Privately owned retail Group, Retailability, has sold Legit, Swagga, Style and Boardmans to Pepkor. Edgars, Edgars Beauty, Red Square, Kelso and Keedo are not part of the deal and will continue to be operated by Retailability. The transaction remains subject to standard regulatory and commercial suspensive conditions. Retailability Limited, a private owned retail group that specialises in affordable apparel and lifestyle products has entered into a transaction agreement with Pepkor who are seeking to expand their market share in adult wear. The transaction includes 462 stores that operate across South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini. “This is a great deal for both parties,” says Norman Drieselmann, Retailability CEO, “while Pepkor gains solid brands to grow their position in adult wear, Retailability is able to increase its investment into Edgars.” The Edgars, Edgars Beauty, Red Square, Kelso and Keedo businesses are excluded from the R1,9 Billion transaction and remain in the Retailability stable. “The benefits of the sale will become evident as we begin to apply the next phase of our growth strategy into the Edgars brand,” says Drieselmann. Retailability acquired Edgars from the Edcon Group in 2020 after it went into business rescue and currently operates 115 Edgars Stores and 20 stand-alone Edgars Beauty stores in five countries. In addition, Retailability operates 15 Keedo and two recently launched Kelso stores in South Africa. Kelso, a ladies' fashion specialty, is formatted to launch into South Africa to meet the needs of women who want both fashion and value in their wardrobes. This format is a growth vehicle for Retailability over the next five years. The final phase of Edgars' fashion turnaround strategy centres on growing the private label value offering and right sizing the store box footprints. An estimated 48 000m2 will be handed back to Landlords over 2025. “The right sizing strategy will cement the …
African Regulators, Business Leaders Push for Greater Market Access for Women Entrepreneurs
A panel of leading business and regulatory figures has highlighted key initiatives and challenges in unlocking market access for women entrepreneurs at the recent Women Creating Wealth Summit. The discussion focused on regulatory support, mentorship challenges, and the implementation of procurement policies aimed at advancing women’s economic participation. Almost 200 women entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, donors and thought leaders gathered at the summit, organised by the Graça Machel Trust (GMT), to reflect on the current state of African entrepreneurship, assess progress and chart a course for the future. Betty Mkatshwa, Legal Counsel at the Competition Commission of South Africa, revealed findings from a recent study showing that women entrepreneurs are predominantly confined to less profitable segments of the economy, particularly service industries, rather than high value chain sectors. The Commission has been conducting sector-specific investigations to address these disparities and make binding recommendations to both government and private sector institutions. “We have a number of provisions in the Act that allow us to look at how SMMEs are performing in the economy, how historically disadvantaged people are performing, how women are participating, and whether they are doing so meaningfully,” Mkatshwa explained. She highlighted that the Commission can also grant exemptions allowing women entrepreneurs to collaborate and pool resources, particularly in sectors like energy. Futhi Mtoba, Co-Convenor of the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA), detailed how the organisation emerged from South Africa’s strategic response to gender-based violence, recognising economic empowerment as a crucial factor in women’s independence. WECONA works to implement the government’s commitment to allocate 40% of public sector procurement to women-owned businesses, and extends this initiative to private sector transformation. “We looked at what various industries said …
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Collaboration Is Key to Match Skills Development to Labour Needs
A breakaway session at the Women Creating Wealth (WCW) Summit Recentl highlighted the critical misalignment between education systems and labour market demands across Africa. The summit is an initiative of the Graça Machel Trust, and the purpose of the session was to direct focused discussion at how to unlock greater employment opportunities for young people. Over 200 women entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, donors and thought leaders gathered to reflect on the current state of African entrepreneurship, assess progress, and chart a course for the future. Naomy Lintini, Chief Technical Advisor at the International Labour Organization (ILO), emphasised the need to bridge the gap between education and employment. “A lot of the time, education is running by itself, and not considering what the market needs,” she stated, pointing to the resulting surplus of unemployed graduates as proof of this discrepancy. The session revealed how different countries