Bay seamstresses’ future brighter with handover of industrial machines
Seamstresses from Nelson Mandela Bay received muchneeded industrial sewing machines and material to ensure they are able to build a future for themselves in the industry.
They form part of 17 enterprises from the metro and the Sarah Baartman district who were gifted 31 industrial and overlock machines by the department of rural development and agrarian reform at a ceremony in Swartkops yesterday.
The ongoing handover of industrial sewing machines and material to seamstresses in the province is being spearheaded by MEC Nonkqubela Pieters as part of 201 machines that were purchased by her department to be distributed throughout the province.
During the 2023/2024 financial year, the department will continue to support 103 co-operatives with sewing machines to help improve the quality and quantity of the products they produce, with a budget of R2m set aside for the programme. “With this intervention, [the department] is playing a major role in empowering women, youth and people with disabilities in the clothing and textile industry so that their enterprises can improve productivity and increase income for their businesses,” department spokesperson Masiza Mazizi said.
“These enterprises produce a variety of garments that include school uniforms, traditional outfits, suits, tracksuits and formal wear.”
Since 2017, the department has invested R19m in purchasing industrial and domestic machines, other equipment and material to support 709 businesses and benefiting 3,569 people.
‘With this intervention, [the department] is playing a major role in empowering women, youth and people with disabilities in the clothing and textile industry