The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) has announced its strategic investment in Unipro Protective Wear, a 100% black youth woman-owned business in South Africa’s clothing and textiles sector.

Unipro specialises in the manufacturing of armoured vests, uniforms and protective wear.

Based in Roodepoort, Gauteng, it supplies its protective gear to key clients in the security sector, including State law enforcement agencies and other entities within the national security cluster.

The requested funding has allowed Unipro to create 35 new jobs and preserve 45 existing ones.

It is also expected to enhance the company’s production capabilities, enabling further contributions to the local economy through job creation, skills development and enterprise sustainability.

“At Unipro, we are committed to empowering our community and strengthening our capacity to provide high-quality protective wear to the nation’s security departments. This funding from the NEF will allow us to expand our reach and continue positively impacting the lives of many locals,” Unipro founder and CEO Thozama Ledidi says.

“Our investment in Unipro Protective Wear is a testament to NEF’s commitment to fostering black-owned industrialists and strengthening local manufacturing capabilities. Unipro’s contribution to the security sector aligns with South Africa’s broader industrialisation agenda and job creation imperatives.

“We are particularly proud to support a black woman entrepreneur who has demonstrated resilience, innovation and leadership in a highly competitive industry,” NEF CEO Mzi Dayimani highlights.

South Africa’s clothing and textile sector plays a role in its industrialisation strategy, contributing about 2% to total manufacturing output and employing over 90 000 people in manufacturing and 120 000 in retail.

The government, through the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, has launched various initiatives under the Retail-Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather (R-CTFL) Value Chain Master Plan to revitalise the sector.

One of the key objectives of the master plan is to increase locally manufactured clothing in retail stores from 44% in 2018 to 65% by 2030.

Unipro’s growth aligns with these national objectives, reducing reliance on imports and strengthening domestic supply chains.

However, the sector faces challenges, including rising costs of inputs, logistical bottlenecks and competition from cheap imports.