South African Government Unveils B2C and B2B Platforms to Boost Local Trade

Proudly South African (Proudly SA) is set to launch two e-commerce platforms aimed at strengthening the local economy and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Developed in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), the platforms Shop Proudly SA and the Market Access Platform (MAP) will officially go live on July 1.

Shop Proudly SA will focus on direct consumer sales, offering only locally manufactured goods and services. MAP, on the other hand, will serve as a business-to-business (B2B) platform, providing corporate buyers with access to a verified database of over 2,000 local companies across various sectors.

Proudly SA CEO Eustace Mashimbye said the platforms aim to address the challenges faced by South African SMEs, particularly the high failure rate and competition from imported products.

“At Proudly South African, we have always sought innovative ways of galvanising public support for local enterprises to enable them to scale up, become globally competitive and create jobs,” he said. “To that end, we believe e-commerce has immense potential to overcome traditional trade barriers and create new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.”

Mashimbye noted that the platforms will help local companies grow by reducing the need for physical retail spaces and allowing businesses to expand their reach. “Shop Proudly SA and MAP have a huge potential to provide a lifeline to many fledgling SMEs that have lost a significant share of their respective markets, due to the influx of imports,” he said.

DTIC Minister Parks Tau emphasized the platforms' role in creating jobs and increasing the resilience of the South African economy. “These platforms will help boost support for small, medium, and micro enterprises and locally-manufactured goods and services,” he said.

Data from Statista shows SA’s e-commerce market generated revenue of $42.4 million (about R763 million) in 2023, with expectations to reach $165.1 million (nearly R3 billion) by 2030.