Developments are underway in Madadeni, Northern KwaZulu-Natal with the construction of an Industrial Economic HUB (IEH) within the Madadeni Industrial Area (iThala Industrial Estate), including a clothing and textile incubator.
According to reports from the Newcastle Municipality, the project was highlighted during the Mayoral Roadshows for the Integrated Development Plan.
The project aims to promote spatially targeted industrial development to foster economic growth within the textile industry.
Moreover, the development, which began at the end of September 2023, holds a price tag of R20,000,000 with the first phase scheduled for completion in August 2024.
Regarding the Madadeni Industrial Estate, it should be noted that, according to iThala, the area was initially developed in 1983, with most of the factories on the estate relating to Clothing and Textiles (CMT), as well as bed and bedding.
With the project set to promote economic development, a member of Newcastle Municipality’s Executive Council, Cllr Faizel Cassim, stated that the project is expected to benefit Newcastle as a whole significantly. “The project will positively impact Newcastle by attracting further investments to the town, while also creating more employment opportunities.”
While Cllr Cassim has high hopes for the initiative, Newcastle Municipality’s Cllr Alex Liu noted that proper business studies would be required for the project to succeed.
This entails understanding how the clothing and textile industry works and the requirements that must be followed to achieve economic development and job creation, let alone sustained business growth and selling the goods in the highly competitive South African retail sector.
Nevertheless, with the project under development in Madadeni, what are your thoughts?
Share your views in the comment section below.
Comments 1
The Madadeni Industrial Estate was initially developed in 1983 to create jobs and alleviate poverty in Newcastle and Northern KZN that suffered due to the limited employment opportunities.
Unfortunately, the work culture and ethics of the local labour force clashed with that of the Taiwanese business owners and soon strikes , labour disputes and trade unions finally made the Taiwanese business owners close shop and move to Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana where they are running thriving businesses today.
There is no guarantee that pumping R20-million into the revival of the Madadeni Industrial Estate will ensure a prosperous future for the project.
Irrespective of the number of business studies done, the success and future lies in the change of the work culture and ethics of the local labour force.