The coffee originator, roaster and barista, Magubane, recently urged South Africans to buy South African products.

“I’m not saying boycott other products. Let’s support local businesses and change our economy,” said the Sihle’s Brew founder.

Magubane was speaking at the launch of the www.rsamade.co.za website at the SABC offices in Johannesburg.

The online portal, which is the first site of its kind, was created not only to assist small, medium and even large local businesses to sell more, but it was also built using only South African suppliers and service providers, and is the brainchild of RSA Made and Proudly South African.

The online store provides South African products, ranging from toys, food, clothing, health and beauty products from 140 vendors.

Speaking at the launch, Proudly SA Chief Executive Officer, Eustace Mashimbye, said it was crucial to support local business in order to grow the economy and create much-needed jobs.

Mashimbye said while some Proudly SA members still believed in taking their products to the traditional markets, others were embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Proudly SA vets and verifies local content and quality and all vendor companies on the website adhere to labour and environmental legislation that form part of the terms of Proudly SA membership.

South Africa currently has an active online shopping population of over 18 million, who spend between 30 minutes and over three hours shopping online, racking up sales of R37,1 billion in 2017.

“Every single product that is on the site that will be offered to consumers will have to confirm to high-quality standards, and in the process we know that new jobs will be created,” he said.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za