A delegation of thirty religious, labour and community leaders visited the Cavendish Square branch of Queenspark on Sunday, 10 April, to hand management a memorandum from the Save Jobs Coalition. The memo urged the clothing retailer to sign a code of conduct committing it to procuring at least 75% of its stock from domestic suppliers. The chain of shops is owned by Rex Trueform, one of the Cape's oldest clothing manufacturers, which recently announced it would close its Salt River factory due to lack of orders.

Members of the delegation said that a local procurement agreement would boost the domestic garment industry, prevent companies such as Rex Trueform from having to cease production, and save thousands of jobs.

"Queenspark is owned by Rex Trueform," explained delegation member Rev. Roger Roman, Ecumenical Secretary of the Western Cape Provincial Council of Churches. "But they are buying the majority of their stock from China. Not only does this destroy jobs in South Africa, but it also encourages the growth of sweatshops that exploit workers ruthlessly."

The leaders handed store managers a memorandum that expressed "alarm" at the "haemorrhaging" of jobs in the clothing, textile and footwear industries. "The sector has shed approximately 150 000 formal jobs in the past 10 years, 17 000 in the past 12 months alone, and 3100 during the first month of this year," the memo said.

It noted that each job loss affected, on average, five household members, as well as local merchants and shopkeepers. "The decline of the clothing and textile industry undermines the prosperity and dignity not only of individual households, but also of entire communities," it warned.

The memo also asked Rex Trueform to negotiate with employees to identify creative ways to keep its Salt River factory open. Queenspark's store manager agreed to fax the memo to Rex Trueform CEO Catherine Radowsky on Monday.

The event marked the first day of a Global Week of Action on Trade, 10 -16 April, designed to draw attention to the injustices of the rules governing international trade.

"The World Trade Organisation promotes 'free market' policies that facilitate the exploitation of both labour and markets," said Imam Shaheed Gamieldien of Claremont Main Road Mosque, a delegation member. "It seeks to eliminate tariffs on trade and other mechanisms that protect industries in emerging markets. As a result, capital and goods move unimpeded around the world in search of ever-cheaper labour and undercutting local producers."