May is a powerful month. It reminds us of the sacrifices made for our freedom and the continued work required to ensure that freedom is truly felt in our homes, businesses, and communities. With Freedom Day and Workers’ Day behind us, we’re reminded that economic liberation is just as important as political freedom and that every local purchase is a vote for the kind of South Africa we want to build.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve kept the momentum going. April gave us the opportunity to participate in events that live out our mandate of driving demand for local goods and creating access to markets for our members. From the energy and ideas exchanged at the Creative Cnergy event, where I had the honour of addressing creatives, to the thousands of South Africans we reached at the Rand Show in partnership with the DTIC, the message was clear, local is lekker, and it is valuable.

We also had the pleasure of supporting our food members at the Sedibeng Food Festival. It was a celebration of taste and tenacity, with proudly local flavours on full display. And most recently, we hosted an inspiring and deeply personal Mother’s Day event. Women in business came together to share what it really means to juggle the roles of mother, business owner, and caregiver, and the conversation reminded us just how critical it is to dismantle the structural barriers that hinder women’s full participation in the economy.

Looking ahead, we’re focused on equipping you, our members, with the tools and platforms you need to grow. Our e-commerce platform is up and running, and it’s a space designed for Proudly South African members to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers who are intentionally buying local. If your products aren’t listed yet, I encourage you to reach out to our team. We’re here to help you get online and get noticed.

We’ve also partnered with Briefly News to offer exclusive advertising packages just for our members. These discounted rates are a great way to elevate your brand on one of South Africa’s busiest digital platforms. If you're looking for visibility and targeted exposure, this is an opportunity worth grabbing. You can contact Aneme Faba directly at [email protected] or on 079 885 9396.

As we continue through May and prepare for June, let’s stay focused on what unites us, the belief that buying local isn’t just a slogan, it’s a solution. It creates jobs. It uplifts communities. And it builds the kind of economy we can all be proud of.

Thank you, as always, for being part of this movement.

For information on South African products to look forward to, please contact our team at [email protected]. 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.