James Vos, the City of Cape Town’s Mayco member for economic growth, was recently named the Industry Champion by the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster (CCTC) in recognition of his ongoing efforts to strengthen the local manufacturing sector.
Speaking at the CCTC’s 20th Annual General Meeting, Vos called the award a “meaningful milestone” and credited the strong collaboration between government and industry for making real progress possible.
“This award is a strong signal that the work we’re doing together with industry is delivering results,” he said.
The recognition comes at a critical time for South Africa’s clothing and textile industry. While exports have jumped by 47,1% over the past year, the sector still faces tough competition from cheap imports, particularly from Asia. That makes local support and strategic collaboration more important than ever.
Global scale
Vos pointed to Cape Town’s cluster-based model as a success story. Backed by the City through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) like the CCTC, the approach brings businesses together to tackle shared challenges and boost competitiveness. “I’ve seen firsthand how collaboration can move the needle,” he said. “Clustering drives innovation and helps local companies compete on a global scale.”
And the results are hard to ignore. In 2024 alone, initiatives backed by the City’s SPVs attracted over R6,4 billion in investment and helped sustain more than 15 700 jobs across key industries.
Among the standout efforts supported through the CCTC is Project Present, which cut down absenteeism on factory floors recovering 1,2 million minutes of lost production time in just seven months. Other notable programmes include Origin8, which helps small and medium clothing manufacturers scale up.
Local legacy
Vos also shared a personal reflection with TygerBurger on why the sector means so much to him. “Cape Town’s clothing and textile sector is deeply woven into the DNA of our city. For generations, thousands of Capetonians have worked in this industry, contributing not just to our economy but to our cultural identity. Today, I’m incredibly encouraged to see this sector making a strong comeback with renewed vigour, innovation, and confidence. It’s wonderful to witness how it continues to grow, creating jobs and driving sustainable local production that benefits communities across the metro,” he says.
“Whenever I visit a clothing factory, it’s inspiring to meet the people behind the designs, the patternmakers, machinists, and team leads,” he said. “There’s so much skill and care that goes into every garment. These are the people powering our local economy.”
Looking ahead, Vos threw his weight behind the CCTC’s bold 2030 goals to localise 30 million more garments annually, create 12 500 new direct jobs, and unlock R2 billion in value chain investment.
“They reflect our shared commitment to strengthening Cape Town’s manufacturing muscle.”
