The development of the Clothing and Textile Hub in the Madadeni Industrial Estate is making steady progress, with the initiative poised to transform the local textile sector in Newcastle significantly.
This update follows the recent oversight visit by the Economic Development and Tourism Affairs Portfolio Committee to the Madadeni Industrial Estate in Section 6.
The visit was part of the committee’s evaluation of the Textile and Clothing Program and Operation Vula’s Chemical and Detergents Incubator Programs. Chairperson of the Committee, Mafika Mndebele, stated, “This will be one of the Portfolio Committee’s oversight activities to ensure that the beneficiaries of this program of the Department of Economic Development indeed reap the benefits as was envisaged when this program was introduced.”
The project, initiated by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) in partnership with Ithala Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), seeks to establish a Clothing and Textile Industrial Hub within the Madadeni Industrial Estate. This facility is envisioned as an incubation centre designed to equip Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives with the skills and market access needed to thrive in the clothing and textile industry.
According to the Portfolio Committee’s report, the total tender value for the project amounts to R62 million to launch this endeavour.
Mndebele further emphasised, “As agents of taxpayers, we are mandated by the constitution to follow up and oversee service delivery to communities, so that the promise of a better life for all can be realised.”
As previously reported by Newcastillian News in October 2023, the project is anticipated to create approximately 4,500 jobs upon completion. Additionally, with Ithala Development Finance Corporation acting as the Implementing Agent, the KwaZulu-Natal government aims to establish a Textile Belt along the N3 and N2 corridors through the Madadeni Clothing and Textile Hub. This Textile Belt will integrate various projects along the corridors, facilitating the optimal use of existing resources.
The proposed corridor will connect Newcastle to key economic hubs, including Ladysmith, Mooi River, Pietermaritzburg, Hammersdale, Durban, the Dube Trade Port, Isithebe, and the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ).
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Highlighting the project’s importance to the region and its current progress, Mndebele noted, “We went to the Madadeni Textile Incubator, which is under construction. The Department will spend millions and millions of Rands, and from there, we will invite cooperatives to come in and do different types of clothing in this particular area. The intention is to develop this area into a textile industrial zone and produce a lot of textile and clothing, and by doing so, empower local power and develop our economy,” he emphasised.
Although the construction of the industrial site is ongoing and no timeline for its completion has been disclosed, the provincial government remains optimistic, as once finalised, the project is expected to stimulate the local economy significantly and encourage further development in the area, benefiting the communities of Madadeni and Newcastle.
What are your thoughts on the above? Share your views in the comment section below.
Comments 3
We are ready as the youth to work the field God has given us. My Wife(youth) has been talking a lot about designing and producing her own clothes and making others look beautiful.
Make this happen for us soon so we can leave a good inheritance for the next generations to come.
While establishment of these firms is appreciated , the municipality and government must attend to the pollution these factories cause.They are dumping dirt on the open space opposite section 6 and Madadeni hospital. These factories employ Lesotho nationals what about South Africans?
This is exciting news. A big BUT dismantles all the good mentioned.