South Africa Launches Online Stores for Local Products and SMMEs

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in partnership with Proudly South African (Proudly SA), has announced the launch of two new e-commerce platforms aimed at promoting South African products and supporting local businesses. The platforms – Shop Proudly SA and Market Access Platform (MAP) – are designed to boost small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), increase visibility for locally produced goods and services and stimulate job creation. 

Shop Proudly SA is already live, while MAP will go live on 1 July 2025.

According to the DTIC, both platforms will offer a centralised portal for consumers and procurement officers to easily access over 1700 local products across various sectors. 

“These platforms are meant to provide a seamless and centralised portal that will make it easier for consumers and procurement officers to source locally manufactured products and services and to meet their localisation targets,” said Minister of the DTIC, Parks Tau.

MAP, a business-to-business platform, was developed in response to feedback from large companies that struggle to find local products and suppliers. The platform aims to bridge the gap between local manufacturers and corporate buyers. 

Proudly SA CEO, Eustace Mashimbye, explained that MAP will also allow corporate procurement officials to list their tender opportunities. These opportunities will be matched with listed local suppliers, in line with preferential procurement goals.

“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. Members of Proudly SA are automatically eligible to be enlisted on MAP as suppliers, “said Mashimbye.