Cape hi-tech factory could boost jobs

SERVICES NEWS

IOL Business/ Sapa - Mar 13th, 07:35

Cape Town - The opening of a factory manufacturing high-tech gadgets could boost employment not only in the Western Cape but South Africa as a whole, Cape Town premier Helen Zille said on Tuesday. 

Zille was speaking at the official re-opening of the Tellumat factory in Atlantis, Western Cape earlier on Tuesday.

“Government does not create jobs but it can only create a context and facilitate partnerships which attract investment, especially from global brands as we have seen with this facility, which expands businesses and thus creates jobs,” Zille was quoted in a statement.

The factory was equipped with new production machinery to manufacture various electronics including LED and LCD televisions for brands like Sony, Mecer and HiSense.

Zille said employment in South Africa could be boosted through the production of similar products.

“Africa is a key export market in the technology field and the Western Cape and South Africa are well-poised to take advantage of the strong and growing 300-million customer market in SADC,” said Zille.

She said the opening of the factory meant more than just employment.

“It means opportunity because access to a job is the fastest route to social inclusion and the surest path out of poverty.” Since 2010, the factory employed 116 personnel and had since manufactured over 370 000 television sets. - Sapa