A mighty oak has fallen - Obituary: Pieter Yzelle, KKI and SCOT (29/09/1949-11/11/2021)
Published: 13th Jan 2022
Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA - We pay tribute to a legend in the ostrich industry and the ‘father’ of the SCOT tannery, Pieter Yzelle, who sadly passed away on 11 November 2021. The tannery is a monument to Pieter’s technical and managerial ability as well as his tenacity to reach his goals.
Pieter and Vanetta Yzelle
His favourite recreations were fishing & hunting.
Pieter was known by many as one of the best ostrich tanners and was truly passionate about ostrich leather. One of the breakthrough developments for ostrich leather was when Pieter, Bill and Peter Staak, under the leadership of Johan Wilken, developed the world renowned full aniline ostrich leather which was appropriately named 'saddle finish. The combination of vision, drive, science, and art opened a whole new world for ostrich leather and from that point this new finish contributed significantly to an increased demand for ostrich leather.
As most will remember him: The tanner who helped create the iconic saddle finish for ostrich leather.
He retired in 2014 after 37 years in the ostrich industry, handing over the baton of knowledge to a new generation who continue to strive to improve all aspects of the industry for its successful longevity.
Professionally we will remember him for being strict, but fair, and always driven by quality. His spirit will always live on in our tannery. For those of us that knew him personally, we will remember him with fondness for his sharp wit, wonderful sense of humour, his love of outdoor activities, and his insatiable sweet tooth.
We share our heartfelt condolences with his widow, Vanetta, his two sons, Neil and Johan, their spouses, and three grandchildren.
Graduate
National serviceman
He loved his grandchildren passionately.
Tags: Obituary, Pieter Yzelle, Ostrich, Frik Kriek, Cape Karoo International, SCOT, Bill Staak, Peter Staak, Johan Wilken
Footwear Industry Articles
- Mizuno: New distributor plans increase in marketing, and diversification of sports categoriesJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Digital Wellness has been appointed by Mizuno Europe as the new Mizuno Footwear distributor for Southern Africa.It was previously distributed by Performance Endurance Solutions.Brian Kerby will continue with the brand, filling the role of Mizuno Brand Manager. He and Digital Wellness MD Ricky West respond ...morePure Endurance Solutions to launch 361° running shoe brand in SA
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Sports energy products and sportswear distributor Pure Endurance Solutions has become the Southern African distributor of Hong Kong-based basketball and running shoe brand, 361°. In footwear, it previously represented Mizuno.361° was previously distributed locally, for a short period.On a much smalle ...moreBolton: A welcome return for range launches
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Range launches – complete with shelves and shelves of samples, showings in the major centres, models, snacks, and invitations to a cross section of retailers – are so from-days-gone-by, so out-of-date, so ‘pre-Covid’ – and so welcome, it turns out.Bolton Footwear group sales, de ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- EUDR Update: What Africa’s Leather Sector Needs to Know NowThe European Commission’s latest proposal to simplify the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) timeline has sparked debate, and arguably a little relief, across global supply chains. However, while there are signs of continued flexibility, the message from the European Commission in Brussels remains firm: the regulation is ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': Brands remain holier than thouOn more than one occasion I have reported on brands being caught using illegal labour in their supply line. From what I understand several brands regularly, but indirectly, use illegal labour and of course always deny their knowledge of this happening. The problem is that everybody knows and nobody can prove this because the brands buy fr ...moreSA ostrich leather exporters still seeking solutions to U.S. tariffsCape Town/Oudtshoorn, W. Cape, SA – Thurling Investments MD Vidrik Thurling said his business and its manufacturing partner, Ostriland Import Export, were “still negotiating with clients” over how to cope with the tariffs. “30% is a huge number,” he said. “There isn’t a simple solution.”Arno ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Updated safety footwear standards: No clarity after marathon meetingPretoria, Gauteng, SA – South African safety footwear manufacturers and importers will have to wait until 08 October to get answers from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) after a 3-hour, 30-minute Microsoft Teams ‘stakeholder meeting’ on 11September overran its timeslot – and that was afte ...moreUpdated safety footwear standard: Industry awaiting NRCS guidelinesSafety footwear suppliers in SA are awaiting a response this month (December 2025) from the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) on various aspects of the implementation of the updated safety footwear standard, SANS 20345: 2023, which comes into force in April 2026.A major concern is the period that will be allowed for safet ...moreHighlights from A+A 2025
Head and Hearing Protection 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ ALERT™ XPV Headset: This solar-powered headset features a patented film that charges the battery using both sunlight and indoor light, providing approximately 78 hours of working time. Photo: https://za.rs-online.com/3M™ Speedglas™ G5-03 Welding Helm ...more
© S&V Publications
