S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol. 12 No. 09, March 02 2026

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A fuller article on the new director will appear in the March edition of Shoes & Views on 20 March

New DTIC director promises ‘review of all programmes’

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The new director of the Leather & Footwear Desk at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Dimakatso Moji, who was appointed on 01 February, says her first priority “is to undertake a structured diagnostic of the footwear and leather value chain, including reviewing existing programmes, assessing current industry performance data, and engaging directly with stakeholders to understand constraints at firm level, particularly around competitiveness, localisation, access to markets, and cost pressures”.
     She took over from Dr Jaywant Irkhede, who retired at the end of April last year.
     “A key focus will be strengthening implementation of the Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather Master Plan and ensuring that the sector’s interventions are aligned with the broader industrial policy framework of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition,” she said. “This means improving coordination between industry, labour, and government, while ensuring that support instruments translate into tangible outcomes such as retained and expanded jobs, increased domestic production, and improved export readiness.”

Wage negotiations

Durban, KZN, SA – Ilhaam Ryneveld, general secretary of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA (NBCLI), this morning confirmed the following dates for this year’s wage negotiations.

General Goods & Handbags sector
First round 08 and 09 April
Second round 05 and 06 May

Footwear sector
First round 20 and 21 April
Second round 11 and 12 May

Tanning sector
First round 23 and 24 April
Second round 20 and 21 May

PPE Conference next week

Kempton Park, Gauteng, SA – PPE Conference 2026, hosted by The Safety First Association together with SAPEMA, takes place at Emperors Conference Centre on 10 and 11 March. See: https://safety1st.co.za/ppe-conference/

Listed company reports

Truworths interim results December 2025

No growth

These are extracts from the full report which can be seen here: TRU Truworths International Ltd. SENS and News
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA (26 February 2026) – Revenue for the period was flat at R12.9 billion (R12.9 billion) while gross profit nudged up 0.5% to R6.3 billion (R6.2 billion). Trading profit increased by 2.8% to R2.1 billion (R2.0 billion). Profit for the period attributable to equity holders of the parent came in at R1.8 billion (R1.8 billion). Headline earnings per share was reported at an elevated 495.4 cents per share (489.2 cents per share).
     Retail sales in Truworths Africa for the first 7 weeks of the second half of the 2026 financial period increased by 0.6% at an improved gross profit margin compared to the corresponding 7 weeks of the 2025 financial period.
     Retail sales in Office UK increased by 3.4% in Sterling, but decreased by 1.7% in Rand terms due to the stronger Rand/Pound exchange rate relative to the corresponding prior period.
     Group retail sales decreased by 0.2%, with account sales increasing by 3.0% and cash sales decreasing by 2.9%. Group retail sales for the first 7 weeks are impacted by the stronger Rand/Pound exchange rate, relative to the corresponding prior period.

Mr Price Group

NKD deal going ahead

Durban, KZN, SA – Mr Price Group last week said its offer to buy as the retail business of NKD Group GmbH “has become unconditional, subject only to the condition precedent of the payment of the purchase consideration”.
“Shareholders are further advised that the investor presentation to provide further insight into NKD and its growth prospects will take place on 17 March 2026 in Cape Town from 09:30am to 12:30pm SAST. The live webcast of the presentation for remote participants can be viewed through the following link: https://www.corpcam.com/MrPriceGroup17032026CMP The presentation slides will also be made available on the Group website upon commencement of the presentation: https://mrpricegroup.com/investor-relations/.”

Personnel

Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA – Cobus Brink, former quality manager for Cape Karoo International’s Leather Division, retired at the end of January. Thabang Kenalemang has been appointed as the new quality manager. He is based in Oudtshoorn.

In case you missed it!

The February issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol. 92 No. 02 February 2026

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Upfront
- ‘If footwear manufacturers want to supply chains, they have to trigger the viable ideas. It’s not retail’s responsibility’, says NCRF director Michael Lawrence.
- An export success story: Weef – the art of taking an extravagance and making it an essential, globally. Dévan Swanepoel explains.

09 Shoe Fairs
- Mipel/Micam attract 20 000 visitors.

11 Sustainability
- Plastics manufacturing: Sustainable PU production without toxic isocyanate.

13 Noticeboard
- Obituary: George Geyser, Dancewell: From ballet pumps to clown shoes, a shoemaker who could make, literally, any shoe.
- Obituary: Rolf Oltmanns, PMC: His philosophy had an impact far beyond the businesses he led.
- Obituary: Edward W. Bailey, CDB Holdings: A good and wise man from a different era.

17 Statistics
- Preliminary trade statistics December 2025.



Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (OFC, 02, 07), East Asian Import & Export (02), Ethekwini Leather (05), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (04), Jumbo Footwear (11), Haesloop Agencies (17), iSync Solutions (13), Kaytex Belts (14), Leather Finishing Products (08), Saddler Belts (12), SAFLEC (16), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (18), Shotland Packaging (10).
 

