2 000 Nhlangano jobs in pipeline
MBABANE – Employment opportunities will be availed for the people of Nhlangano as the Jonsson Workwear factory is set to open shop in January 2025.
The factory, which is an investment of E265 million, including the cost of machinery, will employ 2 000 people at full capacity.
The construction works are currently 40 per cent complete. Jonsson Workwear owner Nicholas Nick Jonsson said the factory was built differently to any other factory locally and in Africa. Jonsson stated that he believed that once the factory was up and running, in full capacity, it could be an advocate for Eswatini as the investment destination of choice to the rest of the world.
Jonsson was speaking during the tour of the site in February, 2024.
He said getting low level start-ups was not an achievement at all and did not build an economy, uplift people and was not what they were about.
“The products that we produce and the way we treat our people, suppliers and customers is different to how other firms operate,” said Jonsson.
He further mentioned that they would start from the bottom and coach their people, further ensuring that most jobs were given to emaSwati.
EXPATRIATES
According to Jonsson, in Lesotho he was told to hire about five per cent expatriates but they hired only less than one per cent.
“It is not about the lack of people with skills in Eswatini, but with new equipment and new technology, you always have to get the cleverest people in the world to come and help.”
He stated that one of their important strategies was the transfer of such skills, hence making sense to have as many local people employed as possible.
The factory owner said nothing happened over night but they were more interested in building the best garment, making facility in the world than having it filled quickly.
He said they would start slowly and make sure that the workers were all trained and then set a good tone and standard to build the firm into a fantastic facility. The Jonsson boss said some of the important facets of the building were not found in any other factory in Africa.
“Without fantastic people who are inspired to do the work that we do, we cannot achieve anything.
“We need every single person who works in the firm to be aligned and understand our strategies and love coming to work every day,” he added.
He said if the above did not happen, they would not be able to fulfil their obligations with their customers.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo thanked Jonsson for choosing Eswatini, further imploring him to become the ambassador of Eswatini through his strong network. Khumalo said when the work was finally commissioned, it would be one of the best.
He said His Majesty King Mswati III was interested in the Jonsson Workwear Factory and would not be content if it did not start working.