By Vutivi Business News
Unipro Protective Wear (Pty) Limited (Unipro), a 100% black youth and woman-owned that specialises in the manufacturing of protective wear, is being helped to grow its operations through a partnership with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF).
Unipro, which is based in Roodepoort in Johannesburg, specialises in the manufacturing of armoured vests, uniforms and protective wear, supplying critical protective equipment to security agencies and state departments.
Unipro has created 35 new jobs and preserved 45 existing ones through the NEF funding.
“This funding from the NEF will allow us to expand our reach and continue positively impacting the lives of many locals,” said Unipro founder and CEO Thozama Ledidi.
Unipro supplies its protective gear to key clients in the security sector, including government law enforcement agencies and other entities within the national security cluster.
Ledidi’s journey into the protective wear industry is one of determination and strategic vision.
Born and raised in the Free State, her passion for the clothing and textile industry led her to establish a boutique in Centurion in Gauteng, before founding Unipro 10 years ago at the age of 24.
Recognising the growing demand for high-quality protective gear in South Africa, she established the company with the ambition to localise production and reduce the country’s dependence on imports.
With an unwavering commitment to excellence, she navigated the challenges of securing contracts and positioning Unipro as a trusted supplier for key security agencies.
South Africa’s clothing and textile sector contributes approximately 2% to total manufacturing output and employs over 90,000 people in manufacturing and 120,000 in retail.
NEF CEO Mzi Dayimani said the investment in Unipro Protective Wear was a testament to their 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,” said Dayimani.
The Trade, Industry and Competition Department 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 plan is to increase locally manufactured clothing in retail stores from 44% in 2018 to 65% by 2030.
However, the sector faces challenges, including rising costs of inputs, logistical bottlenecks and competition from cheap imports.
