South African consumers’ education has been identified as a key factor to promoting locally produced products and changing the mindset of consumers in order to achieve economic growth.
This was highlighted by public-private entities during a Proudly South African (Proudly SA) multisectoral workshop for small businesses and entrepreneurs held on 18 May in Bloemfontein.
Entities included the South African Revenue Services (Sars), the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa), the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), the Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the provincial Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Destea).
An initiative of Proudly SA, the event aimed at enabling entrepreneurs to manufacture and sell products within the Free State to access the consumer market and broaden the scope of business.
Eustace Mashimbye, chief executive officer (CEO) of Proudly SA, said local entrepreneurs’ growth and sustainability was hamstrung by depending on imported products to trade locally.
“The biggest challenge is buying from China, then distributing locally. To boost the local economy, contribute to the gross domestic product (GDP), and create possible employment, local is lekker.
“We encourage local entrepreneurs to play their part in growing the South African economy and create job opportunities. This will enable them to grow their brands,” said Mashimbye.
“Proudly SA’s emphasis on local products is well within government’s vision to increase localisation through small businesses in various value chain, local market products and good, locally manufactured products, made in South Africa.
“As government, we are very passionate about growing small businesses and we are partnering with Proudly SA in this regard. It is contained in government’s vision to transform the South African economy sector.
Thabo Meeko, provincial MEC for the Destea, emphasised the importance of all parties playing their part after returning from attending the workshop.
“It is in the Free State government’s local economic development plan to address the employment rate and the demand for job creation,” said Meeko.
He said his department has planned to initiate a trade portal to keep track of small businesses.
