R46 million invested into Newcastle's clothing and textile industry

In a move that promises to bolster economic growth and create thousands of jobs, an investment of R46 million is being injected into Newcastle for the construction of the Madadeni Clothing and Textile Industrial Hub.

According to the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), this ambitious project aims to revitalise the clothing and textile sector, turning it into a thriving hub for production.

The ground breaking ceremony and site visit for the Madadeni Clothing and Textile Industrial Hub took place on Tuesday, 24 October 2023, and was attended by dignitaries such as the MEC for KZN EDTEA, MEC Siboniso Duma, who also leads the Government Business in the region.

“As part of our efforts aimed at rebuilding our economy and to create jobs, today we will be slowly realizing our long held vision of the establishment of a Clothing and Textile Industrial Hub in Amajuba District Municipality,” explained MEC Duma. Furthermore, he highlighted that government officials closely monitored the construction of the Madadeni Clothing and Textile Industrial Hub throughout the greater part of Tuesday.

Situated in Madadeni on a 10.7-hectare piece of land along Yellow Street, Ithala Industrial Estate, this R46 million strategic asset is expected to generate approximately 4,500 jobs upon its completion. Notably, MEC Duma pointed out that 100 workers from the local community have already been employed for the project, and the government plans to create more than 1,000 jobs during the construction of Phase 1 of this strategic asset.

Reflecting on the significance of the project, MEC Duma stressed, “With Ithala Development Finance Corporation acting as an Implementing Agent, through the Madadeni Clothing and Textile Hub, we aim to establish a Textile Belt along the N3 and N2 corridors. The Textile Belt will integrate all projects along these corridors and optimally share existing resources.”

The corridor is set to connect Newcastle with Ladysmith, Mooi River, Pietermaritzburg, Hammersdale, Durban, Dube Trade Port, Isithebe, and finally, Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ).

Additionally, MEC Duma emphasised the potential of the clothing and textile sector, pointing out that South Africans spent more than R180 billion on clothing and textiles in 2017 alone. Therefore, the KZN EDTEA aims to position KwaZulu-Natal as a preferred supplier of clothing items to major retail chains across the country and neighbouring nations.

“To achieve this, we are radically intervening by assisting small players with technical expertise, advisory services, mentorship, administrative support, and providing access to cutting edge technology,” he stated.

The EDTEA has already provided assistance to more than 100 Clothing and Textile Small Enterprises in various parts of the province.

Some of these enterprises have received training in garment design and different fashion categories, including skills such as Drawing and Illustration, Basic Fashion Photography, and Creative Computing.

MEC Duma concluded by emphasising the importance of their mission: “Our view is that as elected public representatives, we have a responsibility to produce creators of wealth and jobs for millions of people in the townships and rural areas.

Crucially, MEC Duma acknowledged the invaluable support from the national government, particularly the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), which has pledged more than R1 billion in incentives for emerging entrepreneurs through the Clothing and Textile Competitiveness Programme.