Children call on you to buy locally

Sports, Arts and Culture

Proudly SA has launched a television commercial that puts the country’s future labour force (children) in the spotlight.

The organisation has developed a television commercial which demonstrates the direct impact that consumers can have on the future of South Africa's children if they  buy and support homegrown products and services.

"The Proudly South African campaign has had adult voices asking citizens to buy locally to retain existing jobs, improve the country’s economy and ultimately create more jobs. We have realised that our campaign has been talking over the heads of children, but the future of the country is in their hands,” said Proudly SA's Communication Executive Happy MaKhumalo Ngidi. 

The new campaign depicts eight labour-intensive industries that are within the government’s sectoral masterplans including agro-processing, furniture, clothing – textile – footwear – leather, steel and construction, manufacturing, aviation, automotive, and food and beverages.

She added that every citizen’s future, and that of the children, depends on the choices they make today.

Proudly SA Chief Executive Officer Eustace Mashimbye said the current state of youth unemployment is alarming, and the country has to act urgently to counteract the impact of job losses on the local economy.

“If we do not change the course of our country’s future through localisation, the consequences are likely to be dire,” he said.

He added that to turn the situation around, South Africans must have pride in their goods and services, and stop at nothing to see the country advance from the economic darkness that its current purchasing habits are leading it to.

“Our goal is to encourage buying local as this directly creates jobs and this in turn benefits our children who have big dreams to make their impact one day. We can only address youth unemployment by thinking about our buying decisions,” he said.

He added that a strong economy lies in the hands of its children.

Proudly SA is a membership-based organisation, and only companies that have been audited and approved are entitled to carry the logo, which is a sign that a product or service meets local content thresholds and above all, quality standards.

It works with the public and private sectors to promote increased levels of local procurement through supply chain structures, and with consumers to change habits of everyday store and online purchases.