The Free State Province is working hard to ensure job creation and attract investment. This was evident during the Free State Development Corporation (FDC) and MEC Toto Makume’s visit to several factories at the Agri-park on Thursday, 10 October, in Qwaqwa.
The first factory visited by the FDC and Makume, the MEC for Finance, Tourism, and Economic Development, was a textile factory that employed 430 people.
Makume and FDC officials received a warm welcome from the factory Management and staff. Makume engaged with staff, greeting them and enquiring about their experience working at the factory and receiving satisfactory answers.
Makume proceeded to another textile factory where he also engaged with management and staff before his last two stops.

The Management of the factories used the opportunity to engage with the MEC about challenges they encountered such as water and electricity cuts which affected production.
OTB, a women’s cooperative based at the Agrimark vented out their frustration to the MEC regarding the state of their premises. They complained about theft, toilets that were not working and lack of water.
They pay R5 to use a toilet across the road. The women alleged that unfulfilled promises had been made by previous MEC’s and they lost hope as none had come to their aid.

Alinah Letsoko said she has been working at Agrimark for 33 years and the money she makes sewing and selling school uniforms and clothes makes a huge difference as it puts food on the table and has raised her children.
She called on the MEC to assist them and not fail them like those who came and made unfulfilled promises.
Addressing members of the media, MEC Makume said the purpose of their visit was to get a synopsis of factories that are functional and Non-functional.
He also expressed his gratitude to factory owners who are paying for services and also his frustration for factories that are white elephants and said a turnaround strategy was needed that he tasked the FDC CFO to come up with to find occupants for white elephant factories.
Makume has committed to supporting the FDC in doing their work and said he has an open door and open “ear” policy and is ready to work and listen to FDC employees.
“I am so impressed about what the FDC is doing now, I am also impressed that I have met the staff from the FDC, I made a commitment and an undertaking that I am going to support them so that they will know that when they do their work, they have the backing of the principal.” Said Makume.
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