Shoes, Textiles & Clothing

Introduction  

The Textile and Clothing Industry (TCI) employs some 200 000 people and has annual sales of over R20 bn. It accounts for about 15% of total formal employment but only represents less than 6% of the total output of the South African manufacturing sector. Government has identified it, together with the automotive and aerospace industries, as a key sector for future economic growth. According to statistics in SA Textile Statistics and Economic Review 2003/2004, published by Texfed (Textile Federation of South Africa), the textile industry is South Africa’s sixth largest employer in the manufacturing sector and eleventh largest exporter of manufactured goods.   

In South Africa 87% of local leather production is used in the automotive industry, compared to only 13% of local leather production available for footwear and other leather. South Africa is rich in certain natural fibre resources, notably wool, mohair and cotton, but some 90% of South Africa’s wool and mohair are exported in an unprocessed or semi-processed form. 

The industries are well serviced by the more than 5 000 farmers making a living out of wool farming in the province. Kwa-Zulu Natal is the predominant footwear producing area in South Africa, with a 62% share of production; the Western Cape is next with a 23% share. The balance of footwear production is located in the Eastern Cape (11%) and the Northern Province (4%). The clothing industry is concentrated mainly in three provinces, namely the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.  

Eastern Cape textile industry 

The textiles, clothing and leather industry is the second largest manufacturing subsector in the Eastern Cape is. As mentioned, a large part of the textile industry in the Eastern Cape is centered the automotive industry. One of the prominent textile companies in the Eastern Cape is based in East London and has been manufacturing a range of cotton and cotton/synthetic fibre fabrics since 1948 for both local and export markets. The company covers the full spectrum of textile manufacturing from blending and spinning of the fibres through weaving and printing to the construction of household textiles. Their annual output capacity is approximately 12 million tons of yarn and more than 45 million square metres of fabric.  

There are approximately 120 footwear factories in the country employing between 10 000 and 12 000 workers. South Africa produces mainly fashion footwear and leisure and sports footwear, as well as industrial footwear, such as safety boots. Mens, Women and Children’s footwear are made in South Africa, from both leather and synthetic materials. Of the footwear produced 56% have leather uppers. The total annual manufacturing sales of RSA footwear are approximately R2 billion. South Africa exports approximately 1,5 million pairs of footwear per annum. The majority of footwear is manufactured using stitch down and injected moulding processes. A large footwear manufacturing company is situated in Port Elizabeth. It is the oldest and one of the leading footwear manufacturing plants in South Africa. The quantity of production at this plant is unknown at this point of time.  

A hide, skin, wool and leather company based in Markman, Port Elizabeth offers services and products to a vast array of international clients. Hides, skins and leather are sourced from within South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Swaziland and transported to the factory in Port Elizabeth, where it is processed for export.  

Transportation 

The goods that are received are transported predominantly by road. The product originating from Namibia and Mozambique are railed in containers to Port Elizabeth. Approximately 21 000 tons of skins and hides are received annually from within South Africa and the neighbouring countries of which 17 000 tons are exported in containers to China, Italy,Turkey, Greece and Thailand and 4 000 tons are used locally. The majority of the vehicle configuration for the transportation of these goods is made up of interlinks with flatdecks.    

Statistics

Click here for the textile industry statistics.