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New Chinese premium brand Lepas confirmed for South Africa in 2026: here's what we know so far

New Chinese premium brand Lepas confirmed for South Africa in 2026: here's what we know so far

IOL News3 days ago
Another Chinese car brand is set to compete for a slice of the action in South Africa's hotly contested car market, and it goes by the name of Lepas.
Although it is a newly launched brand, Lepas forms part of the Chery stable, and it will aim to expand its parent company's presence in the premium segment.
The automaker has confirmed that the Lepas brand will be launched in South Africa in 2026, spearheaded by the L8 flagship SUV that was revealed at the 2025 Chery Business Conference in Wuhu, China, in late April.
Although the full South African line-up has yet to be confirmed, the L8 is likely to be joined by the smaller L6 and L4 models that were also previewed at the Wuhu event. In time, the brand will expand its line-up to five vehicles, with the aim of achieving annual global sales of more than 500,000 units, Autostat reports.
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SA's clothing and textile industry caught between global trade, local development
SA's clothing and textile industry caught between global trade, local development

Daily Maverick

time8 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

SA's clothing and textile industry caught between global trade, local development

The industry remains heavily reliant on imports from China. As trade imbalances persist, local manufacturers and circular economy advocates are working to rebuild domestic production capacity. South Africa is dressing itself in imported cloth, and most of it has a 'made in China' label. At the Allfashion Sourcing exhibition in Cape Town's International Convention Centre, local and international players across the clothing and textile value chain were brought together to showcase their products and business ideologies. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads One couldn't help but notice a skewed balance, tilting decidedly east. Of the 142 exhibitors listed on its website, 71 are Chinese companies. From fabric suppliers to accessory makers, China's footprint was everywhere, reinforced by the presence of Chinese diplomats and state-linked industry delegations. That overwhelming presence brings into sharper focus a longstanding trade dynamic in this sector that continues to shape South Africa's local fashion economy. The numbers don't lie In 2024, South Africa exported R19.4-billion worth of textiles, data from The Observatory of Economic Complexity shows. Of that, R4.07-billion went to China. It doesn't seem like a significant slice of the pie, until you look at the inflows – imports in this sector totalled R65.4-billion, and nearly half of that came from China. The result is a trade deficit that makes it clear who is dressing whom. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads This is part of a much larger trend, according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Since 2000, South Africa has sent a staggering R2-trillion more to China than it received in overall exports. In March 2025 alone, the textile trade gap widened again: exports at R2.22-billion, imports at R4.85-billion — and China topped both categories. 'Many of the local producers, they need to import certain components, be it zippers, or buttons, or even highly specialised textiles that are not made in South Africa – (these products) are not made in Africa,' said Michael Dehn, managing director of global trade fair organiser Messe Frankfurt, which hosted the Allfashion trade show. There are parts of the production chain that South Africa doesn't – and can't – make. 'There are only a handful of major manufacturing countries,' Dehn said. 'China is one of them. Of course, you have India, Bangladesh, Turkey and so on, but these are the main suppliers globally.' Tariffs, Trump and Trojan horses Amid the mess of trade imbalances comes a shiny, diplomatic olive branch. China recently announced a zero-tariff policy on all product lines for 53 African nations, including South Africa. Against the backdrop of Trump's most recent tariff tantrum (a 30% duty hike on South African imports to the US), this almost feels like a lifeline. Almost. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads China's pitch is simple: open access, deeper trade and 'more business opportunities and broader market access', as Tang Chang'an, Chinese deputy consul, put it. 'This will play a positive role in promoting the development of the local economy and job creation,' he said. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Since 2014, South Africa's overall imports from China have been nearly double that of the value exported, writes ISS research consultant Marvellous Ngundu. 'Importing manufactured goods, particularly clothing, electronics and other consumer products, crowds out South African industries.' The Cape Town compromise Faith Kolala, head of investment and trade at the City of Cape Town, acknowledges that the city has a big part to play in revitalising the industry. He reported a concerted drive headed by the city to expand local production, support producers in townships and roll out skills development pathways. 'We are working with industry bodies to ensure that this sector, the clothing and textile sector, thrives in the face of global uncertainty,' he said. Precisely because of the many uniquely South African challenges the industry has faced, like load shedding and import duties, the local clothing and textile industry should be 'comfortable and confident' that it will come out on top, he added. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'Cape Town and the wider southern African region are not just nodes of the global supply network any more. We are trusted suppliers, unique design voices and an expanding ecosystem of businesses, township manufacturers, and youth-driven innovation.' Globalisation has forced the clothing and textile sector to think differently about sourcing and collaboration, Kolala said. 'It's not about importing or sourcing, it's about collaboration nowadays,' he said, hinting at South Africa's trade alliance with China. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads The worth of waste Parallel to these global entanglements, innovation is sprouting in unlikely places among South African designers, an example of which can be found in Natasha Pearce, founder of Vivacious Eco Vixon. She has worked in the clothing industry for more than two decades, and instead of importing, she intercepts waste – offcuts, zips, surplus threads – and transforms them into upscale lifestyle products. Pearce is also upskilling communities. Her team, largely women from poverty-stricken areas, learn practical sewing and design skills. She describes her design process with a kind of reverence. 'The fabric speaks to me… I don't design a range based on a trend, I design a range based on the fabrics that I get in.' advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Her gripe is that waste is an afterthought in this industry and not engineered out from the start. She works with big interior design houses such as Hertex, salvaging sample books and discontinued materials for her products. Green capital and local hands Part of Pearce's work is funded by Nedbank's green economy fund, which supports entrepreneurs who are moving towards circularity, offering concessionary loans and de-risk grants to prove that waste can, in fact, be a business model. 'Partners that we fund have programmes that are designed to educate entrepreneurs around sustainability, secularity and the green economy,' said Maluta Netshaulu, head of the social impact portfolio development at Nedbank. The supply chain also needs people with sewing skills, design sense and line management expertise. Thandeka, a skills training NGO, is stepping in to bridge this gap. The NGO offers a range of learnerships and job placements in the clothing and textile industry. 'It's all about creating jobs in South Africa,' said Heidi Williams-Oelz, customer relationship and marketing manager at Thandeka. 'We want to be able to partner with our retailers and our manufacturers to enable them to bring more onshoring to South Africa.' The demand is there. Brands like Foschini, Levi's and K-Way are already working with South African firms such as Berzacks, known locally as the 'sewing machine people', who equip manufacturers with industrial sewing machinery and products such as thread. 'The next place to be' Chinese companies are looking to further cement their place in the South African value chain. SAB South Africa, a subsidiary of global accessory giant WeiXing, is planting roots in SA, gaining traction with major retailers such as Truworths. Its goal is to bridge the gap between Chinese innovation and South African creativity. 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Free co-working spaces, free entrepreneur support at new hub in Cape Town
Free co-working spaces, free entrepreneur support at new hub in Cape Town

