Building the SA brand – investing in Proudly South African products

People are often surprised that amongst our Proudly South African member companies, we count many multinationals whose ownership lies outside our own country. This does not mean we are not supporting our own. These companies represent massive investment and job creation in South Africa and many have become a part of the fabric of our society, and the communities in which they operate. These companies also contribute to the fiscus; they employ many people who pay income tax, they procure other products and services locally and so their brands become South African brands.

By choosing to buy locally manufactured, grown and produced products, especially those which bear the Proudly South African logo, we are supporting these local brands and in so doing, building the South African brand, here at home and in those export markets where these products can be found. The Proudly SA logo (a tick in the colours of the SA flag) is seen increasingly on labels of products as diverse as designer outfits, off-the-peg clothing ranges, tools and hardware, cosmetics and beauty products, food and beverages, industrial components and machinery, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, toys and games, and now even on South Africa’s very first locally manufactured smart phones.

Diversity of member companies and products We count amongst our members, retail chains, airlines, manufacturers of white goods, brewers of beer, wine and carbonated drinks, centres of industrial excellence, designers and manufacturers of clothing, of detergents, and of personal hygiene products. We have many members who are entrepreneurs and SMMEs, producing hand crafted artisanal jewellery, bags, and leather goods and accessories. We have furniture manufacturers and designers, companies making paint, we have a company that represents the disabled community which seeks to meet their very specific needs, we have media houses, recyclers, re-purposers, engineering companies, printers, food processing plants, companies using our continent’s natural products (rooibos and Moringa) in many different applications, we have NPOs, mentorship and incubation centres, chemical companies, security firms, and even a food and music festival.

This range of companies by size and diversity of product is an indication that South Africa is rich in its offering of locally manufactured items. Collectively, these companies represent innovation, tradition, longevity, determination and many other characteristics that define

South Africa and South Africans.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ebrahim Patel, lamented in his 2019/20 budget speech that South Africans do not produce what we consume and do not consume what we produce, but this list of members and their products shows that we do indeed produce much of what we consume. Whether we choose to purchase these items locally as opposed to imported versions, is up to us as proud South Africans.

Make local purchasing choices over imported goods Our work therefore, encompasses two functions - of increasing the number of Proudly SA brands and products on our shelves, in our stores and available in specific industries to companies operating within those sectors, and guiding consumers, whether public or private sector buyers, to identify those brands and to make local purchasing choices over imported goods.

To assist in matching supply and demand, we launched our online shopping and B2B platform www.rsamade. co.za, just over a year ago. Here, consumers can find exclusively Proudly SA member companies’ items to order and members can do business amongst themselves

It is our job, then, as Proudly South African to ensure that we encourage government, business and consumers to buy local. At the same time, growing our membership base increases the visibility and ease of identity of locally manufactured goods and services and of the Proudly South African brand so that more people can invest and be invested in the growth of our economy. n