Buy South African!
LOCAL BUSINESS: SIXTH SUMMIT AND EXPO WILL BE THE BIGGEST AND BEST YET
SMMEs will eagerly look for opportunities to forge partnerships that will help to create jobs.
With a full programme of presentations and panel discussions, Proudly South African’s 6th Annual Buy Local Summit & Expo gets underway today at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Bringing together leading procurement decision makers in business and government with an exhibition hall full of SMMEs eager to engage them, the possibilities for creating new partnerships based on the Buy Local to Create Jobs message are endless.
Delegates to the summit will explore the benefits of procuring as many South African goods and services as possible, needed to run their business. Every one of them has a vested interest in the sustainability of their own companies, as well as that of their local suppliers and customers, and so increasing trade with each other will be a big take away from the Summit.
The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Driving Reindustrialisation & Growing the Economy, with reference to the Industrial Policy Action Plan’. The keynote address will be given by Dr Rob Davies, Minister of the dti.
Pan African Investment & Research Services’ Dr Iraj Abedian will give a presentation specifically on the revitalisation of the manufacturing sector, after which he will chair a panel discussion between representatives of business, government and labour. Dr Abedian has recently completed a report commissioned by Proudly South African on the country’s manufacturing sector which concludes that it be given preference during government procurement processes enabling it to better contribute to the country’s growth.
In a move away from traditional business oriented topics, a panel convening media, fashion, design and food experts will discuss the impact of improving the quality and quantity of local content from their own sectors on our national identity and heritage. Panelists include Basetsana Kumalo and designer David Tlale. The day will end with a fashion show presented by Edcon to promote their new locally designed and manufactured clothing lines that will feature in Edgars and Jet stores nationwide.
Chairperson of Proudly South African’s board, Mr Howard Gabriels, said, “I am deeply impressed with the calibre of speakers and panelists that we have been able to bring in to share their expertise and experiences with us, which tells me that they feel as passionately about the importance of buying and procuring local as we do at Proudly South African.
“In addition, the level of interest from business to attend as delegates and visitors to the Summit & Expo is heartening. I believe that we are on the right track to sensitizing the entire country about the need to check labels of origin, to doing some research before buying a car, or a fridge or a TV or even a pair of shoes or a jar of coffee to ensure that they choose goods and services made in South Africa.”