S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.5 No.40, October 7, 2019

This Newsletter is sponsored by SAFLIA

Please note: Click on any ad to go to the advertiser’s website

Good news last week

Financial commentator Alec Hogg says the situation in SA is improving - we just need to be patient. With that in mind, 2 articles that appeared last week:
* Former senior Transnet supply chain official Edward Thomas was fired last week for his role in the 2012 Chinese locomotives deal.
* Mineral & Energy Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe urged coal suppliers to Eskom to reduce their prices to help stimulate the economy.

Retail last week

Comment from 3 retailers on Saturday
"Compared to the same period last year, it's been down. In fact, only June this year has so far been on a par with last year. Change of season hasn't really made a difference." - Naseem Essack, member, Brandz, Port Shepstone, KZN, SA. Mini-chain, 5 outlets, family outfitter.

"Slow, on the tough side. Even September was a bit disappointing, and the first week of October hasn't been very good." - Farhaad Hatia, member, Imraan's Outfitters, Secunda, Mpumalanga. Independent, family outfitter.

"Trade has been good over the past week, with an increase in sales and a good amount of foot traffic in town.. Overall, though, the year has been tough, and shows a slight decrease from last year. Summer has been better in trade due to the upcoming festive season. We normally introduce kiddies footwear and apparel in the summer which boost sales in the summer." - Siraj Rawat, Baggio/Zone 1, Polokwane/Pietersburgr, Limpopo, SA. Independent, 2 stores, men's outfitter.

SARS releases trade statistics for August

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (September 30, 2019) – The SA Revenue Service (SARS) has released trade statistics for August 2019. These include trade data with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia.

Full descriptions of the above chapters:
1. Raw hides and skins, leather, fur skins and articles thereof; saddler and harness, travel articles, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm-gut).
2. Footwear, headgear, umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and parts thereof; prepared feathers and articles made therewith, artificial flowers, articles of

SABS simplifies technical committees

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) has amalgamated 2 footwear technical committees, SABS/TC 216, Footwear, and SABS/TC 137, Footwear sizing designation and marking systems. The combined committee will be called SABS/TC 137, Footwear including sizing designation and marking systems.
       This does not affect SABS/TC 1194, Personal safety - foot protection, which covers features specific to safety footwear.        Mahesh Nagessar, standards writer in the standards division (natural sciences) at the SABS, said the recommendation was just to lessen administrative issues.

Stock Exchange News Service (SENS) releases

Steinhoff - Pepkor Europe rebranded

Cape Town, W Cape, SA (September 30, 2019) – Shareholders of the Company are advised that Pepkor Europe, the fast-growing multi-format pan-European discount variety retailer, has renamed to Pepco Group, directly linking the business to its market leading Central Europe operations - PEPCO.
       This change to Pepco Group marks the culmination of a year of significant development and growth. The group has successfully completed a long-term E475m refinancing package, strengthened the management team through a number of senior appointments and continued to perform strongly.
       Pepco Group information is available at www.pepcogroup.eu.

Truworths - no change statement and AGM notice

Cape Town, W Cape, SA (September 30, 2019) – Further to the audited preliminary report published on the JSE's Stock Exchange News Service ("SENS") on 15 August 2019 in respect of the Group's audited results for the 52 week period ended 30 June 2019, Truworths advises that its 2019 integrated annual report, which incorporates a summary of the Group's audited annual financial statements for the period, is scheduled to be published by today Monday, 30 September 2019, on the Group's website: www.truworthsinternational.com.
       The Group's printed 2019 audited preliminary report, which incorporates a summary of the Group's annual financial statements for the period, together with the notice of the company's annual general meeting and form of proxy, were posted on Thursday, 26 September 2019 to certificated and dematerialised shareholders that are registered as shareholders, as well as to dematerialised shareholders that are not registered as shareholders but have elected to receive such reports. The said preliminary report and notice of annual general meeting have also been published on the Group's website: www.truworthsinternational.com, as have the Group's full 2019 audited annual financial statements.

