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Most workers in textile industry hail from rural areas - Report
08 Jul '11
2 min read
A report on Unfair Labour Practices in the Textile Industry prepared by the Swaziland's Ministry of Labour and Social Security Portfolio Committee has been tabled before the country's Parliament.
The report states that around 15,000 people in the country are employed in the textile industry, with the majority of them hailing from rural areas.
Members of Parliament voiced queries regarding the alleged abuse that existed in the domestic textile firms, majority of them located in Matsapha Industrial Site and new ones coming up in other parts of the country.
According to the report, people from Nhlangano have been benefited the most due to setting up of textile plants in their area by several firms including the leading employer Zheng Yong Factory and FTM Garments. Texray, Knitwear, Juris Manufacturers and Tuntex are some other firms that have set up their factories in the region.
Phiwayinkhosi Ginindza, Chief Executive Officer of Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) stated that most of the people employed in the textile industries belong to rural areas and are relatively unskilled. He added that the industries pick some of the unskilled workers and then train them.
He further said that SIPA managed to achieve 90 percent of its last year's target of creating a minimum of 5,000 jobs. Nonetheless, while new job opportunities were coming up, several job opportunities were lost due to closure of some of the factories. Ample Clothing at Matsanjeni was closed down as it failed to comply with the norms of Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).
SIPA said that in spite of its close monitoring of all investments, at times it becomes impossible to save the firms from closure. However, SIPA is actively making efforts to revive the closed factory at Matsanjeni, according to the report.
The report states that SIPA first tried to help the present investor to restart the closed factory, failing which the Authority is now trying to get new investors to restart the factory.
The report states that around 15,000 people in the country are employed in the textile industry, with the majority of them hailing from rural areas.
Members of Parliament voiced queries regarding the alleged abuse that existed in the domestic textile firms, majority of them located in Matsapha Industrial Site and new ones coming up in other parts of the country.
According to the report, people from Nhlangano have been benefited the most due to setting up of textile plants in their area by several firms including the leading employer Zheng Yong Factory and FTM Garments. Texray, Knitwear, Juris Manufacturers and Tuntex are some other firms that have set up their factories in the region.
Phiwayinkhosi Ginindza, Chief Executive Officer of Swaziland Investment Promotion Authority (SIPA) stated that most of the people employed in the textile industries belong to rural areas and are relatively unskilled. He added that the industries pick some of the unskilled workers and then train them.
He further said that SIPA managed to achieve 90 percent of its last year's target of creating a minimum of 5,000 jobs. Nonetheless, while new job opportunities were coming up, several job opportunities were lost due to closure of some of the factories. Ample Clothing at Matsanjeni was closed down as it failed to comply with the norms of Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).
SIPA said that in spite of its close monitoring of all investments, at times it becomes impossible to save the firms from closure. However, SIPA is actively making efforts to revive the closed factory at Matsanjeni, according to the report.
The report states that SIPA first tried to help the present investor to restart the closed factory, failing which the Authority is now trying to get new investors to restart the factory.
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