Government has announced plans to upscale the revitalisation of local industrial parks to 20 locations.

Chairing a media briefing of the Economic Sectors, Employment and Infrastructure Development cluster, Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti said the roll out of the industrial parks will be a further boost to sectors such as clothing, textiles, footwear and agro-processing, which have been showing signs of recovery in recent months.

The announcement forms part of government’s progress and programme of action in implementing the Nine Point Plan.

“Going forward, we will upscale the revitalisation of local industrial parks from four to 20 locations. All these industrial parks are located in former homelands or are adjacent to large townships,” the Minster said.

He said from inception of the Clothing and Textiles Competitiveness Programme in 2010 and March 2015, a total of R3.7 billion was approved to support private sector investment.

The programme has helped to save 68 000 jobs as well as in creating 6 900 new jobs. Minister Nkwinti said 22 new factories in the leather and footwear sector have been opened.

The sector has been successfully stabilised and is steadily regaining domestic market share and is growing in terms of exports.

Minister Nkwinti said the rolling out of more industrial parks is good news for township businesses.

“This intervention will unlock economic activities and link small township businesses into established domestic and global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) supply chains.

“It will also focus particularly on labour intensive sectors such as clothing, textiles, footwear and agro-processing,” he said.