AIDC-EC Showcases Eastern Cape Excellence at Africa Kaizen Annual Conference & Awards 2025 in South Africa
- AIDC Eastern Cape
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
The Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC) proudly joined leading organisations and policymakers at the Africa Kaizen Annual Conference and Awards (AKAC) 2025, held on 27 and 28 October at Birchwood Benoni in South Africa under the theme of advancing productivity, competitiveness, and continuous improvement across Africa. The core value of Kaizen centres around the adoption of an attitude to pursue advanced levels of productivity by all members of an organisation, and not just the application of its management method in isolation.
The 2025 conference drew a remarkable 490 participants from 35 countries, predominantly from across the African continent, The annual conference, co-hosted by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) brought together experts, government representatives, and industry leaders to share insights on how the Kaizen philosophy can drive economic transformation and industrial excellence on the continent.
For AIDC-EC, the Africa Kaizen Conference was more than a platform for discussion; it was a celebration of impact. Through the Quality and Productivity Improvement (QPI/Kaizen) Programme, implemented in collaboration with JICA and the dtic, AIDC-EC has equipped Eastern Cape automotive component suppliers with tools to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve overall competitiveness.
These initiatives have already yielded measurable results, as seen by their performance at the 46th Annual Productivity SA and Kaizen Awards. Three Eastern Cape-based enterprises mentored by AIDC-EC achieved national recognition:
Finke Plastics received the Bronze Award for Best Improvement in the Micro and Small Enterprises category, following Kaizen interventions led by Elmar Thiart, Cleaner Production Specialist at AIDC-EC.
Yenza Manufacturing earned the Silver Award in the same category, under the guidance of Myron Welman, Specialist: Rapid Process Improvement at AIDC-EC.
EE Quality Solutions also achieved recognition for its continuous improvement journey. Together, the three Eastern Cape companies earned four national awards, showcasing the work of the AIDC-EC and the province’s exceptional performance, reaffirming that Eastern Cape excellence continues to set international benchmarks in productivity and quality.
Beyond representing the Eastern Cape amongst its industry peers, the AIDC-EC’s support to the planning of the conference needs to be recognised. From inception, the AIDC-EC played a significant role in the plenary stages of the event, including managing live video streaming, developing the conference website, providing translation services (French and English), and delivering the interim conference summary, presented by Mr Rowan Govender.
In addition, Mr Ewald Meier, AIDC-EC’s Senior Manager: Quality and Productivity, contributed to the panel on “Kaizen and the Role of Public Sector Support in Strengthening SMEs.” Mr Meier noted, “We capacitated the representatives of public companies to understand the Kaizen Principles and out of 66 companies, we have capacitated the average rate of improvement is 63% across a broad spectrum of indicators, that include quality, inventory, lead time and efficiency.”
As an active National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN) partner, AIDC-EC continues to strengthen inter-organisational collaboration nationally, aligning with government priorities to enhance competitiveness through continuous improvement practices.
The conference also featured a keynote address by Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth, whose speech highlighted the policy and strategic implications for scaling Kaizen implementation in South Africa. Her remarks reinforced the government’s commitment to embedding productivity principles in industrial development frameworks and promoting Kaizen as a national competitiveness tool.
AIDC-EC continues to play a pivotal role in building continental Kaizen capacity through its collaboration with the Africa Kaizen Initiative’s Centres of Excellence (AKI-CoEs). By sharing expertise, mentoring other institutions, and contributing to regional knowledge exchange platforms, AIDC-EC supports Africa’s collective efforts to embed Kaizen as a tool for sustainable industrialisation and inclusive growth.
Panel discussions at the Africa Kaizen Annual Conference explored critical themes, including how Kaizen can foster global and continental value chains under a changing business environment and evidence-based policymaking and programme implementation. AIDC-EC’s participation in these dialogues underscores its role as both a regional catalyst and continental collaborator, advancing productivity-driven industrialisation across Africa while championing the Eastern Cape’s leadership in the automotive sector.
Through the QPI/Kaizen Project, AIDC-EC continues to strengthen partnerships between public institutions, development agencies, and the private sector, ensuring that Kaizen is not only taught but truly lived in the daily operations of local manufacturers.
As Africa embraces Kaizen as a model for sustainable development, AIDC-EC remains committed to deepening its capacity in the Eastern Cape, enabling enterprises to think smarter, work leaner, and compete worldwide, positioning the Eastern Cape as a benchmark for manufacturing excellence in South Africa and beyond.