He told The Zimbabwean that over the past few years, eight clothing firms in the city had closed down while several others were on the verge of closure. As a result of the closure, the sector, which used to be the largest employer in the city, has also witnessed massive retrenchments.
“The majority of workers who used to be employed in the textile industry are out of employment,” said Kuveya. “Most of the affected employees worked for a long time in the industry and therefore have not learnt other skills.”
Some of the textile companies that closed shop in Bulawayo include Cotton Printers, Coats Zimbabwe, Silkwood Prints, Dreyton Textiles, Andys Suppliers, Natpack Bulawayo, Trifil and David Whitehead Textiles. National Blankets, Cotton Printers and Merlin industries used to employ more than 2 000 workers each.
Bulawayo used to be the textile and manufacturing hub of Zimbabwe, producing goods such as blankets, sheets, bags, napkins, towels, bed covers and clothes.
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