South Africa’s largest clothing sector union has called for a boycott of ”unpatriotic” retailers and finance houses who it says do not support the ”buy local” campaign.
This follows the launch last year of declarations, signed by 22 firms, in which they committed to give preference to locally-sourced goods.
The financial institutions, who include Sanlam and Old Mutual Asset Managers, have reportedly promised to review investments in retailers who do not support the buy local campaign.
The South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union, backed by the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), said on Thursday the boycott would include work stoppages, refusal to supply goods to the ”unpatriotic businesses”, rallies and pickets, and a ”least patriotic retailer” award.
Retailers who had not signed the declaration included Stuttafords, the Mr Price group, Massmart, and the Platinum group, the union said.
”We regard the loss of jobs in the clothing, textile and footwear sector to be completely unacceptable,” said Cosatu president Willie Madisha.
”Tens of thousands of ordinary South Africans are put out of work, through the greed of importers and this must stop.”
The campaign would start on February 28 and continue for two years.
A spokesperson for Stuttafords declined to comment. Mr Price executives referred questions to chief executive Alastair McArthur, who could not be reached. – Sapa