South Africa currently produces approximately 78 000 tonnes of PVC pipes annually – of which 72% are used in high-pressure markets and 28% in non-pressure markets.
48 000 tonnes of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes are produced each year in this country, of which 84% are used in the pressure-pipes market, 4% in the non-pressure market and 12% in the telecommunications market.

Although pipelines fulfill very important tasks, it is easy to forget about them because they are mostly hidden from view – that is until a failure occurs somewhere upstream and you end up with no water supply at your home. Before long, the sewage line is blocked, tempers flare and the inconvenience of the situation is acutely felt by everybody affected. Unfortunately, many South Africans have come to experience this scenario firsthand in recent months as water outages hit various large metros around the country, including Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Mogale City,” says Jan Venter, Chief Executive Officer of SAPPMA.