S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.9 No.02, January 09 2023

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Back-to-school: Encouraging signs

Michael Wyatt, country manager, Bata SA
Pinetown, KZN, SA - We will only know the outcome of retail BTS sell out in February - January is too early to tell. But as a manufacturer and wholesaler we saw double digit growth vs. 2021 for full year sales, so another successful year for our brands.
 
Jannie Vermeulen, Ekspa Fabrikante/Adno's Outfitters
Benoni, Gauteng, SA - So far we have done very well with back-to-school 2022-2023. Our marketing seems to work. We use pamphlets which go direct to the parents, and we also advertise on Ekuhurleni 93,9 radio station. Our sales have gone well across the board, though shoes and schoolbags outshine the other products. I think our big range helps a lot.

Chiman Harjeven, Knights Shoes cc
Grahamstown, E. Cape, SA - First few days of BTS have seen a positive surge. Big improvement on the uncertainty of the last 2 years.

Abdul Hajat, Fanas
Bethlehem, Free State, SA - Back to school has always been a busy time of the year. However we have seen in the last few years with the changing economic situation that it has become part of the December trade. With the increase in the prices of goods the customers rather use their money to purchase items for back-to-school rather than spend on fashion, so in our business it has a positive and negative effect.

Sandeep Chunilal, Speri
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA - The first 10 days of December were very quiet. It started picking up from the 13th or 14th, but we're still down on last year. We don't do schoolwear, so January will be tough.

Quotes for 2023

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill (1874-1965), best known as the UK's wartime Prime Minister from 1940-1945.

"You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plough right ahead." - George Lucas (born 1944), American filmmaker.

S&V asks readers, especially those in the Germiston area, to respond to this appeal from the Germiston SPCA. We offer to publicise any donations made to the SPCA.

Germiston SPCA in Dire Straits

Germiston, Gauteng, SA (06 January 2023) - The Germiston SPCA currently finds itself in dire straits and is struggling to make ends meet.  The current economic downturn and increases in the petrol price have impacted the Society severely.
      The Society has three SPCA vehicles but only one of these vehicles is currently in working order.  Two of the vehicles are experiencing issues with their engines, the speedometer on one vehicle is not working, the hand break and breaks on the other vehicle are giving problems.  Driving these vehicles in a state of disrepair places the driver at risk of having a serious accident. The SPCA vehicles are the only way that suffering animals in need can be reached, and it is vital that the vehicles are repaired as quickly as possible.  We implore local companies and garages if they could possibly assist the SPCA in any way.
      The Society is currently indebted to the Municipality and is operating with no electricity. This affects the phone lines which, in turn, adversely affects incoming calls from members of the public requiring assistance for animals in need. Lack of electricity also makes the Inspector’s work extra difficult as they are unable to utilise their laptops to receive and respond to animal cruelty cases.
      SPCAs provide extraordinary support to their communities, often doing work that very few other people are able to do. Without the SPCA, animals will be left to suffer.
      The Germiston SPCA is appealing to members of the public and the business sector for support, either financial support or assistance in repairing their vehicles.  This will ensure that the SPCA fulfils its mandate, namely, the prevention of cruelty to animals.
      Contact the Germiston SPCA Chairperson on 063 485 1652.

Directory entries updated last week

Jackson's, Dundee, KZN, SA.

Got anything you'd like to share?

Do you have any suggestions, comments or experiences about the industry that you'd like to share with the industry? - tony@svmag.co.za

09/01/1962: Ming-Ter Tso, Mingfay International Trade, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
10/01/1947: Pieter de Villiers, Shoes & Do’s, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
10/01/1955: HR Hassim, Suliman Jooma & Son, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
10/01/1980: Edward Althorpe, commission agent, East London, E. Cape, SA.
10/01/1982: Arnold Britten, Zambezi Tanners, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
11/01/1954: Dilip Merchant, Merchant’s Outfitters, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
11/01/1958: Michael Prinsloo, Shoelettes, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
12/01/1954: Dave Nagle, agent, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
12/01/1957: Melanie Thompson, Little Slipper Co., Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
12/01/1969: Lenny Moodley, The Little Slipper Co., Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
13/01/1958: Dr Karl-Rudolf Gassen, Lanxess SA, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
13/01/1966: Farhad Fakir, Tasmo Agencies, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
13/01/1986: Dan Carpenter, Chillisource, Durban, KZN, SA.
14/01/19??: Sylvia De Gouveia, Fashion Centre, Kroonstad, Free State, SA.
14/01/1947: Billy Robinson, retired, formerly Billy Bob Trading [closed], Durban, KZN, SA.
14/01/1960: Yusuf Tikly, Legends, Zeerust, N.W. Province, SA.
15/01/19??: Vimal Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.
15/01/1974: Ahmed Jada, African Stores, Heidelberg, Gauteng, SA.

09/01/2021: Elaine Coy (b. 30/10/1951), Afro Leather, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
09/01/2022: Ron MacNiven (b. 24/09/1944), retired, formerly Bata Zimbabwe, Decofurn, Durban, KZN, SA.
13/01/2021: Rajen Pillay, SOP Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.
13/01/2022: Dan Naidoo (b. 24/01/1937), Togo Shoes, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
14/01/2004: Louis Nossel (b. 01/12/1931), Dolltown Shoes [closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
14/01/2017: Donald Taisekwa Mandirahwe (b. 29/09/1942), Cathula Sandals [closed], Harare, Zimbabwe.
14/01/2021: Beeval Kantilal Naran (b. 28/03/1966), Captain Jacob Shoes & Bag Repairs, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
15/01/2021: Idris Kajee (b. 06/11/1950), Favourite Sports, Newcastle, KZN, SA.

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.

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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:
JAET Ltd, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Footwear and leather goods manufacturer.
Jaime H., Meyersdal, Gauteng, SA. Women's boutique.

Contact us

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

Next newsletter: January 16, 2023.

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

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