Deputy minister in the presidency Thembi Siweya said on Tuesday that Hisense has revealed that there are talks at the company to expand its operations in South Africa to make cellphones. This would complement the Chinese company’s fridge and TV manufacturing lines.
Siweya welcomed the impact the Hisense factory in Atlantis, Western Cape, has had on jobs, saying further investments will improve the lives of ordinary South Africans.
Shortly after visiting the Hisense factory as part of Brand South Africa’s pre-World Economic Forum media tour, Siweya said she was happy that the plant was employing local people and helping government meet the objectives of creating jobs as envisaged in the National Development Plan.
“We are happy because a plant like this produces jobs for South Africans. And we want to call on the world to come and invest in South Africa and build more fridges because it is going to help us to change the lives of ordinary South Africans,” she said.
Siweya said Hisense’s presence in South Africa meant that the technology manufacturer was creating jobs. “What this says to me is that (Hisense) is directly going to respond and help us reach our National Development Plan goals of halving unemployment.
“I am also happy that you have an internal programme of transferring skills,” she said, adding that as and when investment comes, skills will be transferred to South Africans.
Atlantis
Hisense entered the South African market in 1996. The company is based in Midrand in Johannesburg and in Century City in Cape Town.
In June 2013, Hisense launched a R350-million consumer electronics and home appliance manufacturing facility in the Atlantis industrial park, which is capable of producing 400 000 refrigerators and televisions a year.
Mark Dammert, a human capital development manager at Hisense, said the factory employs between 600 and 700 people, and that 98% of the workforce are Atlantis locals.
“What we are looking at in the future is further expansion as there are also talks around (the fact that) we want to start manufacturing cellphones in South Africa… With that will come additional job creation for the people,” he said. — SANews
