According to reports, the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (Cosatu) has said it welcomes the recent increase in textile import tariffs. It believes the rise from 40% to 45% could help to make textiles and garments produced in South Africa more competitive as well as protecting the market from being flooded by cheap textile products produced overseas.

It may also help to protect direct and indirect jobs within the textile sector, a particularly pertinent given the current economic climate. The congress believes it will help South African producers to compete with goods produced in countries where heavy government subsidies are in force.

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