Non-Publication of Abridged Report: As the 2019 audited annual financial statements contain no changes relative to the information that was contained in the 2019 audited preliminary report published on SENS, the Group is not required to publish an abridged report as contemplated in paragraph 3.21 of the Listings Requirements of the JSE.
       Shareholders are advised that the information contained in the 2019 audited preliminary report was extracted from the Group's 2019 audited annual financial statements, which themselves had been audited by Ernst & Young Inc., the Group's independent auditors, by the date of issue of the said preliminary report. Since that date the unqualified audit reports of Ernst and Young Inc. have been available for inspection at Truworths' registered office.

Notice of Annual General Meeting: Shareholders are advised that the annual general meeting of Truworths' shareholders is scheduled to be held in the auditorium at its registered office, being First Floor, No.1 Mostert Street, Cape Town, South Africa on Thursday, 7 November 2019 at 09h30, to transact the business set out in the notice of the meeting, which notice is contained in the Group's 2019 audited preliminary report and published on the Group's website: www.truworthsinternational.com
       Shareholders are encouraged to participate in the voting on all resolutions, and are advised to make the necessary arrangements to attend or be represented at the annual general meeting and, where required, to furnish voting instructions to their CSDP or broker in good time. The record date for the purposes of participating and voting at the annual general meeting is 17:00 on Friday, 1 November 2019. Accordingly the last day to trade will be Tuesday 29 October 2019.
       Shareholders are reminded that in order for forms of proxy (which are contained in the Group's 2019 audited preliminary report and published on the Group's website: www.truworthsinternational.com) to be valid for the purposes of the meeting, these are requested to be lodged at the offices of Truworths' transfer secretaries, Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited, Rosebank Towers, 15 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, 2196, South Africa (or mailed to be received by them at P O Box, 61051, Marshalltown, 2107, South Africa) by no later than 48 hours before the appointed time of the meeting. Forms of proxy may thereafter however be submitted, to the chairman of the meeting, up to the scheduled time for holding the meeting

TFG - Doug Murray appointed director

Cape Town, W Cape, SA (October 1, 2019) – The Board announced the appointment of Doug Murray, the former CEO of the Group, as a non-executive director of the company with effect from 1 October 2019. Shareholders were further advised that Doug will serve as a member of the Group's Risk Committee and as an invitee to the Group's Audit Committee. Doug will also serve on the Group's UK and Australian subsidiaries' boards and committees.

Changes

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – Former GM of the Edgars chain at Edgars Stores Ltd in Zimbabwe, Lesley Williams, left at the end of June. She is setting up an agency company and consultancy. Her email is lesleycwilliams23@gmail.com.

They Said It

"Oh yay.  I know more people on the birthday list than the in memoriam ..... so I'm not that old!!" - Beverley Phillips, former company manager's PA at Bata SA/Futura Footwear.

"Just so that you know, the factory closes at 1.00 pm on a Friday whilst some of us linger longer. I left at 4.00pm." - Dick Whittington Shoes MD Arveen Boodhoo, when told I had tried to contact him on a Friday afternoon. And when I said there was still at least one poor soul still there after he left, he added: "My son had her chained [to her desk]. That is why I had to leave so hurriedly."

S&V Directory - Order now

The directory is ready. On sale for R450. The online version is also available at R450 for 12 months' access.

2019 Trade Fairs Another essential service from S&V

Please note that we have put a list of the 2019 trade fairs and conferences on our website, linked to their websites: http://www.svmag.co.za/events

Exchange rates

Source: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/

ABSA Agri Trends 27/09: Hides & skins prices

Dorper skins were R25.00/skin and merinos skins were R35.50/skin. - Wessel Lemmer, senior agricultural economist, Absa Group. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies.

