What’s the plan?

Restricted imports of Chinese textiles and clothing are meant to revive the local textiles and clothing manufacturing sector.  But what exactly are South African companies up against?  China employees more than 19-million people in the clothing and textiles sector, which also supports more than a 100-million farmers.

Chinese workers do not have the same rights as South African workers.  But China has managed to lift more than 300-million people out of abject poverty over the past 25 years. Average personal income has increased by 8 times during the same period.  And then there are the factories.  Modern, high-tech and in production 24-hours a day.

Against this backdrop, producer John Bailey and cameraman Byron Taylor ask: What’s the plan to revitalise South Africa’s clothing and textile industry.  

Just a little different…

He’s a drummer, a fire-fighter and a policeman.  He’s 13-year old Johan Coetzee of East-Londen in the Eastern Cape.  Johan is also one of only 5-thousand South Africans diagnosed with Williams syndrome.   Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes medical and developmental problems.

Children with Williams syndrome share characteristics such as an elfin like face, a friendly outgoing personality and a love of music.  But they often suffer from heart and blood vessel problems, dental and kidney abnormalities, and learning disabilities.

In Stellenbosch in the Western Cape 17-year old Grant September also invited the Fokus camera into a day in his life.  Grant attends a private school for special needs children where two teachers look after a class of ten children.

Thousands of disabled children never get to go to school and government says it simply can’t afford separate schools for special needs children.  Will children like Johan and Grant receive the special care, love and patience they deserve in main stream schools? 

Producer Keith Sayster and cameraman Denis Goddard investigate.