are tackling this challenge. Singapore was cited as a model where Education and Labour Departments collaborate effectively to align skills development with market needs. South Africa’s recent initiative to expand vocational training and provide certification for experienced but informally trained workers was also raised as demonstrating a practical approach to addressing the skills gap. Lintini highlighted digital skills as a key opportunity, noting that “every industry has IT and digital issues, which makes for places where we can absorb young people.” However, she cautioned against overlooking infrastructure challenges, emphasising that many African populations still lack reliable access to internet and electricity. “You can’t do IT where there is no IT infrastructure,” she noted. “We shouldn’t be deceived by the few who have access. We need to create that value chain and linkage.” The issue of funding was raised by one participant, who outlined how challenging it is to support youth when there are no …
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Kelso Expands Footprint, Growing Presence With Stand-Alone Stores Across South Africa
Kelso has been an Edgars Fashion brand since the early 90’s and continues to be popular for those women seeking good quality, stylish fashion and affordable prices. The brand has always offered a diverse range that included casual wear, formal attire, footwear and accessories. The offerings are designed with the local customer in mind, maintaining the trendy colours and stylish designs that appeal to the fashion-conscious consumer. “We have been amazed by the strong uptake of our Kelso brand by South Africans across the country,” comments Drieselmann, “that is why strategically we need to broaden access of this fashion brand by opening in new markets.” “We believe the best way to bring Kelso to more customers is for Retailability to open a standalone Kelso store. The first store will open in Mthatha Circus Triangle on 27 November 2024 and the second will be in Galliera Mall, Durban” says Norman Drieselmann, CEO of Retailability. “The extensive range of ladies apparel, footwear and accessories on offer at the Kelso store will deliver the cornerstones of quality, fashion and price that the South African market has been looking for, but in a highly tailored in store experience” comments Drieselmann. Over the years, Kelso has managed to evolve, constantly updating its offerings to stay relevant and to maintain its appeal to consumer preferences. In the face of economic fluctuations and changing consumer behaviour the brand has worked hard to innovate. This new standalone concept will enhance the customers omni-channel shopping experience. “We are looking forward to the opening of the new store,” says Craig Charter, Property Development Executive for Retailability, “and we hope that this leads to further opportunities in similar environments. The stand-alone store gives us a degree of flexibility in placing suitable merchandise, targeted at the relevant audience in the most appropriate node.” “The expansion will help penetrate the smaller shopping …
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MAHLE turns the tide
The automotive supplier MAHLE has reversed its business trend. Despite difficult global conditions and rising costs, the company closed the 2023 financial year with record sales and is back in the black. Sales increased organically – adjusted for exchange rate effects – by 8.2 percent to €12.8 billion. Operating profit (EBIT) rose from €60 million to €304 million. The group result was positive at €26 million. “2023 was an important year for MAHLE,” said Arnd Franz, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO, at the company’s annual press conference on Tuesday. “We have a strong market position in our core products and, thanks to our innovations in e-mobility, growing acquisition successes in this sector as well. We are on the upswing. Even though we have another highly volatile year ahead of us. We are heading in the right direction.” The reorientation of the group, as part of the strategy MAHLE 2030+ toward the three strategic areas of electrification, thermal management, and sustainable combustion engines, is paying off, Franz said. MAHLE has consistently worked on improving its earning power and adjusting its portfolio. Examples of this include the group’s divestiture of its 50 percent stake in the joint venture BHTC, and the sale of its original equipment business with thermostats. “We will continue along this path in 2024. The goal is to continuously improve our profitability through – for example – excellence initiatives in purchasing, production, sales, and administration,” said Markus Kapaun, member of the Management Board of the MAHLE Group and CFO. All business units and world regions contributed to the growth in sales. In Europe and North America in particular, the business units primarily connected to the internal combustion engine grew significantly. The sales of engine systems and components grew by 9.3 percent globally, adjusted for exchange rate effects, to €2.6 billion. The Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit reported sales growth of …
