Remove red tape, say South Africa’s shoemakers
The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, said doing business locally must be prioritised so investors will view the sector as lucrative.
She said: “If we do not support and manufacture our products in the country we have nothing to offer to our neighbours and the rest of the world.
“We need to mobilise the whole sector and have a frank conversation about steps that need to be taken to revive and rebuild to even make it more lucrative, like it was in the past.”
The executive director of the South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (SAFLEC), Narisha Jairaj, said the council has over 200 members of which 86% are Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and previously disadvantaged individual companies.
She said: “We hope to engage other government departments to find common ground for best use of resources for maximum benefit to small businesses. And also, to work towards eradicating the red tape that still impacts our sector in a negative way.”
She asked the government to give more attention to the handbag and leathergoods sector, which has suffered as a result of covid-19.
Image: Leather boots from South African brand Tsonga
