BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the Department of Trade, Industry & Competition (DTIC) are racing against time to find strategic partners to take over the Goodyear SA plant in the Eastern Cape and safeguard more than 900 jobs before a two-month deadline expires.

The tyre manufacturing plant in Kariega shut its doors on Friday after unions secured an improved severance deal, which will see each retrenched employee receive a lump sum, plus four weeks’ pay for every year worked. The workers will also get their August salary and a 2025 bonus entitlement accrual. More than 900 people were employed at the plant, the closure of which is a significant blow to the Nelson Mandela Bay economy.

In a briefing on Monday, Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said Goodyear SA had agreed not to dispose of its property for a period of two months, “to enable Numsa to further pursue discussions with government and third parties in an attempt to save the manufacturing plant”. Jim said the union and the government were “busy looking for strategic partners that can invest and take over the plant with the intention of saving the jobs that have been lost as a result of Goodyear’s decision to close the plant. There is one strategic partner that we are talking to.” Jim stressed that he was not presently at liberty to divulge who the strategic partner was.

DTIC spokesperson Kaamil Alli advised: “The department is currently engaged with the firm in respect of the announced closure. We are considering the options available to us and will communicate once a firm decision has been taken.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)

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