The festive season is upon us, and the stormy and rainy weather cannot dampen the festive and cheerful mood. The previous month was abuzz with activity when the Proudly South African team worked fervently, putting the final touches to host the finale of the fifth anniversary of the Local Fashion Police, the popular online competition that encourages South Africans to support the local fashion industry and designers.

The finale was a grand affair that attracted A-list celebrities, politicians, and media personalities. The highlight of the evening was when the seven winners of the competition walked down the runway dressed in bespoke designs from the leading judges who adjudicated the hundreds of online entries submitted. The winners also walked away with a cheque for R50 000 in local fashion. The Local Fashion Police reaffirmed Proudly South African’s commitment to the R-CTFL industry and showcased the finest fashion design excellence that the country has to offer.

Still on the subject of awards, Proudly South African participated in the Township Economy Awards, which honours exceptional township entrepreneurs who drive change, innovation, and growth within their communities. The event was organised by the Township Entrepreneurs Agency (TEA) and was hosted in Ekurhuleni the east of Johannesburg. Proudly South African had a stand at the event and secured exhibition slots for seven of its members, namely:

• AfroEco
• Nori Bees
• Africa Fashion Alive
• Lindiwe Sanitary Pads
• Memuka Plastics
• Rapgen Health
• Shesha

In the run-up to the most anticipated event of the year, the first G20 event on African soil, Proudly South African was invited to the ABSA G20 B20 media roundtable, where I joined a high-level panel discussion, where I reiterated the importance of using the current legislative framework to ramp up localisation.

In a similar vein, Ms Jeannine van Straaten, Executive for Strategy, Stakeholder Relations and Legal at Proudly South African, told delegates during a panel discussion at the North West Provincial Markets Expansion of the important role that localisation can play in stimulating economic growth and creating much-needed jobs.

On the membership front, we welcomed the campaign’s newest member, Aranda Blankets, and took a factory tour of their expansive facilities in Randfontein on the outskirts of Johannesburg. I used the opportunity to personally hand over Aranda’s membership certificate to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Marco Magni.

The Proudly South African team also paid a visit to one of its members, Coleus Packaging, who are the leading crown suppliers of metal bottle closures for the brewing and bottling industries in Southern Africa. The company produces over 6 billion crowns a year and supplies to over 10 countries in the sub-Saharan region.

As the year winds down to a close and South Africans prepare to take a well-deserved break, Proudly South African once again encourages South Africans to be intentional in their year-end spending by supporting South African products during the festive season.

Buying local this festive season could range from the snacks that consumers buy on their road trips, the food they will cook and have on the table on Christmas Day or the gifts they will be buying for loved ones. These small gestures will go a long way towards sustaining home-grown businesses and creating job opportunities that are sorely needed.

To remind South Africans to buy local during the festive season shopping frenzy, the Proudly South African team will be out and about, driving and amplifying the buy local message where people congregate and shop. We will be interacting with road travellers at the Grasmere Toll Plaza in December, where our affable mascot, Lolo, will bring a smile to motorists who will be embarking on road trips. Lolo will have local goodies up for grabs and encourage travellers to support locally produced goods.

We have issued an expression of interest to all active members to partake in our flagship campaign, the Buy Local Summit & Expo, which will be held in the first quarter of 2026. Please note that space is very limited, so we urge those who wish to participate in the event to secure their spot early to avoid disappointment.

2025 has been a rollercoaster year. It provided a fair share of the good, the bad and the downright ugly. In true South African style, we have always managed to give a humorous take on whatever tragedy life threw our way. We still manage to keep our sense of humour in the face of adversity. As we usher in a new year, let's do so with a renewed resolve and step up efforts to rally our rands and cents to support homegrown products and services. We have a patriotic and moral responsibility to do what is right and to become part of the solution.

To those who will be travelling, stay safe on the roads, be vigilant and adhere to road regulations. Have a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year!

Join the conversation and show your support for local fashion! Follow Proudly South African on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tik Tok and YouTube using the hashtags #LocalFashionPolice2025 #fashionablebanking and #LovedHereMadeHere.

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.