Eastern Cape MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), Nonkqubela Pieters, brought hope of economic freedom to seamsters in the OR Tambo District, by handing over sewing machines.
Pieters hosted this event at Mthatha Kei Fresh Produce Market last week, handing over 32 industrial sewing and overlocking machines to 16 enterprises, in a bid to maximise their production and profits. Each business received both an industrial sewing and overlocking machine.
Pieters said the investment by DRDAR was meant to ensure business production was maximised, for increased profit.
“Treat these co-ops as businesses; we want you to grow your businesses. Municipality and government will give you training where you are lacking. This is an investment; treat it as such and ensure there’s growth,” said Pieters.
She added that quality is very important; hence they were giving them industrial machines. Pieters added that quality advertises products; if they are manufacturing sub-standard products, they will end up not getting the business.
“We are fighting poverty and unemployment through this investment, and we want to see you become successful business people.”
Nokwakha Jico, from Mzikantu Sewing Co-op in Port St Johns, narrated a story of how they would be forced to work overnight in order to reach targets.
“We would literally sleep on the machines because we were chasing the target. Now that we have these top-of-the-range machines, we will not be required to do that anymore.
“Now the hunger we were fighting will be gone forever, and our business will grow further, and we thank the department for that,” said Jico, whose co-op has a contract with the Social Development Department.
She said that they were sewing a variety of clothes, including school uniforms and traditional gear.
Amongst the recipients were two enterprises run by unemployed WSU fashion design graduates, who ventured into business after they could not secure employment.
Another beneficiary, Zintle Ngcwazi, from Likamva Lethu Clothing at Misty Mount in Libode, said that the investment would boost their business.
“I started the business in 2020 after I realised that I could not get any job with my qualifications, or any other job for that matter. These machines will boost our income because we used to battle to sew heavy materials, and we had to ask for assistance from other people. That consumed a lot of our time, and we would fail to deliver. Now that we have received these machines, we are happy because they will assist us to complete our orders on time,” said Ngcwazi.
