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Proudly South African Campaign 'Can Aid Ailing Sector'

Published date:
Wednesday, 14 September 2005

The Proudly South African campaign could help save SA's troubled clothing and textile industry, the body's acting CEO, Herbert Mkhize, told the Johannesburg Press Club yesterday.

The local industry has taken strain from the influx of cheaper Chinese imports.

Last year the industry shed more than 16000 jobs. According to the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union, about 4000 jobs were lost in the first three months of this year.

Mkhize, who is also the executive director of the National Economic Development and Labour Council, said yesterday the campaign could stimulate growth in the industry, which he said was "in a state of paralysis".

The industry's problems were compounded by leading retailers' decisions to import garments from China while local manufacturers battled to survive.

Mkhize said Proudly South African had identified other industries, which he said had potential to create jobs.

These, he said, included the information and communication technology sector and government.

He said procurement in government had to be consistent with the objectives of the campaign.

Mkhize cited the decision by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council to buy buses from Brazil "when they could have bought those locally".



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