Hopolang Mokhopi
MINISTER of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile, this week launched an expansion project at Jiao Yang textiles factory in Maputsoe, which has created 100 new jobs, with another 150 on the way.
The expansion project is part of the ongoing Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC)’s #ReBulaLifeme (we are opening factories) campaign launched in August and will run till December this year.
Mr Shelile said plans were underway to open three more factories in Leribe, two for clothing and one for shoes.
He praised the current government for being “receptive” to workers’ needs saying it had ratified Convention 101 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to protect workers’ rights.
“This convention was neglected by previous governments, which failed to implement it, but it ensures that workers and the government can engage as equals and work towards respecting workers’ rights.”
Mr Shelile said Prime Minister Sam Matekane was set to inaugurate another factory in Butha-Buthe before the end of the next quarter, which would create “thousands of jobs” for Basotho.
In his remarks, Jiao Yang Manager, Jonathan Huang, expressed his confidence in Lesotho as a competitive and favourable country for investment in the clothing and textile industry.
“We believe that with the support from the government through the LNDC, we can succeed in this country,” Mr Huang said.
He however highlighted several challenges including supply chain issues, particularly logistical problems on the South African side, which complicated the importation of raw materials from the east.
Mr Huang also complained of frequent power outages.
He stressed the importance of developing robust supply chains to attract more investors, advocating for local sourcing of raw materials to reduce reliance on imports.
Mr Huang also appealed to Mr Shelile to address cross-border challenges that complicated logistics for his staff and trucks, leading to long queues and delays at the border.
The LNDC Industry Manager, Puseletso Makhakhe, said the Corporation was committed to increasing investment in the country to drive economic growth.
Maselinyane legislator, Tayob Tommy, urged Mr Huang to ensure fair wages for employees, highlighting the importance of creating job opportunities to help combat hunger.
