Team Free State under the steward leadership of Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, MEC Makalo Mohale and MEC William Bulwane of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, was in Maseru today as part of the Free State Trade and Investment Promotion Programme.
As you may be aware, Lesotho has a huge textile industry which employs in excess of more than forty thousand Basotho, majority of which are women.
The Lesotho Textile industry is fast growing to capture the South Africa market . There are indications that the Lesotho Textile Industry is not coping in satisfying the demands of the South African retail clothing market.
In view of these, the Free State is looking across the Caledon river for possible expansion of the industry into the province. The demand for quality goods is so big that establishing cross border partnerships will not fully exploit the market or saturate it.
With the well developed industrial infrastructure in Phuthadititjhaba and Botshabelo as well as the MAP SEZ, the Free State can strike commercially viable and beneficial partnerships in the textile industry with Lesotho. This partnership is in support of President Ramaphosa’s clarion call to attract foreign investment into the country.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Oepeng
Tel: 051 400 9564
E-mail: Oepengt@destea.gov.za
