A lack of local demand remains one of the most significant obstacles limiting South Africa’s economic growth potential, and the success of government’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, therefore, hinges on all South Africans mobilising to make a choice for the good of the country, marketing campaign organisation Proudly South African (PSA) CEO Eustace Mashimbye says.

“South Africa has production capacity, capability and potential. All we need to do now is to place the power of our rands behind local goods and services to plug the gap in utilisation, encouraging businesses to grow their operations to create more jobs,” he adds.

Against this background, the theme of PSA’s upcoming flagship event, the 2022 Buy Local Summit and Expo, is ‘Localisation as a driver of economic reconstruction and recovery’.

It will be hosted online between March 14 and 16 and will feature sessions attended by political and business leaders including Gauteng Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Parks Tau, who will be launching the province’s local content framework, and Black Economic Empowerment Commission Commissioner Zodwa Ntuli.

One of the sessions, titled ‘Localisation: an economic imperative for job creation in South Africa’, will unpack the pros and cons of localisation as a trade policy.

One of the summit’s objectives will be to speak to the public sector regarding its role and responsibilities in terms of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act. 

It will further encourage corporate South Africa to increase its uptake of those locally sourced and manufactured goods and services required for their day-to-day operations, and educate consumers on labels of origin and their role in contributing to job creation by making local choices.

The event will also create access to market opportunities for PSA members, as well as enterprise and supplier development beneficiaries of sponsors and large member companies.

Mashimbye notes that, in addition to sessions exploring government’s economic strategy and the benefits of localisation, PSA will host special activation sessions exploring South Africa’s automotive and furniture industries.

“These have been identified by government as a few of the key pockets of the economy with significant potential as job creators. Furniture, for example, is the third-largest labour-intensive industry within the manufacturing sector,” he says.

Finally, the summit will aim to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with access to financial and non-financial support from industry experts and the relevant organisations and entities through the Business Solutions Hub.

“The Business Solution Hub was introduced five years ago and is now one of the summit’s most popular features, offering access to a range of experts to assist with issues ranging from tax matters to registering intellectual property.

Through offering this facility, PSA aims to ensure the country rallies behind local businesses through providing tools and networking opportunities for them to grow,” Mashimbye indicates.

The Buy Local Summit and Expo is free to attend and will be streamed on YouTube. Visitors can register online for the event at www.buylocalsummit.co.za.