Tributes pour in for ‘pioneer’, YD Asmall
Businessman and ‘pioneer of Pietermaritzburg’, Mr. Yusuf Dawood (YD) Asmall, passed away last Friday – a few days before his 93rd birthday.
Asmall came from a business-savvy family with his father, Dawood Asmall, having run a shop in Donnybrook since at least 1907 before moving to Pietermaritzburg. Dawood built a double-story building with the living quarters on top and a shop on the ground floor at 61 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, and invited his nephew, a young Mr. I. M. Parak, to join him in his business. Eventually, the business moved to 455 Church Street and thereafter opened many branches throughout KwaZulu-Natal. The company, now 115 years old, consists of 16 stores, a curtaining store and its distribution centre.
Asmall was only 15 years old when his father died in 1944. At the time, he was a brilliant pupil at Woodlands High School and had intended to study towards a law degree. However, suddenly without a father and with eight siblings, he had to sacrifice his dream and take care of his family. Parak, now the only person left to run the business, asked Asmall to join him. Although initially reluctant, Asmall did just this at the age of 18, after completing matric with seven distinctions.
Asmall, an astute young man, accepted the challenges life had thrown at him and without any experience started to run the small business. He made it his priority to read everything in business literature he could lay his hands on and he attended parttime courses on business development and accounting. He grew the small business into a successful large clothing retail store. Years later, he married Fatima Jadwat and the couple had two sons, Yunus Yusuf Asmall and Mohammed Yusuf Asmall, who now run Asmall’s.
The successful businessman was also a great philanthropist. His great love was to see young people receive a good education and achieve their potential. To this end, he gladly assisted with finance to lend a helping hand to young people who had the potential to reach their desired professions but were hampered by finance.
He also guided young people whose businesses were failing by giving them, not only financial help, but also advice on how to avoid mistakes and make their business grow. A number of these people, now successful locally and internationally, have come back to thank him for his mentorship and financial help.
Asmall had a very special place in his heart for all his employees. He maintained that his business was successful because of his employees who, in his words, “do all the hard work for me to run the business. I am thankful to them for making this business successful – it is not me but them”. In fact, he refused to have his picture published in the newspaper unless the women who worked for him appeared in the photo as well.
Many decades ago, Asmall’s wife told him that the money he gives her for housekeeping is not enough to run the household. He told her that he will increase the amount. While driving to work, he thought, “If my wife, who gets more per month than my employees, can’t manage on what I give her, then what about my employees?”
When he got to the office, he called his accountant and asked him to give a 20% increase across the board to all employees. The employees were so thrilled with this unexpected increase that most of them went personally to thank him. His response was, “You deserve it”.
The Pietermaritzburg business fraternity and community paid tribute to Asmall.
His eldest son, Yunus Asmall, director of Asmall’s, said his father will always be remembered for making a positive impact on the community.
“My father always taught us to be humble. He told us never to think that we are above anyone as we have a business as there is always something bigger out there. We must fulfill our life with balance and work hard, enjoy life and be fair and kind to people.
“As a dad I looked up to, we could talk about anything. He was more a friend than a father. We could joke about anything.
You could tell him about your views on anything,” said Yunus.
Yunus said his father loved adventure. “At least 20 years ago, we went cycling and touring through the UK and Ireland. He loved cycling and going to places.
“There are so many things that he taught us. He taught us so many positive things. He told us to work hard. If it did not work out, then it was not meant to be.”
Yunus said the family was not aware how much his father did for others. “We are hearing about it now from all the calls that we have been receiving. He has helped people to grow their business. He has sent children to further their education. We heard of a family where he sent three of their daughters to further their educations. He had one condition which was, after you qualify then you make a change in the life of another. He believed that if people were educated, working and living well then there would be no crime. All he wanted in life was to uplift the lives of others,” said his son.
Mohamed Saeed, an educator and Muslim religious leader, said Asmall was a very close friend of his late grandfather, Hafez Ahmed Saeed, since at least the early 1960s. “My late father, Mohamed Aaref, used to speak very well of YD and held him in high regards, especially concerning his integrity, entrepreneurship skills, and acute business expertise.
“His impeccable dressing, character and manners have been an inspiration to many, myself included. His huge impact on many lives as an administrator of estates, organisations and his generosity and bringing happiness and great moments to individuals and families will not be easily forgotten. Yusuf’s death and the outpouring of sorrow it brought about is testimony to how much people valued him,” said Saeed.
Melanie Veness, CEO of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business, said they were saddened to hear about Asmall’s passing. “We were saddened to hear about the passing of Pietermaritzburg Chamber honorary member, Mr. YD Asmall. Mr. Asmall was a visionary, one of the pioneers in the establishment of clothing super stores in South Africa. He was a business leader who served this community faithfully and with distinction for many years. He was a loyal, supportive member, widely admired for his wisdom, humility, measured approach and generosity. He cared deeply about people and he was considerate. I remember he was particularly cognisant of the needs of the physically challenged. He was greatly admired and will be sorely missed. Our sincere condolences to his family,” said Veness.
Kantha Naidoo, human resources manager and legal advisor for Asmall’s, called Asmall a ‘great thinker’. “He saw things from a perspective that many of us average minds did not see. I thoroughly enjoyed his company, the stories he relayed, and the lessons I learnt. I accepted his reprimands with respect as a child would do from their father. I tried so eagerly to absorb as much as I could when he spoke. Mr. Asmall, thank you for being my Guru. I am indebted to you for the person I have become. I already miss you very much,” said Naidoo.
Businessman and civic activist Kevin Beekrum said Asmall taught him one of his greatest lessons in business – the story of the dinosaur and the cockroach. “The analogy was used to demonstrate the importance of adapting and evolving in a fast-changing world. Mr. Asmall was one of PMB’s doyens in business and was very well respected for his entrepreneurial wisdom. May his soul rest in peace. Our deepest condolences go out to Yunus, Mo, the extended family and the entire Asmalls team,” said Beekrum.
Shabeer Hoosen, vice chairperson of Msunduzi Economic Development Agency (MEDA), said, “Before Mr. Asmall relocated to his head office in Barnsley Road, he was based at the Asmall’s store corner of Retief and Church streets. In the early days of the establishment of the consultation business forum (CBF) and the downtown steering committee, there were times when we would have need to impress some people of authority. On these special occasions, he would generously allow us the use of his ‘lahnee’ boardroom. There were also those rare occasions when I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Asmall one-on-one and, as a young businessman, it felt good for my ego to mention that I met with this respected personality.”
Ownership at the Kara Nichas franchise said, “Our heartfelt condolences to the staff and family of Asmalls on the passing of Mr. YD Asmall. May the great legend of our city rest in peace.”
MEDA member Anwar Ganie called Asmall a “pioneer of Pietermaritzburg”, while Shaheen Amod, also a MEDA member, said a city stalwart had passed. “May his soul rest in peace. Ameen,” said Amod.