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Social Media Sensation “Danasoli” Goes Mainstream With Edgars
A chance TikTok video that lasted just 30 seconds between a Grade R pupil and her teacher a year ago has launched what could be South Africa’s next best thing. And now the “Danasoli” brand is available at selected Edgars stores countrywide and online. The partnership deal between Johannesburg-based businessman and entrepreneur, Themba Mthembu and retailer Edgars was signed in July this year. South Africans love humour and with that Nhlalonhle Mazubane captured the hearts of South Africans when she laughingly told her teacher on a TikTok video that lasted less than 30 seconds, that not only was she unable to draw a “Danasoli” (dinosaur) but that its eight legs as depicted in her picture were “i-righty” (right). Mthembu said the social media reaction to the video and Mazubane’s drawing was sensational and emphatic – the people loved it. Realising the opportunity, Mthembu travelled from Johannesburg to Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal to meet Nhlalonhle, her father and her grandmother together with her teacher and videographer, Nonhlanhla Dube. His aim was to get permission to convert the drawing to a clothing brand. Once permission was given, the entrepreneur started printing T-shirts which he sold online. But, Mthembu told a television anchor on E-News, his vision was so much bigger than just selling T-shirts. He said, his aim was to create a recognised South African clothing brand that was developed, owned, and protected by black South Africans. “I don’t want to be seen as exploiting anything or anyone. I wanted to do this the right way. That is why I approached Retailability. The partnership makes perfect sense to me because having the brand in the Edgars stores will give me the opportunity to take it to a much bigger market. At the same time, I know that I am doing things the right way and in Nhlalonhle’s best interests,” Mthembu said. And what the “Danasoli” journey proves is that anything is possible no matter who you are, or where you …
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MAHLE sets the global standard for wireless charging
• SAE International chooses the MAHLE positioning system as the global standard solution for the wireless charging of electric vehicles • Key technology closes the crucial gap in standardization • Cross-manufacturer solution enables a comprehensive and rapid market launch • MAHLE CEO Arnd Franz: “A strong impetus for e-mobility.” Inductive – i.e. wireless – charging of electric vehicles is much more convenient as there is no need to fiddle with cables or search for a charging station with a suitable plug. MAHLE has developed a positioning system that allows an electric vehicle to be simply, reliably and precisely aligned above the charging coil in the floor. SAE International has now chosen the MAHLE positioning system as the global standard solution for wireless charging. The internationally renowned non-profit association for the progress of mobility technologies, based in the USA, thus closes the last gap in standardization of inductive charging that has been unfilled for ten years. The cross-manufacturer solution from MAHLE now paves the way for the comprehensive and rapid market launch of this attractive alternative to wired charging for batteries and electric and hybrid vehicles. “MAHLE is setting standards. The renowned SAE’s decision in favor of our technology confirms the systems expertise of MAHLE in electrification as well. This will be a strong impetus for e-mobility,” said Arnd Franz, Chairman of the MAHLE Management Board and CEO. The MAHLE positioning system DIPS (Differential Inductive Positioning System) represents a paradigm shift in the field of e-mobility. It is based on a magnetic field and automatically establishes a connection with the controlled charging point as the electric vehicle approaches. A special navigation system in the vehicle display supports the driver, and the car is soon in the ideal position. The charging process begins automatically. This also works with an autonomous parking vehicle, where the parking system …
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Excellent Communications From MAHLE SA’s CSR Draws International Attention
• MAHLE South Africa has received international recognition by winning the IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence • The Award was handed over at a glittering Gala Dinner in Barcelona Spain. • MAHLE’s continues to be committed advancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects in underprivileged communities. MAHLE South Africa, a subsidiary of the MAHLE Group, operates in the automotive industry, specializing in the development, manufacturing and distribution of engine components, filtration systems and thermal management solutions, providing products and services to various automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as the aftermarket. One of MAHLE South Africa’s objectives is to contribute to sustainable mobility through innovative technologies and solutions as well as promoting