Masinga Embroiders Get Helping Hand

Friday, April 16, 2021

Despite the challenging economic climate caused by COVID-19 Emperors Palace, through one of its Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment vehicles, the Infrastructure Fund, last year rolled out a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) project valued at R20-million to provide 156 Ekurhuleni schools with PPE. As part of the initiative the Palace of Dreams did not only keep learners and educators safe by providing masks, shields, gloves, aprons, soap and cleaning materials but also created job opportunities by contracting small businesses and co-operatives in the resort and casino’s catchment area to produce the masks. Among the latter to benefit was Masinga Embroideries which was employed to cut out all the materials required for the masks before it was distributed to various other entities to sew the masks. Here Emperors Palace Trust Administrator, Makomane Ntabo (left) is given a demonstration on how the materials are cut out by Masinga Embroideries’ owners, Sipho and Pontsho Masinga at their Tembisa premises. In total, to date, Masinga’s has cut out material to produce just under 225 000 masks. Thanks to the project the Tembisa business was also able to expand, employ a further six staff members bringing the staff compliment to 14 and buy a new Dye Sublimation Printer and a Direct Garment Inkjet Printer. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep)