Numsa dismayed by Goodyear’s decision to stop manufacturing in SA

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it is dismayed at the announcement by Goodyear South Africa that it intends to discontinue its manufacturing operations in South Africa.

Numsa said on Friday it had been served with a section 189 notice from Paul Gerrard, the MD of Goodyear Tyres in South Africa.

The manufacturing plant is in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) in the Eastern Cape and the company envisages that at least 907 employees will be affected by the closure.

“We are deeply worried about the impact on workers and their families in Uitenhage. It is becoming a ghost town given that ContiTech, which is part of Continental, closed down and it is also in the same tyre and rubber industry,” Numsa’s Eastern Cape secretary Mziyanda Twani said.

The union said it might not be easy to replace these jobs. The Eastern Cape has a high unemployment rate at 41.9%, according to Stats SA.

“While the outlook is bleak, we stand ready to do everything we can to defend the jobs of our members and to do all we can to negotiate fair severance packages.”

Despite the planned closure of the plant, Goodyear SA said it would continue to maintain a sales and distribution and HiQ retail presence in the country.

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