an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects. MAHLE and CASME’s Science2Go programme provides science resources and materials for primary, secondary and tertiary education . The South Africa Department of Labour has identified that the skills shortage related to technicians, artisans and skilled labourers is particularly high. To address this, MAHLE has collaborated with the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CASME) to develop STEM subjects at schools in the rural and under-resourced areas. This led to Science2Go, an initiative by CASME and MAHLE, that brings science equipment and laboratory kits to schools, empowering science educators to demonstrate and facilitate practical, experiential learning based on the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) curriculum, with a view to improving learner performance in Physical and Natural Science. The project features Teacher Workshops and in school co-facilitation that builds the skills and capacity of teachers to embed practical science activities in their teaching. Furthermore, the project includes the distribution of career, subject …
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MAHLE SA appoints a new Managing Director
• After 28 years with MAHLE SA, with 5 years as the Managing Director, Alex Holmes has left the company and the position is being taken up by Jürgen Wolf. A wealth of experience in various areas of the automotive supplier business is what Jürgen Wolf brings to his new position as the Managing Director of MAHLE SA. His career has demonstrated his ability to adapt and to be agile in adjusting to new business processes as well as contributing to the transformation of society. Wolf is no stranger to MAHLE having served most recently as the Director Project House Thermal Management, where he built up a cross functional expert team for the Thermal Management Modules. Prior to this he was the Global Director Product Development Engine Cooling that saw him apply the development of cooling systems for global OEM where he oversaw development locations in Germany, Poland, USA, China, India Japan, Korea, South Africa and Mexico, whilst serving as a member of the international executive committee of the MAHLE Group. A father of two adult children and fluent in German and English with the ability to communicate in Portuguese, Wolf is passionate about e-mobility and technology. His hobbies include Old-timer Bike Restoration and Travel. “This is a brilliant opportunity to enhance and drive the growth of MAHLE SA while making a positive impact on the communities that contribute to MAHLE’s success,” comments Wolf, “MAHLE has a proud history in South Africa and I am confident that my experience will further contribute to the successes that MAHLE SA has enjoyed.” Wolf is undaunted by the challenges that face South Africa in the current economic climate and believes that his global experience will serve him well in navigating the unique challenges that he may encounter. He takes up the position on the 23rd of October 2023. CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za for free. …
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Mother of Three Lands Top Heavy-Duty Driver Award
Hailed as one of the finest Bulk Vehicle Operators (BVO), Cynthia Noneka Thala (40) is the IVECO #ThankYouTrucker top award winner for 2023. Thala, who started her career as a bus driver, was first employed within the Unitrans Total Alrode Operations in 2019. She is the first female BVO at Total Witbank. Her cash award for winning the #ThankYouTrucker award totalled R50,000, which Thala says she will share with her family, including an orphaned child she looks after, and the rest she intends to invest. Gerhardus (Pikkie) Klaase from Koegelenberg Transport BK in Vredendal placed second, receiving R10,000 in prize money, and Nkosinathi Peaceman Chiliza from ACT Logistics in Gauteng landed in third place, securing a R5,000 award. The drivers are nominated by company owners, operations managers, direct line managers or fleet managers. Only South African drivers in the local road freight industry may be nominated. In addition to the cash prizes handed to the three winners, this year, an additional award of R10,000 was allocated to the individual who nominated the winner. The winners were announced in October 2023. “I feel abundantly blessed and I also feel the love of God is with me always. I will never stop believing in Him; He is a miracle maker. Thank you, IVECO for making things happen,” remarked Thala enthusiastically. Samuel Makgoba, who is Thala’s Operations Supervisor, lauded the mother of three as one of the finest BVOs who executes her duties with precision and unwavering commitment. Her track record includes: Delivering 11.4 million litres without incident, with zero crossovers and spills. Completing 855 trips and 952 drops. Achieving 651 days without injury, ensuring her personal safety. Maintaining 651 days without violating life-saving rules. Having dedicated four years of her life to her position at Unitrans, Thala is well-versed in her responsibilities and duties as a driver. Makgoba said while she possesses …