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The Clothing, Textile, Footwear & Leather (CTFL) Stakeholder Initiative Forum has over the last few days reflected on the events which had

unfolded in our country, in particular relating to the recent incidents of looting and destruction which had taken place in KZN and parts of Gauteng.

The CTFL Stakeholder Initiative Forum consists of all 17 employer associations and the two trade unions in the clothing, textile, footwear and leather industry. It was set up a few years ago to develop urgent responses to moments of crisis affecting our industry.

The employer and trade union leadership represented in this Forum met yesterday late afternoon, and pronounce as follows:

We are at one that the destruction and looting which had taken place are unacceptable, and condemn it in the strongest terms possible. Such

conduct has absolutely no place in a constitutional democracy.

These unacceptable actions have caused serious harm to our industry, and pose a worrying threat to the future sustainability of jobs, in a country with an already high unemployment rate.

We recognise that immediate and urgent support is needed for employees and employers in the affected areas. In this regard, we call on all employers to do everything possible within their means to assist employees and communities in need. In particular, we call on them to render relief support wherever food shortages are being experienced.

We also call on our member companies, both employees and employers, to work together in the affected areas to get all our clothing, textile,

footwear and leather factories back to full operation, and to rebuild what has been so tragically destroyed, as soon as possible.

Issued by The CTFL Stakeholder Initiative Forum