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Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and KZN Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo expressed their satisfaction with operations at a condom factory situated at Dube TradePort, near the King Shaka International Airport.
Motsoaledi and Dhlomo paid a visit to the factory, which is a joint venture between SA Health Protection Services and US-based company HBM, on Friday following the conclusion of the TB Conference in Durban.
The facility, trading as HBM-SA,
produces 700 000 condoms per day for the local and export markets, and is expected to double its output
soon, as it continues to build capacity.
Among the HBM-SA production line is the government’s Max condoms, which replaced the Choice brand.
KZN Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Mr Sibusiso Lushaba of HBM-SA at condom factory. (Supplied)
The new R150-million factory is regarded as a coup for KwaZulu-Natal as it will create up to 150 local jobs in its first development phase. Previously, SA Health imported all its stock from a manufacturer in China.
In a statement on Sunday, Dhlomo said Motsoaledi was pleased with what he saw and was looking forward to coming back for the official launch of the facility, which was expected soon.
“The minister was impressed to see that this factory has the capacity to produce 1,4 million condoms per day. We are looking forward to coming back with the minister for the formal launch of this HBM-SA condom factory."
“This company has already started employing locally and has 35 staff members and will go up to 150 breadwinners. Here in KZN, we have reaped the most rewards through this factory, because there will not be a shortage of condoms in KZN.," Dhlomo said.
Dhlomo said the logistical positioning of the factory adjacent to the airport also made future expansion into the SADC region more viable.
"Also, when the condom distribution programme is extended to SADC countries, it becomes very easy for them to be transported, because the airport is right next door.”
"Condoms are still regarded as one of the safest measures to prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies," he said.
Dhlomo said government was continuing to promote Dual Protection as a strategy to curb unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections such as HIV and others.
Dual Protection entails men and boys undergoing Medical Male Circumcision; using condoms during every episode of sexual contact; and all of this coupled with female contraceptive methods.
