South Africa's textile industry in crisis after migrant workers flee the country

South Africa's textile industry has plunged into a severe workforce crisis after thousands of migrant workers fled the country in recent months, driven out by violent protests led by an anti-immigrant group known as March and March.

The campaign aimed to free up jobs for South African nationals in a country where roughly one-third of the workforce is unemployed. But factory owners in the Newcastle region say they have been unable to fill the vacancies left by the departed foreign workers, hurting production.

The crisis lays bare the direct economic fallout of anti-migrant unrest in one corner of South Africa's economy. Industry representatives warn that production losses could deepen if the labour shortage is not addressed.