Region: KwaZulu Natal, Elundini Local Municipality

Sector: Value Chain and Agro-processing

Elundini Local Municipality (ELM) in the Eastern Cape has started investigating the establishment of a wool processing facility to support the wool value chain in a region that is considered the wool belt of South Africa. ELM has identified a suitable site, started with the establishment of bulk services, investigated potential markets and embarked on limited market development activities.

The facility envisaged by the Municipality will initially be based on scouring (‘washing’) of wool. In the future, the municipality envisages also looking into combing and carding to make wool slivers used in making yarns. The washing, carding and combing processes are collectively referred to as early stage processing. Following its successful Livestock Improvement Programme, the ELM is interested in investigating further value addition to the wool produced in the area. This entails investigations into the early stage processing of wool, as well as downstream processing, which includes yarn spinning and garment making.

The Municipality envisages that the second phase will be wool carding and combing which will be considered at a later stage.