The Inkomazi en Koeksuster Literary Society

27/09/2022

Keep it local by supporting local!

05/08/2022

Van kleindae af oppie plaas. Op Hermanus. Sy skooldae. In die rugbyspan. Onder die meisies. Op universiteit. Onder die dames. Op sy reise regoor Suid Afrika. En oorsee. Onder al sy vriende, bewonderaars, kliënte, agtervolgers en kennisse. Sy vriendinne. Getroudes en ongetroudes. Op sosiale media. Die pers. Maak nie saak wáár hy homself bevind nie. Hier, daar orals waar. Noem, of praat, almal net van Kleinboet. Wat vra mense hom die meeste? “Wat is jou doopnaam Boetie?” Met ‘n vonkel in die oog en ‘n vriendelike glimlag, “Kleinboet tannie” … Smile Mêrim Smile! https://bit.ly/hpfkleinboet

04/08/2022

The amazing Leafy Green eatery ticks all the right boxes, delicious and healthy. Support local!

29/06/2022

https://feverup.com/m/116020?thm=76&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=116020_ams&utm_term=23850793798790247&fbclid=IwAR3GqVNfKYBkc23vzL4CM3YrVpvlNXob0pDH81UDir0UqhqBxzgSFAP3pko

The Experience 🎫 Waitlist for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience , a 360º digital art exhibition in Johannesburg that invites you to step into the universe of the Dutch genius, Vincent van Gogh ✔️ Sign up now and be the first one to get exclusive access to tickets when they are released High...

29/06/2022

Local talent showing the world what we ga e to offer!

2022’s 50 Next has been announced and one of South Africa’s shining culinary talents, chef Mmabatho Molefe, has made the list as one of the exceptional young people who are making waves in the culinary world.

20/06/2022

The inportance of making local lekker again!

As a South African who has watched the destruction of a once thriving clothing industry in South Africa, this story brings me much joy.

The Foschini Group, South Africa’s clothing industry success story - by bringing production back to South Africa from the likes of China, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Talk about a tipping point. Between 2014 and 2018, clothing retailer and manufacturer The Foschini Group (TFG) produced 5 million garments in South Africa annually. In 2018, this number began to rise and, by 2021, the group produced 15.4 million garments locally.

The plan is to double this by 2026.

To achieve this, the company, which owns brands such as Foschini, Sportscene, The Fix, Exact, Markham and Phase Eight in the UK, will deploy part of this year’s R2.1-billion capex budget into the development of another 10 manufacturing units, with another 10 planned for each of the next two years.

By bringing home production from the likes of China, Bangladesh and Myanmar – or any of the world’s sweatshops – TFG will see employment within its owned facilities and strategic non-owned partners grow from 5,200 in 2021 to 11,200 by March 2025.

The investment in, and development of, this “rapid response” local manufacturing capacity has also reaped the company financial rewards.

For the year to March 2022, total revenue grew 29.7% to R46.2-billion and gross margin increased to 48.5%. This was in no small measure due the increasingly efficient localised, quick response supply chain supporting TFG Africa. Locally and regionally sourced products now contribute 72% of apparel purchases in TFG Africa on an increasingly quick response basis, leading to increased stock turns and improved stock newness. Improved margins supported headline earnings, which rose 442% to R3.3-billion.

Supporting these results were impressive market share gains across all territories, with the group achieving 27% growth in men’s and ladieswear in South Africa against average growth for the segment of 5.9%, 57.3% vs 12.7% in the UK and 24% for TFG Australia versus the market average of 12.2% growth.

“By producing locally, using its ‘quick response methodology’ TFG can react to the fads and foibles of the fashion industry, ramping up supply of a popular garment and tapering down production of a less popular item within days,” says Chris Gilmour, a retail analyst who has followed the group for two decades. “This attracts customers and leads to lower markdowns and wastage.”

The story of the clothing retailer and its acquisition of Prestige Clothing is a remarkable success story that speaks volumes about the vision of TFG’s management – both past and present, and the power of a few passionate people to turn around a sunset industry.

“South Africa’s clothing industry was dying and no one was doing anything about it – not the retailers, not the manufacturers, and not the government,” says Graham Choice, who founded Prestige in 1989 and is now MD of the TFG Merchandise Supply Chain.

“It was about 2004 and there was this nerdy academic from the auto industry talking about supply chains and ‘clustering’ and how we could reduce our production time from 180 days.” That man was Justin Barnes, chairman of B&M Analysts and executive director at Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies, based in Durban.

