South Africa’s oldest food producer under fire for plans to shut down critical factory

• Premier Group plans to shut down its Tulbagh factory, affecting 3,000 workers, as part of its Fruit Products Western Cape business.
• The factory, which processes apricots, peaches, and pears, has been in operation since the 1940s and is a significant export engine for the Western Cape region.
• The trade union Solidarity has raised concerns about the consultation process, citing indications that the decision to close the factory may have already been taken, and is urging Premier to acknowledge this openly.