South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says that government will clamp down on the illegal importation of goods in South Africa. Additional incentives to support local buying in South Africa will also be introduced. The president was speaking as part of a keynote address at the Proudly South African Summit and Expo 2021. Apart from its own procurement commitments, the South African government is working to lower the barriers to entry to make it easier to establish and grow a business in the country, President Ramaphosa said. He added that the country will focus on reducing its dependence on imported goods. This will be done through the introduction of small business local procurement thresholds for the public sector, he said.
The automotive master plan aims to double the amount of job opportunities by increasing the level of local content in vehicles assembled inside South Africa from 39% up to 60%. The clothing, textile, footwear and leather sector has embraced the localisation drive, pledging half a billion rand to the expansion of local manufacturing sites.
“We must ask every South African to take a conscious decision to buy local goods. Our message must be that wherever you may be in the country, be Proudly South African,” said Ramaphosa.
“Wear local, travel local, eat local, watch local content, read local authors, support local music, and use local raw materials in your businesses. Proudly South African must move beyond being a campaign.”
Ramaphosa added that government, state-owned enterprises, businesses, and individuals should set the example.
