Historically, March serves as a reminder of our human rights. The month demonstrates that everyone has the right to life, equality, and human dignity. Much to the significance of this month is a property that serves to fulfill our human rights by bolstering the economy and creating jobs through localisation.
The month of March is very important in the corridors of Proudly SA. March enables us to place localisation and its drivers at the helm through our one-of-a-kind engagement, Proudly SA’s flagship extravaganza, the Buy Local Summit, and Expo. In 2024 we celebrate 12 years of the localisation event, which stands as a firm reminder of the great potential we have in this country in terms of locally manufactured goods and services. I’ve said it before and we will say it again, the Covid 19 pandemic proved to us as South Africans, that we do not need to import most of the goods we need as a country, because we already have them right in our backyard. This also started shifting gears within our societies that challenged citizens to start seeing gaps in the market that they could fill by starting their businesses and the rest is history. With the volatile situation in the economy of the world, we must foster a conducive enough environment to incubate and nurture SMMEs and use that as a catalyst to strengthen our economy and create much-needed jobs. Not only does the local spectacle allow SMMEs to be put on the “world stage” for consumers to see, but it also allows large corporates to partner and advance their plight to uplift communities through supporting small business owners and their offerings.
Sandton Convention Centre will come alive on 25 and 26 March under the theme “Localisation: an inclusive approach for all sectors of society to contribute to economic growth and job creation”. The event will see about 200 local vendors from textiles, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, FMCG, agriculture, and several other sectors and will host about 2000 visitors over the two days. Not only will the property showcase how lekker local is, but the event will carry a thought-provoking conference where various topics are unpacked to equip business enthusiasts and consumers on localisation.
This crucial event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, who are as passionate about the Buy Local movement as we are. These businesses have stood the test of time in the business world and are dedicated to ensuring local businesses thrive, and jobs are created and sustained. We take this opportunity to thank our sponsors Absa, the dtic, department of small business development, GCIS, Sasol, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, naamsa, Telkom, Lactalis, FNB, South 32, Naspers, Takealot group, Southern Sun, SAB, Nestlé ESAR, and Brand SA.
As we usher our way into our big event, we will forever remember the momentous February that brought to life many of our efforts targeted at supporting the R-CTFL sector. Although the month of love came and gone, it left us with hope in our many efforts of roping in consumers by propelling them to buy and support local. The birth of a new era encapsulated Mzansi as the fashion industry claimed the month of love with a Fashion in The Sky experience in partnership with Lift. The marketing team took to Atlantis in Cape Town with members of the media, where a mini road trip ensued with Mercedes Benz SA, a locally manufactured C-Class. The team rode in style as they entered the Hisense factory where localisation unravelled. We also celebrated the locally brewed beer on World Beer Day, featuring Tholokazi Beer and SAB. Proudly SA engaged at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town to further emphasize our buy local mission. The SONA 2024 was never ready for the spectacular Local Fashion Police showcase featuring our member fashion brands, Biji La Maison, Rubicon, and Otiz Seflo who took on the members of parliament red carpet attire. Thami Dish brought instant heat on the SONA red carpet where he boldly asked guests if they were wearing local to SONA to highlight the role and impact the local fashion industry has on the economy and job creation. Thank you to our strategic partners, the GCIS, Parliament, and Presidency who ensured that our R-CTFL sector activation was a success.
We also announced the JanUworry blues competition winners. The JanUworry blues competition spotlighted South Africans who purchased local groceries during the festive season, aiming to transform the #CabbageMustFall narrative by creating enticing cabbage dishes. An impactful CEO Roundtable in KZN tackled doubts about the benefits of localisation for SA for the betterment of the economy and reducing unemployment. Efforts to promote buying locally extended to the schooling sector through engaging social media content and a Back To School initiative at Design Quarter.
January ended with the official welcoming of Tetra Pak as a member, a global leader in food processing and packaging solutions known for their safe and innovative products.
Highlighting the Retail-Clothing, Textile, Footwear, and Leather sector, Proudly SA hosted a webinar focusing on localisation in the clothing and textiles industry.
The commitment to driving change and addressing long-standing challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty in South Africa remains steadfast, one step at a time through activations, events, calls to action, and business forums.
Yet again, Easter is upon us. We urge you all to buy local during the Easter season, to show love for your country by supporting local businesses. Easter is one of the busiest and most lucrative times of the year for both retailers and consumers, which often coincides with end-of-season sales and promotions, as well as students and learners either going on or coming back from school break. This makes the easter season a golden egg for local businesses hoping to gain a firm foothold on their existing and new clientele. So, remember to #BuyLocalToCreateJobs during Easter to help tackle the overwhelming unemployment rate.
For information on South African products to look forward to, please contact our team at [email protected], and we will gladly share insights from our trusted member stakeholders.
Remember to check out Proudly SA’s latest CI document to see the various ways in which you as a member of Proudly SA can use our logo on all your qualifying products, websites, and other marketing material.
Should you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to collaborate on future initiatives, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Should you wish to share with the newsletter team any milestones, events, awards, or sales, please send your email to [email protected]. We value your feedback and involvement in shaping the course of our movement.
We are also pleased to share our CODE OF CONDUCT for your kind perusal and understanding.
Consumer registration for the 12th annual Buy Local Summit and Expo is free and visitors can join in any of the sessions. For more, visit www.proudlysa.co.za or www.buylocalsummit.co.za
Sincerely,
Eustace Mashimbye
Chief Executive Officer
