By Grace Kuria
During the 2021 Buy local summit in South Africa, president Cyril Ramaphosa urged SA nationals to “be Proudly South African. Wear local, travel local, eat local, watch local content, read local authors, support local music, and use local raw materials in your businesses.”
Ramaphosa said that with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the work of Proudly South African has taken on even greater significance. However, “It is not enough to preach the ‘buy local’ message. We need to practice it. As government, as state-owned enterprises, as businesses, as individuals and as leaders, we need to set an example.” He said.
Adding that buying local is about investing in quality, sustaining local businesses, and keeping jobs at home.
“We have to step up our efforts not just to get locals to buy local, but to improve the entry of our goods, products and services into export markets as well. We have to save existing jobs, and stimulate the economy for new ones to be created.” the president said during the ongoing summit.
According to Ramaphosa, the master plans that have been concluded are paying off. These are in the automotive industry, clothing, textiles, footwear and leather industry, poultry industry and the sugar industry.
“The automotive master plan, for example, aims to double the amount of job opportunities by increasing the level of local content in vehicles assembled in this country from 39% to 60%.” He said.
