PPC has urged South Africa’s government to investigate “cement dumping” by countries such as Vietnam. It believes that the survival of the local cement industry may be under threat if the practice is left unchecked.

PPC CEO Roland van Wijnen said that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition should also consider broad import tariffs for cement to avoid new countries dumping cement and filling the void left by countries that have been subject to new dumping tariffs.

“There will always be a country that will have a surplus of cement available. This targeting of one country [with tariffs] does not really help. We need to come with a solution that stops this movement broadly from one country to another of surplus cheap cement,” said Mr Van Wijnen.

Imports account for approximately 10 per cent of cement sales in South Africa.