Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau says the expansion project to build Africa’s first end-to-end multi-vaccine manufacturing site at South Africa’s Biovac plant in Cape Town can play a major role in growing the economy.

The expansion was announced after Biovac secured a financing package of around R1.8 billion from various international stakeholders last month.

This will advance self-reliance in vaccine production for South Africa and the African continent after huge gaps were identified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tau was speaking during a sod-turning ceremony for the new facility at Biovac’s site in Cape Town.

“ These are certainly high-end jobs that we are talking about. These are researchers, these are chemists, these are engineers that participate in the research and development processes of vaccines and pharmaceutical products, and I think it’s important for the growth of South Africa’s economy. We have prioritised the pharmaceutical sector as an important focus area for the country.”

The Biovac facility expansion is partnership in action.

It is about delivering for the people of South Africa, creating innovative industry and creating jobs. pic.twitter.com/JCB6o67E1T

— Parks Tau (@TauParks) May 25, 2026

Today we turned the soil on a new world class vaccine manufacturing expansion at The Biovac Institute.

This will be the first end-to-end vaccine facility that will export to the African Continent and to the world.

We are creating high end jobs and advanced capabilities in SA pic.twitter.com/t0zdB2Vnog

— Parks Tau (@TauParks) May 25, 2026

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