Pharmaceutical Company Cipla SA Re-Opens Its Manufacturing Plant In Durban Following The Unrest

Pharmaceutical company Cipla announced that it is re-opening its manufacturing plant in Durban following the looting and vandalism that took place during the unrest in July.

Paul Miller the CEO of Cipla took to Twitter to share how proud he is that the plant is opening again. He said, “Post 1000 looters rampaging through our Cipla facility in Durban we had a tough decision. Pack up production to one of our plants overseas or build again. 30 days later we switch back on our production and continue to Care for Life. My heart is beaming with pride. In just a month, we re-opened our manufacturing plant in Durban after the civil unrest. Regardless of the circumstances, we stay committed to delivering on our ethos of ‘caring for life’.”

Cipla’s footprint expands across the African continent: in addition to the facility in Durban, Cipla also has a factory in Johannesburg, and another manufacturing plant in Uganda. It aims to empower various regions with their own manufacturing capabilities and invests in upgrading technological capabilities at these plants to improve production capacity, drive digital innovation and ensure uninterrupted access for patients to quality, affordable medication.
Paul Miller also said in a statement, “Cipla staff have displayed an indomitable spirit and worked tirelessly to ensure that we can resume operations as quickly as possible at this facility. We were also blessed with support from various other roleplayers in the local community who helped in the aftermath of this incident. Regardless of the circumstances, we are committed to delivering on our ethos of ‘caring for life’, and the quick turnaround time to get this site operational again is evidence of that.”

By actively creating employment and skills development opportunities, the result is more than just economic growth; it’s providing better health for its patients and securing socio-economic wellbeing for its communities.

By Thomas Chiothamisi