Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Fashion group Dangee Carken is launching a PPE division.

An initial range of imported safety footwear and locally made workwear, branded GrittGear, will launch in October.

Director Robby Stoller said the group had been working on the project for over 6 months. He said an industry specialist would be joining.

He said the intention was that over time, the division would cover the full spectrum of PPE. A website, www.grittgear.co.za, has been set up. 

The application to resurrect 4Tify Africa – formerly North Safety – and other subsidiaries of African Boomerang Holdings, was withdrawn following the death in March of former CEO Craig Garvie, attorney Kobus van Niekerk, of JI van Niekerk Inc., has confirmed.

“The business rescue applications were withdrawn,” he wrote. “The liquidations will thus proceed.” 

Umhlanga, KZN, SA – An investigation by SAFLIA has shown that online retailer Temu, which officially launched in South Africa on 17 January, is selling non-compliant safety footwear in SA. SAFLIA signed up to the site and ordered a style labelled as ‘Men's Summer Mesh Steel Toe Shoes Breathable Work Safety Shoes Industrial Construction Sneakers Walking’ for which it paid R679, including 30% import duty, marked down from R1129.

All safety footwear in SA must be approved by the National Retailer for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) as being compliant with the safety standard ISO 20345 and its SA equivalent, SANS 20345. Each approved style is issued with a number which must be permanently attached to the shoe.

In terms of separate country of origin legislation, all imported footwear must have the country of origin permanently attached to the shoe. The ‘made in China’ information on the shoes was on the same adhesive – i.e. impermanent – sticker identifying the materials used – in this case, rubber or plastic and textile upper, rubber or plastic lining and sock, and rubber or plastic sole.

The NRCS was approached for comment on Friday, and this morning replied: “This communication serves to inform you that proper investigation into the matter below will be done. As the CMM department we wish to extend our appreciation for your assistance in making sure that the market is removing the non-compliant commodities and that everyone in the industry complies to the rules and regulations.”

Temu was approached for comment via its customer service site. It responded that it has a legal team that checked legal requirements in all markets it served.

“Temu has bypassed the whole NRCS system,” SAFLIA executive director Jirka Vymĕtal said on Friday. “This product should have been stopped by Customs. The NRCS has to act to stop it.

“Frankly, the safety footwear being offered by Temu is a threat to the entire safety footwear industry in SA, importers as well as manufacturers. Compliant safety footwear suppliers have to fund the cost of compliance.”

He said the application of duties on the shoes was also being investigated by SAFLIA.

Note: This is an ongoing article. 

New Germany, KZN, SA – In general, our business is up substantially, though I’m not sure where it’s coming from, because many of our customers have downsized their workforces, or even closed.

I’ve tried to analyse it, and I think we’ve picked up new business since North closed. But I think the main reason is that we offer excellent service, good prices and lots of stock, so we’re doing the basics right. And PPE remains a legal requirement.

There are no real issues with imported stock. There are some problems with getting local product on time. With PPE, customers want the product off-the-shelf.

On the footwear side, I’m concerned about the change to the standard, and what that will mean in terms of getting new styles approved. It’s taken the NRCS about 10 years to get existing styles approved, and I think there will be delays and uncertainty about new styles. 

Vienna, Austria - Annually, 28 April is observed as both 'World Day for Safety and Health at Work' and 'International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers', which is why the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) chose that day to launch a new course, Occupational Safety and Health Aspects of Leather Manufacturing (OSHALM).

      Full details will be carried in the May issue of S&V African Leather later this week.