The Gauteng provincial government has launched a training programme aimed at bolstering jewellery manufacturing and design in the province.

The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency’s (GGDA’s) commercial jewellery design course will be presented at a new training facility at Rand Refineries, in Germiston, and students will be equipped with a winning combination of design skills and the integration of market research and product development, says GGDA acting group execu- tive for enterprise projects Seipati Mangadi.

“Beneficiaries will gain valuable practical work experience and be exposed to international jewellery product development,” she adds.

The programme forms part of the Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct, an anchor project of the OR Tambo industrial development zone (IDZ). “We have fiercely supported the establishment of the IDZ as a tool for economic growth and believe that jewellery manufacturing is a section of the value chain with the greatest potential to increase value addition to precious metals, incorporating employment creation, entrepreneurship opportunities and foreign revenue generation,” said Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Nkosiphendule Kolisile at the launch of the new training facility last month.

“Despite its mineral wealth, South Africa lags in mineral beneficiation, exporting its minerals as unprocessed ore rather than higher-value finished products.

“Given the strategy for local beneficiation, we want to create an enabling environment to achieve a stable market share for local jewellery manufacturers. A lack of skills in the design and manufacturing sector poses an obstacle in pursuing our plans for the Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct,” said Kolisile.

“In the beneficiation strategy of the Department of Mineral Resources, jewellery manufacturing is highlighted as a key industry in the beneficiation of three of the top ten minerals of South Africa. The industry has, historically, been one of the most significant users of gold, platinum and diamonds and the percentage of possible value addition is directly related to the increase in the workforce. Therefore, it answers not only the value addition of raw material but also the national focus of job creation,” says Mangadi.

At the launch, Kolisile stated: “Employment, gold production and exports have declined by more than half while imports increased between 2006 and 2010. During this time, jewellery permit holders decreased by almost 70%, from 2 600 to 875, and employment in the manufacturing industry halved, dropping from 5 000 to 2 400. Local jewellery manufacturing capacity has declined so significantly that, in many cases, it would not be viable to produce or finance export orders.”

Mangadi adds that contributing factors to the decline of the industry include a signifi- cant increase in the price of precious metals, mainly gold, the significant impact of the worldwide recession and much more stringent and onerous regulations under the Precious Metals Act and the Diamond Amendment Act in South Africa.

“However, this project is focused on identifying and researching viable markets for products and understanding how to develop products to suit the market. It is, therefore, a key contributing factor to the solution of the current state of affairs, as opposed to being subordinate to it,” she points out.

The project will, first and foremost, cater for the local market through market research, understanding the consumer and developing a product that is adapted for local market trends and pockets, with the long-term vision being to increase exports of local products, Mangadi concludes.