment. Instead, we must build a capital-goods and component-manufacturing capability that delivers value, reduces supply chain risk to the mines, creates jobs and boosts export growth and industrial localisation. Achieving the latter requires more than individual companies going it alone. It demands networks and collaboration of key stakeholders, aligned incentives, technology transfer, skills development and a supply-chain development mindset,” says Freddy Mugeri, founding member of MEMSA and newly appointed HPE CEO. The success of South Africa’s equipment manufacturers depends on strong connections with local mining operators, component suppliers, R&D organisations, policymakers, financiers and export markets. The “Stronger Together” message captures this reality, progress in mining manufacturing happens through partnerships, not competition.
Now entering its tenth year, MEMSA was established as a non-profit cluster with support from the Department of Trade, Industry and
Competition (dtic). Its vision is to position South African mining capital goods, components, and products as cost-competitive, innovative, and transformative – the preferred choice locally and globally.
While MEMSA focuses on capital equipment for mining operations, SAMPEC launched in 2014 under the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) targets the downstream mineral-processing equipment and broader value chain, from EPCM companies to logistics providers.
SAMPEC is a strong advocator for local procurement, industrial incentives and skills alignment to sustain growth and job creation in the sector. Through collective R&D, best-practice sharing, and pooled resources, SAMPEC strengthens the competitiveness of South African firms globally.
The cluster model is deliberate; both MEMSA and SAMPEC’s shared ethos of collaboration, co-creation and co-opetition recognises that members are stronger when they network, share knowledge and co-ordinate efforts. It is against this backdrop that both clusters work closely with the Mandela Mining Precinct (MMP) to facilitate local technology development and production.
The MMP drives research, development and innovation (RDI) and facilitates mining modernisation efforts for the local mining industry in line with the South African Mining Extraction RDI (SAMERDI) strategy to ensure the sustainability of the industry, while the clusters focus on commercial and industrial outcomes; strengthening manufacturing capacity, reducing total cost of ownership for local mines, opening export markets and supporting re-industrialisation.
From inception, the relationship between the MMP and the clusters has been collaborative. The launch of the MMP included MEMSA participation, symbolising a co-ordinated national effort to modernise the mining value chain and support job-creating industrial activity. Both MEMSA and SAMPEC established offices at Carlow Road, Johannesburg, reinforcing day-to-day co-operation.
“Rebuilding an industrialised, technology-driven mining sector depends on collaboration at every level,” notes Julie Courtnage, executive director of the MMP. Where the MMP convenes government, research institutions, universities and mining houses to translate technical research into field-ready solutions, the clusters connect OEMs with procurement opportunities, standards initiatives, supplier development programmes and market access pathways, thereby ensuring that locally developed technology becomes commercially viable.
This collaboration manifests in joint initiatives such as capability mapping and technology readiness profiling. The Mining Technology Availability and Readiness Atlas (MiningTARA), for example, connects research outcomes with local manufacturers and enables mines to identify South African suppliers easily.
MiningTARA’s searchable database reduces information barriers and enhances uptake of home-grown innovations.
Through shared exhibitions, forums and innovation showcases, the MMP and clusters align research priorities with market needs, creating spaces where researchers, buyers and suppliers meet.
Tangible results include the establishment of test infrastructure such as the former Maseve Test Mine, providing a model for validating equipment and accelerating commercial adoption.
Equally important is policy alignment, bringing together government, research institutions and industry around co- ordinated objectives for domestic equipment development. The result is a maturing innovation ecosystem where knowledge, testing and manufacturing are increasingly integrated. Both the clusters and the MMP leverage wider networks to amplify their reach. The MMP serves as a convening vehicle jointly funded by the dtic, and Minerals Council South Africa. It conducts research through various research partners, including universities and science councils, and actively engages experts in the private and public sector. The MMP also maintains strong relationships with MEMSA, Coaltech, the MHSC, HSRC, MQA and other mining- related organisations. MEMSA and SAMPEC, meanwhile work with the national, regional and global agencies such as the dtic,
Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), North West Development Corporation, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre and the SA-Peru Chamber (SAPCHAM) to open pathways for policy support, funding and export facilitation.
Persistent challenges, such as reducing the total cost of ownership of local equipment and ensuring RDI outcomes translate into mine- ready products, underscore the need for continued co-ordination. In this ecosystem, the MMP provides co-ordinated RDI and testbeds, while the clusters supply supplier networks and market readiness. Together, they create a seamless pipeline from laboratory to market adoption, supporting South Africa’s localisation, modernisation and industrialisation goals for a sustained and competitive machinery manufacture industry.
Progress in mining manufacturing happens through partnerships, not competition.
“Innovation is at the heart of this co-opetition. Industry clusters provide frameworks where manufacturers, mines, and researchers co-develop new technologies”, according to Sue Breckenridge Marketing and Communications consultant to the clusters. “MEMSA’s Innovation for Mining Awards highlight outstanding home-grown innovations demonstrating how South African design and ingenuity make mining safer, more productive, and sustainable”.
Another pillar of collaboration is skills development. MEMSA works closely with merSETA, PtSA, universities and training authorities to ensure curricula align with Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies and mining equipment needs. MEMSA’s Mind Shift Conference convenes thought leaders to discuss digital readiness, workforce transformation and future skills requirements ensuring local manufacturers keep pace with global trends.
Market access is another key outcome of collaboration. Both clusters provide members with access to trade missions, exhibitions and export-promotion initiatives, be it self-funded or arranged by the dtic, thereby leveraging collective marketing to reduce costs and enhance visibility. Smaller firms benefit from association with the clusters’ broader networks, enabling them to engage with major buyers and participate in international markets.
One of the most tangible contributions of MEMSA and SAMPEC is their drive for local content and beneficiation. Cluster membership criteria emphasise significant local content, ongoing RDI and transformation commitments. SAMPEC’s focus on import replacement ensures collaboration between mines, OEMs and component suppliers to retain value within South Africa, building resilience against global supply chain shocks
Increased local manufacturing capacity translates into more jobs, higher skills levels, and stronger national industrial linkages. Equipment co-developed with local mines is fit-for-purpose, environmentally efficient and aligned with modern mining’s social governance expectations. Through these partnerships, the sector becomes a circular ecosystem linking mining, manufacturing, research and trade – not a collection of isolated players.
The 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba theme underscores that no single stakeholder can drive transformation alone. Government cannot mandate localisation without viable manufacturers; manufacturers need market access; mines require R&D and skills partnerships; and research needs industry uptake. Clusters like MEMSA and SAMPEC bridge these divides.
As South Africa’s mining ecosystem faces the dual challenges of decarbonisation and digital transformation, collaboration becomes non-negotiable. MEMSA and SAMPEC embody “Stronger Together” in action creating a cohesive, resilient and competitive supply chain that delivers industrialisation, job creation and sustainable growth.
“When manufacturers scale, when mines adopt local innovations, when skills pipelines expand, and when export markets open, that is partnership in motion”, states MEMSA Interim CEO, Juliana Makapan. “MEMSA and SAMPEC are not just participants in this journey; they are architects of it”.
In the years ahead, as Africa’s mining landscape continues to evolve, South Africa’s collaborative cluster model offers a clear message: progress through partnership is not optional – it is essential.