Economic Development and Trade Committee Chairperson Welcomes Launch of Proudly SA E-commerce Platform to Boost Local Industry

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Ms Sonja Boshoff, has welcomed the launch of Proudly SA’s new online platform for locally produced consumer goods.

Ms Boshoff characterised the platform as a significant step towards reindustrialisation of the South African economy, which will protect local jobs.

“This digital marketplace will serve as a vital conduit for South African businesses – particularly manufacturers and small-scale producers – to reach consumers across the country. In time, the platform is also expected to open international avenues for local exporters, contributing meaningfully to market diversification and economic resilience,” Ms Boshoff said.

“This initiative could not have come at a more important time. South Africa continues to face the triple threat of high unemployment, sluggish economic growth and deindustrialisation. Platforms such as this are essential to reversing the tide. By creating accessible digital channels for local producers, Proudly SA is directly contributing to inclusive economic growth and supporting job retention in vulnerable sectors like manufacturing and agro processing.

“While we commend this important intervention, it must form part of a broader localisation strategy, supported by clear procurement policies, incentives for domestic production and infrastructure support for township and rural enterprises. This is how industrialised nations have built resilient economies, and South Africa must be no different,” Ms Boshoff said.

She added that the committee encourages businesses, big and small, to register on the Proudly SA platform and commit to local procurement wherever possible. “Consumers, too, have a critical role to play in supporting this ecosystem. Buying local is no longer just patriotic; it is an economic imperative.”

“The committee will continue to exercise rigorous oversight over the departments and entities tasked with economic development, ensuring that such platforms receive the institutional backing, marketing exposure, and policy alignment they need to succeed,” added Ms Boshoff.

“South Africa has the capacity to produce its own goods – from furniture to fashion, food to film – and we must prioritise these industries if we are serious about reaching our growth targets and reducing the unemployment rate, which currently sits at an unsustainable 43.1%. It is time to back South African producers, not in words, but in procurement decisions, public policy, and consumer behaviour,” she said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.