The Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC) will launch two new online stores in South Africa next month to promote Proudly South African products and services, according to Business Tech.

The first platform, Shop Proudly SA, a business-to-customer site, is already live, while the second, a business-to-business portal called Market Access Platform (MAP), will launch on 1 July, according to Business Tech.

DTIC Minister Parks Tau said the platforms are designed to support Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and boost local manufacturing, which in turn will aid job creation.

“These platforms are meant to provide seamless and centralized portals that will make it easier for consumers and procurement officers to source locally manufactured products and services and to meet their localization targets,” Tau said.

He added that the platforms would help local manufacturers reclaim market share lost to cheaper imports.

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Over 1,700 locally made products covering all sectors will be available on the platforms. “There will be something for everyone,” Tau said.

Proudly SA CEO Eustace Mashimbye explained that MAP responds to calls from large corporates who struggle to access local products.

“MAP is a database of reliable, local manufacturers and service providers from which businesses that have undertaken to increase their uptake of local products and services can procure,” Mashimbye said.

Proudly SA members automatically qualify to be listed on MAP.

Procurement officials using MAP can list tender opportunities and be “matchmade” to suppliers aligned with their preferential procurement goals, he added.

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