When South Africans back local, we don’t just support businesses… we ignite futures, create jobs and build a country that believes in its own power.
Johannesburg, South Africa (23 April 2025) – There’s something deeply powerful about walking into a space buzzing with hope, resilience and South African spirit. That’s exactly what we felt at the 13th Proudly South African Buy Local Summit & Expo, held at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 17th and 18th of March 2025.
The Good Things Guy team was there… and not just to witness the event but to find out why being Proudly South African is so important.
While there, we realised it’s more than a label. It’s a movement!
We met brilliant minds, entrepreneurs, innovators, small business owners and powerhouse executives. All committed to one common goal: building a stronger South Africa through local procurement and production.
Watch the vidcast below or listen to the podcast here.
But let’s be honest, this isn’t just a feel-good expo with beautiful booths and branded tote bags. This is serious business. South African businesses are the heartbeat of our economy. And right now, supporting local is not just “nice to have” – it’s essential.
What’s So Good About This?
Let’s break it down:
The Buy Local Summit & Expo is South Africa’s flagship local procurement campaign. With nearly 200 local exhibitors, over 1,500 delegates, and key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, it’s more than just an event, it’s where real deals get made.
Proudly SA CEO Eustace Mashimbye summed it up beautifully: “The Buy Local Summit and Expo provides exhibitors with enhanced visibility and a captive audience that stretches beyond their geographical confines… It has unearthed many home-grown businesses and enabled them to scale up at a faster pace than they would have been able to.”
But the expo is over… so what’s next?
Well, the energy from this year’s summit doesn’t end at Sandton. It carries forward with every product you choose to buy that’s made by South African hands. Every local job supported. Every entrepreneur empowered.
Because here’s the thing: buying local isn’t about charity. It’s about choosing growth. Choosing resilience. Choosing South Africa.
And that, friends, is a seriously good thing. 🇿🇦
by 