The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has invested more than 150 million rand in the Glodina manufacturing company at Hammersdale, west of Durban. This is in partnership with the provincial Economic Development and Tourism department.
The company recently experienced financial difficulties and over 500 workers lost their jobs.
The new partnership will see more jobs created.
43-year-old Monica Peterson, from Hammersdale in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, is a mother of four children.
She is the only breadwinner. Peterson has struggled to make ends meet since the company closed shop in 2017.
She is part of 500 people, who lost their jobs, when the company went through financial difficulties.
“I am a single parent and I have children that go to school and it has affected me especially the school fees. But since the company has opened again I am very happy as I have five children and two of them are at high school and other one are still in primary.”
Tholani Miya also lost her job when the company closed operations last year. Life hasn’t been easy for the mother of three, who also supports her extended family members.
“It was very hard for me as we did not have even money to buy clothes for my children especially during Christmas time. Even now we have not planned anything for next year.”
The intervention by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, together with the IDC, has restored hope to Peterson and Miya.
IDC has injected 150 million rand in manufacturing towels. The investment has saved 138 jobs and the number will increase to over 500 next year.
Those who were retrenched will be prioritised. The area in the Durban and Pietermaritzburg corridor has seen massive job losses.
The closure of Rainbow Chicken left more 2 000 people jobless.
The Glodina investment will bring much needed relief to the many jobless people in the area.
MEC Sihle Zikalala says the investment will improve economic growth and protect locally produced goods.
“What is important for the government is to make sure that cheap imports that come from other countries are stopped and we are not calling for regionalism but we are calling for proper supervision and ensuring that we enforce laws so that people don’t bring things here illegally.”
IDC CEO, Jeffrey Qhena says they have invested almost six billion rand in five years in different companies in KwaZulu-Natal, including the textile sector.
Ethekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede has also called for the creation of job opportunities to alleviate joblessness, especially among the youth.
Despite the provincial government ‘s attempts to address joblessness ,unemployment remains high a mammoth task for all concerned.
#sabckzn #SABCNews Kwazulu-Natal Economic Development Mec Sihle Zikalala announces government rescue plan at Glodina manufacturing company innHammersdale west of Durban. @SolangeMthembu pic.twitter.com/HkqMrN9wBc
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) November 6, 2018
