Made in Southern Africa

The garment industry in southern Africa

Publication

E. de Haan

1 December 2002

The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), based in the Netherlands, and the Trade Union Research Project (TURP), located in South Africa, were selected to carry out research on the garment industry in Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mauritius, and Madagascar. Researchers visited factories and interviewed representatives of management, trade unions, NGOs, employers’ organizations, and governmental organizations as well as garment workers. Their findings are presented here. Reports on the garment industry in each of the five countries researched are presented, as well as factory reports documenting working conditions at facilities in the Southern Africa region and the link to retailers selling the garments.