Durban, KZN, SA - Footwear production during the first 2 quarters of 2020 fell by 34.84% by comparison with the same period in 2019, according to the SAFLIA Digest for January to June, released last month.Pairage dropped from 24.4 million pairs to 15.9 million.The value of ex-factory sales dropped by 31.2%, from R2.7 billion to close to R ...more

Cape Town, W Cape, SA - The rules imposed on most footwear manufacturers wishing to restart manufacturing under the government's 'Level 4' lockdown "will discourage most from re-opening", SAFLIA executive director Jirka Vymetal said last week. "There are a lot of rules and requests that make it difficult," he said. &qu ...more

From today, the leather and footwear sectors, and their suppliers, may resume limited business, from manufacturing to retail, subject to various safety measures. Subject to clarification, it appears that ANY closed footwear qualifies. So far, no mention has been made of leather goods.       In Government ...more

Cape Town, W Cape, SA – Following the announcement that the manufacture and retail of 'winter clothing' will be allowed from May 1, a Government Gazette spelling out the conditions is expected to be published this week.       "We're busy writing a lot of motivations and product lists wh ...more

Several manufacturers have said they have yet to receive money from the UIF for their employees.Moda Shoes is a family footwear retailer with 3 stores in Pretoria.       "It seems that UIF payments have started to filter through to some factories," SAFLIA director Jirka Vymetal said, "but ...more

The Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association (SAFLIA) was also a signatory to the export charter unveiled at the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) AGM in July.       In the report in the last S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine, John Comley was listed as a ...more

Durban, KZN, SA – The SAFLIA AGM and dinner will be held at Zimbali, north of Durban, on August 6. This is the same venue as last year.       "Traditionally, SAFLIA has rotated its AGMs between KZN and the Western Cape," executive director Jirka Vymetal said. "However, since there a ...more

Cape Town, SA - Country of origin marking and reference pricing again dominated the second meeting of the SARS Footwear and Leather Task Team on November 7, which included representatives from SA Revenue Services, SAFLIA, NULAW and SACTWU, and the Foschini Group. The DTI was not represented. There was some progress on reference pricing, a ...more

Skin, Hide & Leather Council (SHALC) AGM, at the Intercontinental Hotel, OR Tambo Airport, May 26 ...more

Pretoria (SA) – It is rather regrettable that SAFLIA adopted a stance to withdraw from this important forum. NULAW fully supports the efforts by SARS Customs Fraud unit to combat illegal imports and under invoicing despite its current challenges.        NULAW have attempted over the past three years to convince ...more

The Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association (SAFLIA) had already lost confidence in the SARS. Late last year executive director Jirka Vymetal told the CTFL Industry Forum – a body chaired by SARS and intended to discuss illegal/undervalued imports and similar issues – that he would no longer attend its m ...more

Johannesburg (SA) – SAFLIA has so far successfully lobbied against a proposal by the East African Community (EAC) that footwear trade between it and South Africa through the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) be zero-rated. Following ongoing negotiations at NEDLAC, the standard 30% duty, which applies to all footwear imports, rem ...more