CAPE TOWN – The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU), an affiliate of global workers’ rights organisation IndustriALL, has welcomed the country’s decision to offer duty-free imports on woven fabrics, and describes it as a “breakthrough that will save garment and textile jobs”.
The rate of unemployment has worsened quarter by quarter in the African nation, accelerated by COVID-19, with garment manufacturing one of the hardest hit sectors.
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa, said: “We commend SACTWU for consistently fighting for agreements that are beneficial to workers. The garment and textile sector value chain is key to South Africa’s industrialisation and the creation of decent jobs.”
