SOUTH AFRICA: Strong Rand Hitting Clothing Industry Hard
Up to 500 clothing industry workers have lost their jobs in the past month due to the strong rand and weak US dollar which has made its exports more expensive, concerned union officials said Thursday. The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) said the country's largest garment maker, SA Clothing, has stopped production at the export unit of one of its plants due to a slump in orders and up to 400 workers laid off.