STORY: Chinese company helps create jobs, promotes local development in South Africa
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 14, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 20, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:00
LOCATION: Cape Town
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Hisense South Africa Industrial Park in Cape Town of South Africa
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MARLON JACOBS, Assembly and quality technician at fridge factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
3. various of the Hisense South Africa Industrial Park in Cape Town of South Africa
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MOU XING, Process engineer at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): AYRTON MINNIES, Process technician team leader at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): TOM TSHITSHI, Production manager at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
7. various of the Hisense South Africa Industrial Park in Cape Town of South Africa
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): TOM TSHITSHI, Production manager at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park

STORYLINE:

The South African town of Atlantis is located about 50 kilometers north of Cape Town.

An industrial park set up by Chinese electronics company Hisense 11 years ago has transformed the once sleepy town into a major manufacturing base for household electrical appliances.

This has created over 1,000 direct jobs and more than 5,000 indirect jobs for locals and injected new impetus into the industrialization of the country.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MARLON JACOBS, Assembly and quality technician at fridge factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
"I've been working at Hisense for over 11 years. When I started with Hisense in 2013, I was unemployed. I was not married at that time. Today, (I got) married, with two children. It has changed my life exponentially. From unemployed to being employed, owning a home, driving a car, being able to provide for the family, and I couldn't be any happier."

In addition to job creation, Hisense also attaches great importance to cultivating local talents.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MOU XING, Process engineer at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
"Through years of training, exchanges, and working together, many local employees have been able to deal with various tasks independently and ensure smooth production at the factory."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): AYRTON MINNIES, Process technician team leader at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
"I have gained a lot of experience now by learning from all three engineers (from China). My role in the TV factory is basically teaching the new guys and basically introducing all new models to other employees on the production line, in order for them to understand how the process is working."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): TOM TSHITSHI, Production manager at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
"In terms of my profession, Hisense doesn't just give you responsibilities, but Hisense ensures that they invest in your education, in your profession. Last year, Hisense sent me to China to give me advanced training in terms of leading, in terms of quality, in terms of manufacturing technology, and processes, and then about the systems already in place in China that we're also looking forward to implementing in South Africa in the future as well."

After 11 years of development, the Hisense South Africa Industrial Park now has an annual production capacity of 10 million TVs and 500,000 refrigerators.

Its products not only serve South African consumers, but they are also sold to over 10 African countries, including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar.

In 2022, refrigerators produced at the industrial park were exported to the European market for the first time, significantly enhancing the confidence of "Made in South Africa."

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): TOM TSHITSHI, Production manager at TV factory at Hisense South Africa Industrial Park
"We already started producing TVs and fridges in South Africa. It will play a major contribution in terms of our growth in the country. It will create more jobs for South Africans."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cape Town.
(XHTV