Union’s plan to boost clothing sector

The SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union has called for a new 6-point-5 billion rands growth plan for the local industry to create employment and save thousands of clothing and textile jobs. Sactwu head Ebrahim Patel says government and the private sector should fund the plan, with government committing a minimum of 3 billion rands and companies providing the balance. Patel has called for a partnership between labour, government and business to refocus the industry on a new growth path. The union wants all government procurement to be from local companies, and they have also called on retailers to support the industry with local sourcing.