Arguably the pair are directly responsible for reinvigorating SA’s garment industry. “I chose speed as my weapon against China – that became my core competence,” recalls Choice.

But they could not have done it without TFG, which was already a long-standing customer when in 2014 then CEO Doug Murray made an offer to buy Prestige.

Choice agreed. But it took trial, error and effort over the next four years to get the retail and the manufacturing businesses to integrate and align, and for everyone to sing off the same hymn sheet. But when they did, the results were electric.

“Exact was the first brand to throw in their lot with us. Instead of ordering in February, they were able to order in July for September and respond quickly to customer demand – that summer was their best ever,” says Choice.

Since 2018, TFG has steadily increased its local production, all the while improving its processes and shortening its production time – first from 56 days to 28, and then from 28 to 14 days – from order to delivery. At the same time, it was partnering with small manufacturers, introducing the concept of lean manufacturing to them and bringing them into the TFG supply chain and reigniting local capacity.

Then in 2020, in the depths of the Covid-induced recession, TFG’s management gave Choice the go-ahead and the budget to significantly expand TFG’s manufacturing capability.

At this time, the last of SA’s clothing manufacturing industry was falling off a cliff. In April 2021, TFG acquired the ex-Seardel companies of Monviso, Bibette and Bonwit to create Prestige (Epping). This business unit produces TFG’s formalwear for men and women. Additionally, Prestige took on 200 employees from the House of Monatic and assimilated them into the Epping unit. “Otherwise, this highly skilled capability would have been lost to the SA clothing industry,” he says.

In the same year, Prestige (Durban) was launched after TFG acquired clothing company TCI Mobeni from the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union. Together with TFG’s newly acquired assets from Playtex, this factory is the intimate wear and active sportswear manufacturing hub for the group.

These hubs are in addition to established hubs in Caledon and Maitland. But it’s arguably the group’s fifth hub that is the most interesting. This is the Prestige Johannesburg facility, which operates from a factory belonging to Bidvest in Hillbrow. “We have been engaging with St Vincent School for the Deaf since 2019. The school has talented learners but on graduating or leaving school are unable to find jobs,” says Choice.

TFG worked with the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Seta to provide the necessary training with the result that it now has 125 of these youngsters making T-shirts for Exact.

The beauty about the garment industry is that it can employ people with limited skills – which means its factories do not need to be situated in high-tech hubs.

“The plants that we are planning will be built in areas of high unemployment; others will be deeply rural and at least two will be located specifically near safe houses for victims of domestic abuse and violence.”

Of course, a production ramp up of this scale requires skills. With this in mind, Prestige established a learnership programme to develop competencies in manufacturing and production.

It seems that by developing local manufacturing as a core competency, TFG has an inbuilt strategic advantage that will be hard for local competitors to beat.

Daily Maverick 19 June 2022
By Sasha Planting

08/04/2022

https://qkt.io/YbubBR

07/04/2022

We certainly think this is an amazing proudly RSA product!

A magical drink for a magical day. Become a Gudgu Superstar and find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow by selling Gudgu’s delicious sugar free cordials.
For further information send us an email at [email protected].

GUDGU cordials are gluten free, diabetic-, keto-, banting-, vegan- and paleo friendly! Visit our website at www.gudgu.co.za.
Sugar free. ZERO aftertaste.

27/03/2022

Pop up events and eating options at "long tables" are really becoming very popular! People cooking delicious food, providing a really magical experiance right from their home. Check out Willie Strauss in Culinan. you can also catch him on giving his recipes.

07/03/2022

Get the beard and maintain it with our beard kit !

And if you’re still in the beginning stages, don’t be scared to DM us and we’ll help you find the perfect products for your needs.

15/02/2022

Infused with natural fruit, our cordials makes a refreshing summer drink, perfect for those balmy summer days.

01/01/2022

Happy new year! May we celebrate and support local businesses this year more than ever. May we support the local artist of every sort that make our lives beutifull. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika!

10/12/2021

Today we celebrate International Human rights day, in Mzanzi we hold one of the worlds most progressive Human Rights constitutions. Be proud of your culture and heritage, we can teach the world a thing or two :-). Buy local, support local.

03/10/2021

Rural Zulu Funk
Now Available on | www.rurallove.co.za

17/09/2021

Day Visits are now open to the public!
A family fun day out with all our animals will build memories that will last a lifetime!

