In a move that signals further economic hardship, thousands of livelihoods are at risk as three apparel manufacturing companies – Leo Garments, Asia Garments, and Lucky Manufacturing – have begun laying off employees.
According to unionists, the decision follows reports of a significant drop in orders from the United States, the primary market for these companies’ products. Some of the reasons cited include dissatisfaction with the quality of work and an overall decline in business activity.
The job losses started last week Wednesday with the retrenchment of workers at Leo Garments, a factory specialising in shirt production. The firm, which employs between 500 and 600 workers, also produces dresses and jackets for retailers like Mr Price and Woolworths.
Speaking to theReporter, Libuseng Ntlo, a worker at Leo Garments who was laid off on Tuesday this week, said she was informed that the dismissal was due to quality concerns raised by the US buyer.
“My supervisors told me that the buyer complained about the work not being done properly, which led to the layoff of some production lines,” she explained.
Ntlo stated that five of the 12 production lines at the factory were affected, with workers being sent home without pay.
She expressed frustration over the situation, emphasising that mistakes in production are common and should be correctable.
“We feel trapped because mistakes are part of the job and can be fixed. But now, once we make an error, we are told to leave,” she lamented.
The affected workers are expected to return on June 2.
At nearby Asia Garments factory, ‘Mathapelo Mpele, another affected worker, revealed that a production line handling bottlenecks would cease operations by today (Fri), resulting in further job losses.
Mpele, who started working at the factory in September last year, recalled that in December, employees were warned that production might halt by the third month of this year.
The dismissal has left her uncertain about her future, forcing her to return to her hometown of Semonkong. She fears that she may have to withdraw her Grade 8 son from school due to financial constraints.
“I am a single parent, and I may have no choice but to take my son out of school since I won’t have the means to pay his fees,” Mpele said.
Despite the setback, Mpele remains hopeful that she can find temporary work in her hometown, possibly tending livestock or cleaning yards, while she waits for potential job opportunities when the Tikoe Industrial Estate factories start operating.
For his part, Economic Freedom Trade Union Secretary General Tšepang Makakole stated that, by law, unions should be informed in advance if management has issues with either the buyers or workers.
However, in this case, they had not been formally notified of the reasons for the layoffs, he noted.
“Lawfully, management is required to explain such decisions to the union. Right now, we are in discussions with our members to determine the best course of action.
“If our members decide to take the matter to court so that they can be compensated while at home, then that is the route we will take. This is because management failed to inform us of the reasons behind the layoffs,” Makakole said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Business Development Mokhethi Shelile expressed surprise at the situation, noting that Leo Garments had been operating for a long time. He suggested that the issue might stem from a lack of skilled workers.
The layoffs mark another blow to the local economy, leaving many workers uncertain about their future as the garment industry struggles with declining demand and quality concerns.
