According to reports, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) believes cheap imports, particularly from China, are having a serious impact on the country’s manufacturing sector and causing thousands of job losses.
However, while Commercial counsellor for the Ministry of Commerce department for West Asia and Africa Affairs Xie Yajing says the Chinese government is trying to clamp down on companies that export poor-quality goods, the South African government will also have to act if the situation is to change.
The sector that has been most affected by this is the textile sector. Estimates suggest around 350,000 have been lost as a direct result of cheap imports from China. Up to 1.5 million jobs may have been affected indirectly. In areas like Lesotho, where textiles reportedly account for around 90% of export earnings, the situation is absolutely critical.
Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven believes tariffs should be imposed on all Chinese products, not just because of the detrimental impact they appear to be having in South Africa, but because he believes the workers responsible for making these products are often exploited.
