S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol89 No11 November 2023
This Magazine is sponsored by SAFLIA
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Port problems: Sort it out or your Masterplan will fail, retail tells Government.
- SAFLIA also has a go over the collapse of SA’s ports.
- SAFLIA AGM: ‘Opposition to unfairness of collective bargaining drove membership drop.’
- SAFLIA AGM: Local production up in 2022, ‘but Masterplan has failed footwear’.
- Tech Fund: Manufacturers to pay full fee again after long holiday, but NBCLI grants another year’s holiday from levy.
04 Exports & Trade
- The rise and rise of Veldskoen as it seeks to double turnover.
06 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Puma’s partnership with basketball star crumbles under pressure.
- World Shoe Ghana plans to step into the global footwear arena.
12 Notice Board
- Obituary: Misheck Sibanda, The Courteney Boot Company – we lost a staff member, the world lost a good person..
15 Trade Statistics
- South Africa: September imports and exports of footwear and accessories, provided by SARS.
Advertisers in this Issue
APLF (03,16), Evolution Engineering (03), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (04), Palm Footwear (12), Royal Adhesive Industries (07), Saddler Belts (08), SAFLEC (09), S&V Calendar (13), S&V Directory (15), Seadoone Shoes/Solite (06), The Authentic Brands Company/Shoemaker’s Choice (01), Wayne Safety (OFC).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 12 January 2024.
- SAFLIA AGM: ‘Opposition to unfairness of collective bargaining drove SAFLIA membership drop’
In an implicit question mark over the future of collective bargaining in the South African footwear manufacturing industry, the Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association lost many of its members, most of them SMMEs, at the beginning of 2023.“…they believe our wage rates in the footwear industry have grown ...moreThe rise and rise of Veldskoen as it seeks to double turnover
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – When they started, in 2016, they had no footwear background at all. By last year, they were responsible for between 13% and 18% of SA’s footwear exports by pairs, and probably at least as much by value.Anyone who knows much about SA’s footwear exports will know the reference is to Veldskoen (Pty) ...morePuma’s partnership with basketball star crumbles under pressure
Puma's major breakup with a basketball star is a story of social media stardom, Tesla drive-by drama, courtroom proceedings, and some lessons we can take home. ...moreWorld Shoe Ghana plans to step into the global footwear arena
In the competitive world of footwear, a relatively unknown company has emerged — ‘World Shoe’ — and is establishing its first factory in Ghana. The move is part of its ambitious plan to manufacture over five million shoes annually, with a commitment to producing affordable, durable, environmentally friendly footwea ...moreWe lost a staff member, the world lost a good person
Obituary: Misheck Sibanda – G&D Shoes, Footwear & Rubber Industries, The Courteney Boot Company (08/08/1961-18/09/2023) ...morePort problems: Sort it out or your ‘Masterplan’ will fail, retailers warn governmentCape Town, W. Cape, SA - “It’s a matter of record that there are 70 000 delayed containers, and that some retailers have resorted to airfreighting in stock,” said National Clothing Retail Federation executive director Michael Lawrence. “Retailers will somehow make it through Christmas, but the problem is getti ...moreLocal production up in 2022, but ‘Masterplan has failed footwear’Contrary to expectations, SA footwear manufacturing in 2022 rose by 20% over 2021 from 51 119 332 pairs to 61 334 614 pairs. The bulk of the increase was made up of cheap constructions such as flip flops, executive director Jirka Vymětal said.Noting the apparently worsening youth unemployment in SA, which he called &l ...moreTech Fund: Footwear manufacturers to pay full levy again after long ‘holiday’, NBCLI levy holiday to last another yearAll SA footwear manufacturers will again pay full contributions to the Footwear Industry Technological Fund – the statutory monthly levy based on a percentage of weekly wages paid – from January 2024. A 3-year payment ‘holiday’ between July 2020, at the beginning of the covid crisis, and June this year, was replace ...moreSA footwear & accessories trade statistics for September 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (31 October 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (10 870 466 163)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.21Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (1 384 720 209)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.21ExportsMonth % of total 0.21Cumulative 2022 (R'm) ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Growing trend in the East towards factories staffed entirely by robots – rest of the world ‘being left behind’'While Europe is still focused on Industry 4.0, Asia is already gearing up for Industry 5.0, which emphasizes autonomy over mere connectivity.' ...moreSkechers going private to compete smarter?
Skechers has announced its acquisition by private equity firm 3G Capital for $63 per share — a 30% premium over its recent stock price — marking its shift from public to private ownership by Q3 2025. Once the deal closes, Skechers will be delisted from the NYSE, and public shareholders will receive a cash payout. CEO Robe ...moreA ‘mouse’, who was in every way outsized - Obituary: Tony Jelinski – Everflex Manufacturing (19/10/1945-16/03/2025)
Tony Jelinski – who was also known as Mighty Mouse and whose personality, friendships and business acumen were a lot bigger than the biggest mouse you have ever seen.Due to my age of 84, I am the dinosaur of the partners of the PMC Group, of which Everflex, Tony’s sphere, was such a big part.I was responsible for getting Tony ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- COMESA launches leather value chain strategy to boost regional industrialisation
Nairobi, Kenya (02 April 2025) – In a landmark move to accelerate Africa’s industrialization, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has unveiled its Leather Value Chain Strategy 2025–2029.The high-profile launch, held in Nairobi, brought together government officials, development partners, private se ...moreGet the message across on World Leather Day, urges Leather Working Group
On Saturday 26th April 2025, the global leather industry will come together in recognition of the fourth edition of World Leather Day—a global movement dedicated to celebrating leather as a material and promoting a deeper understanding of the leather industry. This social media kit can be used by Leather Naturally members and i ...moreCountry hides and skins: Changed markets for a forgotten source
Changes in the global leather market have impacted most on the bottom rung of the leather value chain – ‘country’ hides and skins. This was starkly illustrated when S&V African Leather received a call from someone in the Eastern Cape who had previously made a living collecting them for sale to agents acting on behalf of hide and skin collectors. The agents were still there, he said, but they weren’t interested in buying what he had to offer. Where should he look?rnrn A call to trader Gareth Diesel in East London, who works for and with Elliott Brothers and its subsidiary, East London Abattoir, confirmed that market had died in the province.rnrn He suggested we ask Greg Feinberg, MD of SA’s biggest hide and skin trader, pickler and wet blue tannery, Cape Produce Company, for ‘the bigger picture’. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- The recipe for success and safety - the strategic value of ISO 22000 certification in the food industry
Durban, KZN, SA (08 January 2025) – In today's increasingly globalised food industry, consumer trust and product safety is everything, but businesses must go beyond mere compliance and strive for excellence to thrive in this competitive context. ISO 22000 certification offers a strategic solution to achieve these goals, providing th ...moreMine deaths in SA ‘lowest ever’ in 2024Extract from the release of 2024 mine health and safety statistics by Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, on 23 January 2025. ...more7 strategies to create more resilient mine dewatering
Dewatering is a crucial operation in mining. Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager at Xylem Africa, advises how to approach mine dewatering with these 7 strategies. As recent events at a Namibian mine demonstrate, dewatering is a critical linchpin for mining operations. ...more
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