August 2026 Newsletter

In the previous month, South Africa commemorated Mandela Month, which culminated in the celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18, when millions of people around the world dedicated 67 minutes of service to helping others.

We kicked off the month of July by taking a sho’t left to the city of eThekwini for the hosting of the popular Durban Hollywoodbets Durban July. We leveraged the glamour and visibility of this premier horseracing event to spotlight local fashion designers, reinforce our mission to champion localisation and economic growth through creative industries.

With over 45 000 attendees, the Durban July provided the perfect stage for the organisation’s annual Local Fashion Police activation, which asked racegoers a simple but powerful question: “Are You Wearing Local?” Proudly South African’s activation was supported by Ford South Africa, which provided transport for the team. This collaboration underscored the broader message of localisation across industries, from automotive manufacturing to fashion.

This year’s theme, “Country Allure”, challenged attendees to blend rugged rural heritage with equestrian elegance. The creative brief encouraged designers and guests to reinterpret traditional Western costumes with South African flair, resulting in a vibrant mix of textures, silhouettes, and cultural references.

At the heart of the activation was the Local Fashion Police campaign, which invited attendees to showcase their locally designed outfits. Participants were encouraged to pledge support for South African fashion, reinforcing consumer awareness of the importance of buying local. The campaign was not only interactive but also rewarding:

- Best-dressed female wearing local fashion won R10,000 worth of fashion from Imprint by Mzukisi Mbane.
- The runner-up received R5,000 worth of fashion from Imprint, further incentivising engagement with local brands.

In the spirit of Mandela Day, Proudly South African partnered with one of its diamond members, Aranda Blankets, for a blanket handover initiative at Tholakele Centre of Hope, Sibusiso Children's Home, and Kutlwano Social Organisation in Johannesburg.

The 100 blankets that Aranda generously donated supported vulnerable members of the community while reinforcing Proudly South African's commitment to making positive social impact and driving community upliftment.

In the month under review, we participated in the Manufacturing Indaba 2026, South Africa’s leading manufacturing conference and exhibition that brings together manufacturers, industry leaders, government representatives, investors, procurement professionals, and key stakeholders from across the manufacturing value chain.

Proudly South African participated in the exhibition through a dedicated pavilion comprising four exhibition stands. One stand was used to promote Proudly South African membership and the Shop Proudly SA online store, while the remaining stands showcased Proudly South African member companies and their locally manufactured products and services.

The activation positioned Proudly South African as a champion of localisation, increased awareness of the importance of buying locally manufactured products, facilitated networking and business opportunities for members, generated membership enquiries, and strengthened stakeholder relationships within the manufacturing sector.

Spaza shops are a vital artery in South Africa’s economy. The spaza shop sector is valued at a whopping R178 billion, with the sector serving over 80% of the population. Spaza shops are not just retail outlets; they are the lifeblood of township communities, providing essential goods and services that are often more accessible than formal retail options.

In recognition of the critical role spaza shops play in the economy, Proudly South African took part in the Spaza Supplier Connect Conference held in the Western Cape.  The event brought together spaza shop owners and industry suppliers to foster business opportunities and collaboration. Proudly South African participated in both the conference and the exhibition. Proudly SA Chief Executive Officer, Eustace Mashimbye, utilised the speaking opportunity to promote the localisation message, while the exhibition served as a platform to drive membership recruitment and engage potential members.

Proudly South African always seeks to partner with like-minded stakeholders on impactful consumer activations that align with our values. To that end, we took part in the popular 702 Walk the Talk, an annual community walking event in Johannesburg that celebrates culture, urban renewal, and social impact. The 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk is a heritage event hosted by Radio 702 in partnership with

Jozi My Jozi and the City of Johannesburg that is designed to unite the community, promote good health, and support social initiatives.

The Proudly South African activation at the 702 Walk the Talk served as a vibrant engagement platform along the event route, celebrating local pride and encouraging participants to support locally made products and services. Positioned at a high-footfall location, the activation provided an opportunity to engage directly with participants and promote the Proudly South African brand.

Centred around the Loved Here. Made Here. campaign, the activation reinforced the importance of supporting local businesses and highlighted the positive impact that buying local has on job creation, community development, and the South African economy.

The main event that we undertook in the month of July was hosting the annual Local Wine Expo, which kicked off on July 24 and ran over the weekend. The Local Wine Expo is an annual wine exhibition where we showcase local winemaking excellence by both established and emerging winemakers. The Local Wine Expo is not just another wine expo; the platform creates valuable market access opportunities for our members.

To that end, we hosted a buyer’s session on Friday, 24 July, where we invited the 29 exhibitors to meet and interact with over 50 bulk buyers in attendance to profile their wines and potentially secure retail shelf space.

The buyer’s session was followed by a media launch of the event where Jeannine van Straaten, Executive for Legal, Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at Proudly SA, emphasised the importance of supporting the local wine industry to members of the media and key stakeholders.

This year’s edition of the Local Wine Expo was a resounding success as attested to by the positive media coverage and the consumer engagements generated on social media platforms. The crowd of wine lovers that filled the Prison Break Market to the rafters had already rendered the Saturday slot fully booked weeks before the activation of the event, bearing testimony to the growing popularity of the Local Wine Expo.

We kicked off one of our key marketing activations – the Local Fashion Police – at the beginning of August to celebrate local fashion excellence and support the clothing, textile, footwear, and leather industries. The success of this initiative hinges on consumer support and participation. So, snap a picture of yourself or loved ones dressed in a snazzy local outfit and share it on a social media platform of your choice with hashtags: #LocalFashionPolice2026 and #LovedHereMadeHere, tag Proudly SA and FP&M SETA and stand a chance to win an exclusive ensemble designed by one of the four designer judges valued at R50 000!

So, let’s have fun and show how cool local fashion that is Loved Here. Made Here. Is. For more information on the campaign, visit https://proudlysa.co.za/terms-and-conditions/.

Looking ahead, Proudly South African will partner with Ecommerce Live 2026, one of Africa's premier ecommerce events taking place on 3 September 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre. The event will bring together retailers, manufacturers, ecommerce entrepreneurs, industry leaders and policymakers to explore the latest trends, opportunities and innovations shaping the future of digital commerce across the continent.

Proudly South African will participate through a dedicated exhibition stand and a series of thought leadership engagements. Chief Executive Officer, Eustace Mashimbye, will deliver a keynote address titled From Local Roots to Global Routes: Scaling South African Brands for Export Success, highlighting how localisation can strengthen domestic industries, unlock export opportunities and create sustainable jobs. He will be joined by Jeannine van Straaten, Executive for Legal, Strategy and Stakeholder Relations, and Ethan McCallum, Head of E-commerce, who will share insights on localisation, market access and the role of e-commerce in enabling the growth of South African businesses. We encourage our members and stakeholders to attend this exciting event and engage with us as we continue advancing the localisation agenda through digital trade and innovation.

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.