S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol. 12 No. 28, July 13 2026

Download PDF

To prevent our emails from being false flagged as spam and to ensure you receive our publications, please consider white listing our email address - tony@svmag.co.za

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

Wage negotiations

Tanning Sector ‘awaiting feedback’ before settlement

Durban, KZN, SA - In the Tanning Sector, the last of the 3 sectors in the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA to reach agreement in this year’s wage negotiations, “the Commissioner is awaiting feedback from the parties regarding a draft settlement”, Ilhaam Ryneveld, General Secretary / Principal Officer of the NBC, wrote over the weekend.
     Both the General Goods & Handbag Sector and the Footwear Sector settled on 5% increases – footwear at the beginning of July, general goods last month.

NBC turns 100

Durban, KZN, SA - The National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA will mark its 100th anniversary on 20 August.

Sportswear

How healthy is athletic wear?

Baar, Switzerland (09 July 2026) – Athleisure is booming, but are breathability, UV protection and antimicrobial claims holding up to scrutiny? SGS is hosting a complimentary webinar on July 23 exploring how testing validates performance claims in wellbeing and protection clothing.

     SGS, the testing, inspection and certification company, will host a complimentary webinar titled ‘Advanced textile functions and performance assessment for wellbeing and protection’ on 23 July 2026.
     Athleisure clothing, such as leggings, yoga pants and joggers, has become increasingly popular, as consumers seek garments that can be worn for both athletic and leisure use. In a competitive market, performance claims must be verifiable. Therefore, apparel must be tested to ensure the accuracy and reliability of performance characteristics such as breathability.
     In this complimentary webinar, SGS experts will provide an overview of market trends in wellbeing and protection clothing. Testing methods for characteristics such as breathability and insulation will be explored, along with ultraviolet protection and antimicrobial performance.
     Brand trust and consumer loyalty are built on transparent, trusted evidence. SGS testing services offer rigorous assessments for all forms of active leisure and comfort wear, and a Q&A session will enable attendees to engage with expert presenters and explore topics relevant to real-world business environments.
     This webinar is designed for technicians, designers, merchandisers and product compliance teams within the softlines industry. It takes place on July 23, 2026, with one session at 10:00 am Central European Summer Time (CEST) and a second at 4:30 pm CEST.

Stakeholders are encouraged to register now to secure their place.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Minister Aucamp celebrates settlement agreement in the FMD outbreak legal battle

Press release by the Department of Agriculture Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The new Minister of Agriculture, Willie Aucamp, has applauded the historic foot and mouth disease (FMD) settlement after lengthy negotiations regarding the management of the FMD outbreak. The negotiations took place with the 3 applicants in the case namely: Sakeliga, South African Agri Initiative (SAAI), and Free State Agriculture, as well as with other respondents on Thursday, 09 July 2026 in Pretoria.
     Speaking after the media briefing, Minister Aucamp expressed that the settlement is a huge step in the right direction for the stability of the country’s agricultural sector.
     “Today’s settlement is not only a win for the parties involved in the case but is a win for all South African farmers as this sector contributes significantly to the country’s job creation efforts and GDP,” said Minister Aucamp. The main tenet of the settlement is that the owners and managers of cloven-hooved livestock may perform voluntary vaccination of their livestock against FMD in line with the certain biosecurity, legal prescripts and conditions, including traceability and reporting.
     “This settlement is indicative of government’s willingness to work with the private sector as government cannot do this alone; as such, we will continue to hold hands with all industry and private sector role players in the control of the FMD Outbreak,” said the minister. “We now need to enable the private sector to import at scale and it is for this reason that the Department and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) have expressly relinquished sole rights to the import and/or distribution of FMD vaccines.” The applicants also expressed their appreciation for the successful conclusion of this matter and committed to continuing working with the Department in tackling the FMD crisis.
     Minister Aucamp thanked all the litigants for their positive spirits and solutions-driven approach to the negotiations, further highlighting that this milestone is only the first step. The main priority will now be the efficient roll out of these solutions.

Injury

Durban, KZN, SA - Jean-Marc Tostee, the marketing and brand director for Bad Boy and Gotcha Clothing South Africa, and the owner of the Surf HQ retail store, is recovering from a serious bodyboarding accident in Durban.
The Surf HQ Surf Shop Facebook Page is providing ongoing updates regarding his progress.

In case you missed it!

The July issue of S&V African Leather Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V African Leather Magazine Vol20 No7 July 2026

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.

05 Upfront
- ‘FMD is here to stay – we have to learn to live with it and manage it,’ says Red Meat Industry Services CEO Dewald Olivier.
- ISTT offers free entry level leather course to encourage training.
- 15 million sheep in the UK – a question over who’s going to shear them, by David Buirski.

09 An Eclectic View
- Obliquity: Shareholder value is usually the result of running a good business, not a reliable operational principle for running one, writes correspondent H. Procter.

11 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- Beyond the data trap: Why better decisions matter more than just more data, writes the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.

12 Nigeria’s Leather Industry
- Not a clear picture.

14 Other Materials
- Organic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road ahead. An article from ICAC.

15 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.

