DEEP in the rural foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains lies Loskop, KwaZulu-Natal – a village that has quietly become the beating heart of one of South Africa’s biggest back-to-school operations. Here, Bata South Africa’s sprawling 65,000 sqm factory powers the production of Toughees, a popular school shoe brand worn by South Africans since 1954. More than 4 million pairs of Toughees are manufactured in Loskop annually.

This single factory employs 420 people, with 92% of the Toughees production line staffed by women. The factory is a lifeline for the local community and the engine behind a massive operation that ensures millions of South African learners can step into the new school year with confidence.

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Across Bata South Africa, over 60% of employees are women, driving positive change in their communities.

The impact is visible. “When you drive through the rural Loskop community, you will see that people live in brick houses, not shacks,” notes Lorraine Dyer, Bata South Africa’s country manager. “That really shows the influence our factory – the only one in the area – has had over generations. When you uplift women, you uplift families – and that’s something we’re proud of.”

Beyond manufacturing, Bata employs a further 60 people at its Distribution Centre (DC) in Hammarsdale, west of Durban, and around 82 at its La Lucia head office. With over 70 years in South Africa, the company is one of the country’s largest footwear manufacturers and a key contributor to local industry, producing 70% of its local stock domestically and generating over 60% of revenue from this local production.

Every year, the back-to-school period demands intense coordination across Bata’s head office, the distribution centre and the Loskop factory. For the 2024/25 season, demand surged – and the team rose to the challenge. Through rigorous planning, streamlined operations and efficient digital systems, they processed and shipped over two million pairs of shoes, setting a new benchmark for operational excellence and ensuring retailers nationwide were fully stocked.

This seamless collaboration represents the spirit behind Toughees – tough, prepared, reliable, and built for South Africa’s realities.

South Africa’s toughest

“Toughees are built for active school days,” says Deenai Heralall, marketing manager at Bata South Africa. “Every pair comes with a six-month warranty against fair wear and tear and is made from premium, non-polish leather for durability, breathability, and easy cleaning.”

“At our Loskop factory, state-of-the-art machinery and skilled artisans come together to craft school shoes built for real South African conditions,” he adds.

The journey of every Toughees shoe involves:

Precision cutting: Components are cut using steel dies and hydraulic presses for accuracy and consistency.
Skilled stitching: Uppers are assembled and stitched with expert craftsmanship.
Injection moulding: A specialised process where molten PVC is injected into moulds – a technique Bata has perfected since the 1960s. This creates tough, breathable, reliable soles that resist wear and are easy to clean.
Heat-bonded construction: Uppers and outsoles are bonded using heat tunnels to guarantee a secure, long-lasting fit.
Rigorous testing: Shoes undergo tensile, tear and flex testing, among others. Toughees shoes consistently exceed South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) requirements