Time: Open every Sat and Sun from 09h00 - 15h00.

Where: Based in Magaliesburg.

Fees: R60pp and kids under 2 free!

Bookings: Please WHATSAPP you name, amount of people and which day you would like to visit our farm and we will reply with all the necessary info and directions.

Tel: 072 2625 369

What we offer: Bottle feeding, family friendly 2.5 km hiking trail, interaction with our miniature donkeys, miniature cows, miniature goats, miniature horses and alpacas! Come and visit our Farm Shop where you can find our famous The Donkey Dairy beauty products, merchandise, homemade preservers, teddy's, old-fashioned milktart and refreshments. And for those of you that need to fuel up after a full day of fun, come and enjoy our Footlong Boerie Rolls!

20/08/2021

A local underwear range - check it out.

18/08/2021

NEW product announcement📣

Remember when we asked you guys if you prefer a chilli or peri-peri infused olive oil?
Most of you voted Chilli and now we have a beautiful NEW product!

BUT first... back to the voting station! Do you prefer the darker or lighter lable?

Let us know in the comments 🤗

Funky Ouma x

18/08/2021

18/07/2021

05/07/2021

We have the ultimate in Home Décor products, such as our hand-loomed kid mohair blankets. To browse our full collection, click on

www.lamohair.co.za

05/07/2021

It is international chocklate day! How about supporting a real local chocklate hero.

04/07/2021

Something beutifull something local!

03/07/2021

Your brand is more than just a logo. In today’s world, it’s about how it makes your customers feel. Every touchpoint of your business is part of your branding, and as a graphic designer it is my job to offer a complete solution from naming and logo design, all the way through to communication and style guides.

Contact me to help bring your brand to life - +27 71 722 7263

www.juliusdubois.com

03/07/2021

24/06/2021

Branding is everything!

Bringing brands to life!

Complete rebranding I did for my own business.
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Need some graphic design or branding done?
Get in touch.
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t. 071 722 7263
e. [email protected]
w. www.juliusdubois.com
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21/06/2021

Hello. Nice to meet you. 👋
For those of you that don't know, we are a family run farm that is passionate about where our food comes from, sustainability and attempting to have lots of adventures along the way.
Thank you for supporting our little farm, because in this crazy time we live in, without you we might not have made it.
We have some exciting new events planned for the farm, we are just waiting to see what is going on with the 3rd Covid wave. 😓
In the meantime....Stay safe. Stay strong.
📷 by

21/06/2021

Oarabile Tours support local! Fancy a tour?

19/06/2021

Setšong Tea fancy a cuppa?

18/06/2021

funo_designs a stunning range!

17/06/2021

Some awesome shades and great colab!

Super stoked om die nuwe shades met julle te deel. is nou beskikbaar by Vancoke's
Die raam is al vir ‘n tyd my gusteling en ek het saam met Optique Optometrists gewerk om hierdie my eie te maak!
Ek het ook vir my normale bril prescription lense ingesit en jy kan dit ook doen, check al die info op www.vancokes.co.za
😎😎😎😎😎😎

08/06/2021

A really amazing teue RSA food chain, now available for Gauteng fans!

Lekker Vegan Hyde Park is open now!

Our opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from noon till 8:30pm

See you soon?

01/06/2021

| Another special detail from the live installation are the custom turned wooden caps made out of ash wood. We collaborated with the talented people at and are very pleased with how it turned out and how the caps create a warm feel on the glass blown shades.
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01/06/2021

30/05/2021

For decades, Big Men in different forms have had their day in Africa, and have forced us to celebrate it. It's time for a change.

29/05/2021

22/05/2021

The duo behind Bitterkomix is being stymied by galleries, universities, you name it. But why?

14/05/2021

Ubuntu Gold
One of the old and well known Mama Kea designs from early years of the brand creation. The design had been modified over years, especially the sole. It has also inspired a lot of other latest Mama Kea designs. Ubuntu Gold is one of the designs along BrownSugar, RGB & Black Panther that had strongly narrated the brand story behind advocating for rich African culture, nature and Pan Africanism. As the brand name goes - Ubuntu Gold - it holds power of African unity, power and prestige...

Be part of
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Retail price R1200 + free delivery nationwide
+27795832528

13/05/2021

Some really good bread! Can be found in Stellenbosch.

Some of our favorites!

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