The Indian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Textiles has seconded a team of six experts to the National Footwear Leather Cluster (NFLC) – a facility established by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT).

The team of specialists, all of whom were members of the Footwear Design Development Institute (FDDI), which trained about 1 500 professionals a year for the Indian footwear industry, would train South Africans in footwear design and manufacturing, assist with curriculum development for courses, research programmes and procurement, as well as train South African lecturers and students. 

This followed the signing of a R3.6-million memorandum of agreement between the VUT and the FDDI on behalf of the NFLC.

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies said the project would enable the rapid transfer of skills and knowledge to technical and vocational education and training colleges – formerly called further education and training colleges – in South Africa.

“The programme will support the development of a standardised curriculum compliant with the standards of the South African Qualification Authority,” he outlined.

Areas of collaboration would include all-round training inclusive of footwear design, footwear technology, footwear retail courses and short skills programmes, such as footwear pattern-making.

Davies added that government had prioritised the footwear cluster, as it had the potential to create jobs.

“As part of its efforts to support the clothing, textile and leather sector, the DTI has approved a grant of R69.2-million for the establishment of NFLC through the Competitiveness Improvement Programme.

“The work of the cluster is directly responsible for the creation of around 2 000 sustainable jobs and the reduction in the trade deficit of R1.4-billion through import substitution by local retailers,” he outlined.

Public procurement of transversal contracts for footwear by the State had, according to the department, risen from R99.4-million in 2014/15 to R272.2-million in 2015/16.