Stuck in the Shadow of Anarchy: HIV/AIDS Governance and the Textile Sector in South Africa

Abstract

Textile firms in South Africa are particularly affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Prevalence rates in the industry are higher than in, for example, the automotive or food and beverage industries — though not as high as in mining.¹ The costs for the South African textile industry incurred by the HIV/AIDS pandemic are substantial. ‘Treatment costs, paid sick leaves, funeral costs, low productivity, disability expenses, costs of training and lost expertise, additional costs of incapacity as well as generally increased medical costs’² are among the challenges the industry confronts as a consequence of HIV/AIDS. Indeed, most companies find the disease difficult to tackle (Müller-Debus et al. 2009a, 2009b). The labor intensity of the industry, its volatility and generally low profit margins make it particularly difficult for textile firms to fight HIV/AIDS and its consequences effectively. Hence, it does not come as a surprise that the efforts of the sector to fight the disease are rather weak in comparison to other industry sectors such as automotive or mining. The textile industry in South Africa is not a part of ‘race to the top’ dynamics; it is stuck in the shadow of anarchy.