DURBAN - A 42-YEAR-OLD woman’s clothing factory is thriving in an effort to drive the spirit of entrepreneurship to reduce unemployment and poverty in Msinga, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Founder and the managing director of Msinga Clothing Factory, Lelly Mntungwa said she established the business in 2016, to further her ambition to train, upskill and employ youth and women from the area.
Since then, the clothing factory has provided opportunities of employment to 150 people of the Msinga community through job creation. Recently, the factory signed a contract to supply for Foschini Group, a JSE-listed retail clothing group.
The company manufactures three-ply cloth masks, surgical masks, school uniforms, hospital linen and apparel.
Mntungwa said she has always loved sewing but never thought it was something she could do for a living.
“I sewed for my dolls and learnt a lot from my mother even though she never went to school. I have never thought of owning a business or sewing for a living until I saw the statistics in 2010 which showed areas affected by poverty and unemployment.
“Msinga was one of the leading areas on the list. It broke my heart. I then decided to resign at the bank I was working at with an aim to uplift my community,” she said.
Mntungwa used her late mother’s pension to fund her business in 2016.
“The factory building we are operating in was a shoe firm in the 1960s. It had employed over 3 000 families then, however, it was closed in the 1990s just before the elections.
“I thought it would be a good idea to use the building because people had stolen everything from the material to the roof over the years, a lot needed to be done.”
She said she knocked on every door asking for financial help but no avail.
“I think I surprised everyone because not many Africans were in the clothing and textile industry. I learnt that other races were dominating in the sector but there were few Africans. We have fashion designers who make traditional outfits but none of our people supply for big stores such as Woolworths, Truworths or Markham.
“I wanted to show our people that we are also talented and worthy.”
Daily News