Condom factory earmarked for Durban

WITH the world’s focus on Durban and the 21st International Aids Conference, the City has announced the construction of the province’s first condom factory at the Dube TradePort. To date condoms have primarily been imported into South Africa.

Speaking at the launch earlier today eThekwini Mayor, James Nxumalo, said the factory was perfectly located in the Durban, which has 650 000 people living with HIV and over 340 000 people receiving ARV treatment.

According to Nxumalo, once the factory is completed next year it could produce up to 700 000 latex condoms per day.

He said even though the country has made a breakthrough in proving access to treatment, which has improved peoples’ quality of life and increased the life expectancy of infected individuals, a high infection rate remains throughout the country – particularly among women and youth (aged 14 to 24) in the country. Currently, the country has a 48 per cent new infection rate amongst adults.

Since there is still no known cure, he said prevention, and awareness campaigns, remain crucial to the fight against HIV and Aids.

What’s more, Sihle Zikalala, the MEC for the economic development and tourism, said the development would not only create over 140 jobs for locals, but would contribute to trade and ultimately the country’s economy.

“The product which was always important will now be manufactured within the country and here in KwaZulu-Natal. We are no longer creating jobs on the other side of the world, but will be creating jobs here. Being locally owned the bulk of the profit will be retained in South Africa, and when the company starts exporting the product to the rest of the continent, the country will benefit in terms of Forex benefits,” he said. 

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