07/10/1969: Gunnar Halbich, Paul Moeller & Co, Cape Town.
08/10/1970: Sharon Bekker, Prima Style, Cape Town.
08/10/1946: Ben Cartoon, Paris Belts, Johannesburg.
08/10/1943: Willie van Vuuren, Fergom (SA), Pinetown.
09/10/1946: Yunus Nagdee, agent, Johannesburg.
09/10/1948: Ibrahim Shaikh, Hopewell Footwear, Durban.
09/10/1957: RE Badenhorst, Vrystaat Huide & Velle, Kroonstad.
09/10/1961: Richard Kushlick, Unique Feet, Johannesburg.
09/10/1971: Phoenix Wang, San Chang Import & Export, Estcourt.
10/10/1943: Jamloot Bhagwandeen, retired, formerly Dick Whittington Shoes, Pietermaritzburg.
10/10/1950: Allen Beckley, Naked Feet, Durban.
10/10/1951: Paul Muir, Pasacojo Marketing, Cape Town.
10/10/1968: Luke Barrett-Smith, Puma SA, Cape Town.
10/10/1969: Nicole Benders, Prime Leathers, Pinetown.
11/10/1956: Anita van Wyk, Shoe 4 U, Hartswater.
11/10/1965: Delene Kapperer, Sisterhood, Pretoria.
11/10/1965: Naresh Dewchan, Austin Footwear.
12/10/1946: Siva Pillay, Verora Paints, Chatsworth.
12/10/1960: Sam Wu, Footech, Ladysmith.
12/10/1962: Ronell Fromke, Super Shoes, Namibia.
12/10/1966: AM ‘Buddy’ Seedat, Jino’s Clothing, Johannesburg.
12/10/1972: Nagesh Pillai, Gravel Road, Chatsworth.
13/10/1958: Ahmed Shaikh, Young Ideas, Greytown.

In Memoriam this week

08/10/2011: Johannes Antonius Olde-Olthof (b. 11/10/1928), Tarzan Shoes, Tulbagh.
08/10/2017: Michael Piccione (b. 27/03/1963), KMP Footwear, Pinetown.
09/10/2015: Barry Furber, Furber & Whittle [closed], Cape Town.
09/10/2015: Steve Croudace (b. 22/06/1958), Leatherback Footwear, Pietermaritzburg.
11/10/1994: Eric Ahlfeldt, Pelco, Port Elizabeth.
11/10/2012: John Austin Rice (b. 17/06/1938), Courteney Shoes, Bulawayo.
12/10/2001: Flaviano ‘Fluffy’ Bernardis, (b. 11/12/1944), Andreoli Shoes, Pinetown.
13/10/2014: Kaps Singh (b. 08/04/1957), Famous Shoes, Pietermaritzburg.

Have you let us know about your birthday, or the birthdays of your colleagues? Our readers love this section, so please become part of it. This also applies to the In Memoriam section. Help us remember former colleagues.

Have a look at these links

We invite businesses to send us links to websites, Facebook pages and the like which they feel would be of interest to others. The links below are from our database:
Bhamjee's Shoe Centre, Johannesburg, SA. Family footwear. https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Footwear- Store/Bhamjees-Shoe-Centre-1693743274214300/
Bhamjee's Shoes, Lenasia, Gauteng, SA. Family footwear. https://www.facebook.com/bhamjeesshoeslenasia/?ref=py_c

RESPONSE DATE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 10
ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRAINING OPPORTUNITY
3 WEEK HANDBAG PATTERNMAKING COURSE by ARSUTORIA

The National Cluster, FLIC, with the assistance of the DTI’s SASS scheme and the General Goods Association wish to host a HANDBAG & PATTERNMAKING course in South Africa from 2ND TO 20th March 2020. This will be facilitated by ARSUTORIA, a leading patternmaking school in Italy.
This full-time course will be dedicated to bag prototype making and will cover three different types of handbag construction. This practical course will be presented by an expert Italian technician. Students will leave with all the patterns used and the three bags they have made during the course.
The course is aimed at:

This is truly an outstanding opportunity! A similar 3-week course at the ARSUTORIA School in Milan, Italy, would cost Euro 3500, excluding accommodation and air fares. The course will be offered at a nominal registration fee of R2500 per candidate. Accommodation and transportation will be for your own account.
Please email your expression of interest to generalgoodsassociation@gmail.com to reach us by 4 October 2019.
Please include;
NAME
ADDRESS
PROVINCE
CONTACT NUMBERS
EMAIL ADDRESS
COMPANY NAME (if applicable)
Brief description of why you wish to attend this course

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: October 14, 2019.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

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