16 Statistics
- Preliminary South African trade statistics for May 2026.



Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (02), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (OFC), Rolfes Leather Division (04), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (05), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (06), Sustainable Leather Foundation (08).

They Said It

“Hallelujah! Sam Setter says it like it REALLY is!! And Egypt compliance is as bad as Argentina’s VAR compliance! LOL.” - Hugo Zuanni, Leather Link, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA. The reference is to the commentator in S&V African Leather, who provides knowledgeable (and usually acerbic) insights into the international leather industry. His favourite targets – deceitful brands, the anti-leather lobby, and the leather establishment for not tackling either of them effectively.

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

Birthdays this week

13/07/1954: Peter Handley, retired, formerly Coventry Shoes, Durban, KZN, SA.
14/07/1969: Veronica Clausen (nee Haupt), Clicka Heels, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
14/07/1971: Laurence Lotzoff, Dale Footwear, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
15/07/1933: Joe Powell, formerly Footwork, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA, retired to Uvongo, KZN, SA.
15/07/1950: Joram Philip Wakari, agent and retired former director of the Leather Association of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
15/07/1968: Freddy S. Kabala, Leather Association of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
15/07/1971: Philipp Rein, Thurling Investments, Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA.
16/07/1954: Lex Devlin, emigrated, formerly ACA Threads, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
16/07/1956: AR Noorbhai, Razno Agencies, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
16/07/1974: Marisca Ras, The Health Shoe Shop, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
17/07/1947: Hennie van der Merwe, retired, formerly, Klein Karoo International, Oudtshoorn, W. Cape, SA.
17/07/1951: Julia Novitzky, La Ricci Leathers, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
17/07/1970: Kota Wessels, A.J. Rankin & Basson Sport, Ceres, W. Cape, SA.
17/07/1973: Tanya van Tonder, Inno Textiles, Hammarsdale, KZN, SA.
18/07/1950: Magda Erlank, Me Boutique, Newcastle, KZN, SA.
18/07/1963: Peter Colombo, formerly Hippo Bag & Screen (closed), Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
18/07/1964: G.H. Omarjee, A.M. Omarjee & Sons/O'Jees, KwaDukuza, KZN, SA.
18/07/1973: Sanjay Bhagwandas, Ginger Bhagwandas Exclusive, Durban, KZN, SA.
18/07/1974: Zunaid Gathoo, Shoe Zone, Sasolburg, Free State, SA.
18/07/1996: Marno Koen, Vellie Boutique, Boksburg, Gauteng, SA.
19/07/1946: Mohamed Iqbal Ahmed, A.V. Mohamed & Sons, Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, SA.
19/07/1967: Fatima Do Tanque, Super Save, Aliwal North, E. Cape, SA.
19/07/1968: Hussein Feyssa, Hafde Tannery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
19/07/1977: Shantell Sables, Elan Polo, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.

In memoriam this week

14/07/2021: Willi Angeloch (b. 30/04/1946), Nakara, Windhoek, Namibia.
15/07/2020: Carlo Longano (b. 22/08/1956), Bodynamics Institute (closed), Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
15/07/2022: Bobby Janki (b. 01/07/1953), Michelle Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
15/07/2024: Stephan Berrill (b. 29/03/1956), Jack & Jill Footwear, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA [closed], Paul Moeller & Co., Adidas, Angels Shoes, all Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
16/07/2004: Frederick (Fred) Howard (b. 16/02/1918), King Tanning Company (closed), King William’s Town, E. Cape, SA.
17/07/1979: Abe Smidt, agent, Bolton Footwear, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
18/07/2025: Colin Pedlar (b. 08/04/1946), Cape Town, W. Cape, SA, formerly Reflex Footwear, Maputsoe, Lesotho.
19/07/2024: Bill Ramage (b. 01/05/1931), retired, formerly Apeco (closed), Cape Town, W. Cape, 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.

New subscribers last week

Emmanuel Khuzwayo, MD, eNguni Holdings Group, KZN, South Africa

Directory entries updated last week

Jim Green Footwear (Pty) Ltd, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
Trail Mix Trading (Pty) Ltd, Durban, KZN, SA.

Fairs & events updated last week – see calendar for details

29-30 October 2026: Wholesale & Retail SETA Research Conference, Focus Rooms, Johannesburg, 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 (09 July 2026) - The current average hide price increased by 0.13% to R2.323/kg from R2.320/kg a week ago. The current price is 2.65% higher than the average price a month ago and was 6.1% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.25 Maximum price: R2.82. 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. - Jade Smith, 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:

Joe Regal Taxidermy, Odendaalsrus, Free State, SA. Taxidermy.
Johane Garments (Pty) Ltd, Maseru, Lesotho. Workwear clothing manufacturer.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Retail
- Upgrade prompts Adidas, Nike to return to Mike’s Sports
- ‘Parents struggling’

Manufacturing: Footwear sector settles wage agreement – finally

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.11 No.28, July 14 2025

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Zuma protests shut down KZN industry

Appeal for help

Stock Exchange News Services (SENS): Truworths - New head for Office

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.7 No.28, July 12 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 20 July, 2026. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 17 July 2026.

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

Our website www.svmag.co.za