South Africa’s Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, says government is permanently seized with the important goal of creating more Black Industrialists in the country.
Gina was addressing the opening of the Lighthouse Footwear and Leather Factory in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal.
The factory was recently renovated through the assistance of the Department of Trade Industry and Competition’s Clothing, Textiles Footwear and Leather Growth Programme (CTFLGP), with funding to the tune of R5 million.
Gina said the factory is an example of how government is using pillars of the Retail-Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather (R-CTFL) Masterplan to create more Black Industrialists, who will help to change the economic fortunes of the country.
“This is but one of those success stories for Black Industrialists. We are building from the bottom up. With the correct strategies and support in place, Lighthouse Footwear and Leather is capable of sustaining itself in the long-term.
“I believe the company is destined for massive growth and modest market share to compete at the same scale as the big sector players. Commodities such as footwear do not reach a sell-by-date, as shoe makers keep on modifying with trends to gain market relevance at all times,” Gina said.
She explained that the main objective of the R-CTFL Masteplan is to deal with all the challenges that have led to the decline of the sector and put it on a growth path.
“All signatories to the Masterplan have agreed that there should be an increase in the market share of procurement by 65% from local CTFL manufacturers to raise job creation by 2030. This local procurement share increase will translate into a real increase of R250 billion by 2030.
“If we succeed in this 65% target by 2030 for both clothing and textile on the one hand and, footwear and leather on the other, this will translate into 333 000 new workers employed in the sector,” Gina said.
She said it is important that South African consumers are always alert to the call to support locally produced products.
“We have partnered with Proudly SA to promote Buy Local campaigns, including marketing the “Made in SA” label… to educate South Africans that it is more cool to buy a local brand of clothes and shoes than to buy foreign, expensive brands.
“Consciously and intentionally buying locally made products grows the economy, It creates jobs and strengthens industrialisation.”
Source: Nam News Network (NNN)