They Said It

"I can’t believe we’re already in March.” - Sonja Diedericks, office manager, Freestyle Footwear, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA. I think she speaks for most of us.

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

New subscribers last week

Shane Naicker, Independent, Durban, South Africa
Neil Tups Tupper, Retired Footwear Buyer, Previously Massmart, Pinetown, KZN, South Africa
Andrew Hathorn, Attorney, Beall Chaplin & Hathorn, Durban, KZN, South Africa
Nonkululeko Mdhlalose, Senior Marketing Specialist, BBF Safety Group, Pinetown, KZN, South Africa

Birthdays this week

02/03/1953: Garth Ewing, retired, formerly Garth Ewing Agencies, East London, E. Cape, SA.
02/03/1960: Robin Teifel, Harry E. Teifel & Associates, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
03/03/1977: Jerome Kent, Louis’ Sports, Queenstown, E. Cape, SA.
04/03/1946: John Commins, retired, formerly Wayne Plastics, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
04/03/1971: Yahya Tayob, Ahmed Tayob cc, Polokwane / Pietersburg, Limpopo, SA.
04/03/1973: Gerrit Sander, GPS Agencies, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
04/03/1977: Regan Govender, Paragon Footwear, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
05/03/1937: Arnold Buckby, agent, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
05/03/1949: Tony Carnecky, retired, formerly Futura Footwear/Bata SA and Bata Kenya, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
05/03/1983: David Novos, Economic Shoes (closed), Paarl, W. Cape, SA.
05/03/1986: Muhammed Omar, Fashion Square, Durban, KZN, SA.
06/03/1963: Sunil Jethwa, The African Boot Co., Nairobi, Kenya.
06/03/1971: Sunil Bhagwandas, Ginger Bhagwandas, Durban, KZN, SA.
06/03/1976: Kevin Pillay, Alateens Bopsi Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
07/03/1960: Rafique Moosa, Cassim Moosa Bros. Trading, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
08/03/1956: Cedric Zoghby, Atlantic Protective Clothing, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
08/03/1958: Gary van Rooyen, Certo Sports, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
08/03/1962: Rajesh Kulwa, United Agencies, formerly Apeco, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
08/03/1966: Yamraj Deeplal, Foot Flair, Amanzimtoti, KZN, SA.
08/03/1970: Nick Zografos, Tifosi Sports (Pty) Ltd, Randburg, Gauteng, SA.
08/03/1978: Saroj Govender, Angel Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.

In memoriam this week

02/03/1991: Edward Powell (b. 12/02/1967), agent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
03/03/2003: Gerry Elder (b. 03/08/1928), agent, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
03/03/2010: Ernest Alfred ‘Basie’ Heunis (b. 17/05/1923), Silverton Tannery [closed], Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
06/03/1993: Brian Murphy, agent.
06/03/2011: Livio Sirilli (b. 06/04/1921), Sirilli Shoes [closed], Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
08/03/2025: Howard Patterson-Roberts (b. 22/06/1951), agent, Durban, 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.

Directory entries updated last week

Department of Trade, Industry & Competition (DTIC), Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK) (buying)

Source: https://www.rbm.mw/

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) (buying)

Source: https://www.boz.zm/

5. Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)

Source: Source: https://www.rbz.co.zw/

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (27 February 2026) - The current average hide price decreased by 0.71% to R2.307/kg from R2.325/kg a week ago. The current price is 0.61% higher than the average price a month ago and was 17,6% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.25 Maximum price: R2.61. Please note: Our methodology weighs the prices we collect according to the number of hides they sell in a month. This is done to make it more representative of the prevailing market price. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies. - Marlene Louw, senior agricultural economist, Nkhensani Mashimbyi, agricultural economist, and Zama Sangweni, agricultural economist, ABSA group.

Note: For previous prices, see HERE

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:

Ivory Boutique, East London, E. Cape, SA. Women’s apparel retailer.
Izintaba Crocodile Farm, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA. Crocodile farm.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Trading conditions (respondents in business alphabetical order)
- Hoping for a year with fewer distractions
- Expanding with next-generation hospitality footwear
- A return to ‘dressing up’
- Customers still only buying essentials

Wage negotiations

Counterfeits
- Workshop on effects of illicit trade

SENS

In case you missed it!: The February issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.11 No.9, March 3 2025

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Business
- Botswana
-- Vision Sports: Expanding, despite tough trading

- Namibia
-- The Shoe Box: Surviving until the upturn

- South Africa
-- Truworths to open new chains

Edgars' move to Durban 'contrary to agreement' say former staff

York City Tailors: People looking for bargains

Birkenstock sold to LVMH

Stock Exchange News Service (SENS): Woolworths interim results December 2020

Competition Tribunal: Tribunal to hear Covid-19 excessive pricing case involving SAPS tender for bulk hand sanitisers

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.7 No.09, March 1 2021

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

All the past S&V Weekly Newsletters from January 2016 onwards are available in the newsletter archive.
VIEW THE ARCHIVE - CLICK HERE

Contact us

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

Next newsletter: Monday 09 March, 2026. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 06 March.

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

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