South African flag manufacturers are up in arms as the country moved closer to the World Cup event in June.

10 000 World Cup flags seem set to be imported from China instead of generating income for the local flag making industry. Strange when South Africa has a very serious unemployment problem.

, robbing them of millions of rands and denying them an opportunity to create jobs.

The flags are to be displayed along main roads during the World Cup, an international event meant to create thousands of jobs and business opportunities.

According to a local manufacturer who lost out on the deal, the order would have been worth about R4 million, if sourced locally.

The flags, measuring 3m by 1m, are destined for 10 major cities, where they will decorate the protocol routes - the major routes between airports and official Fifa hotels, headquarters and stadiums.