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Figure Two
Source (Volk, 2006:234)
SA Imports of Textiles and Clothing from China, 1995-2004
According to Steyn (2004:57), imports from China in 1995 amounted to 11 million units. This
grew to 123 million units in 2002 and then to 213 million units in 2003. In 2004, 389.3 million
clothing units were imported from China, which amounted to R3.6 billion (Volk, 2006:234).
Barnes (2005:9) states that China’s global exports in clothing increased by 546% in January
2005 compared to the same period in 2004. CloTrade’s 2005 Annual Report says that the
value of imports into South Africa from China “accounted for 86% of the volume and 75%
by value” for the year May 2004 to April 2005. At present, cheap imports from China are
the major threat to South Africa’s clothing industry, contributing over 70% of the total
clothing imports into South Africa (Barnes, 2005:10; Naidu, 2005:474); COSATU claims that
China contributed to 74% of these imports in 2004 (The Shop Steward, 2005).
Brink (2006) tables the prices of some landed goods from China in 2004, reflecting that
men’s suits were landed in South Africa at a cost of R10,76 per unit. Women’s jackets were
priced at R11,04 per unit, men’s knitted trousers at R4,87 per unit and women’s skirts at
R7,44 per unit. (Brink, 2006:18).
One of the major concerns of clothing sector industry leaders is that the South African
government does not provide the same economic support mechanisms to its citizens and
industry as does the government of the People’s Republic of China to its nation. Brian Brink
of the SA Textile Federation claims (Inggs, 2005a) that 25% percent of China’s apparel
sector is owned by the State, which provides a 13 percent rebate to those companies that
export, with the banks providing non-repayable loans for the building of more clothing
plants.
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