The South African

time11 hours ago

  • The South African

Free co-working spaces, free entrepreneur support at new hub in Cape Town

The timbuktoo Creative Hub has officially launched in Cape Town's District Six, offerering a first-of-its-kind facility in Africa. The hub provides free co-working spaces, expert mentorship, and comprehensive tech support. Local and pan-African artists, designers, musicians, and storytellers are now invited to collaborate and grow their businesses at the space at no cost. 'Creative industries are a major driver of economic growth, yet African creatives often lack access to the resources, networks and funding needed to scale their businesses,' said Head of Entrepreneur Development at UVU Accelerate, Lara Rosmarin. 'We're inviting Cape Town's creative community to come and experience the facilities and support we've developed specifically for them.' Housed in the historic Homecoming Centre (formerly the Athol Fugard Theatre in the CBD), timbuktoo is a purpose-built facility offering free co-working spaces, unlimited WiFi, and access to industry-specific support in areas like animation, fashion, textile technology, music, and augmented/virtual reality. The initiative is powered by a major partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), UVU Africa, Snake Nation, and the Craft and Design Institute. Together, they aim to unlock new potential within South Africa's fast-growing creative economy. Free, hands-on guidance from resident entrepreneurs Technolgy mentorship Digital upskilling Industry-specific support Access to the broader accelerator network Free spaces for creators to host community events The Cape Town project forms part of timbuktoo, a continent-wide innovation drive led by the UNDP to support African startups. And the response has been strong – over 280 applicants have already expressed interest in the hub's Creative Accelerator programme. 'Every groundbreaking venture starts with an audacious idea and the courage to nurture it,' added Maxwell Gomera, UNDP South Africa Resident Representative and Director of the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub. 'Through the timbuktoo Creative Hub, we're not just incubating businesses, we're cultivating a generation of creative entrepreneurs who understand that Africa's stories, innovations and cultural expression aren't just our heritage, they're our competitive advantage.' Are you interested in securing a co-working space in Cape Town? Contact the centre by emailing connect@ or calling 021 466 7200. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

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