National Braai Day is as South African as boerewors, biltong, vellies and the Big Hole.
It is a celebration of a national pastime that is loved by all cultures and ignites passion in most people, who scoff gleefully at the word ‘barbeque’ and look askew at ‘hot dogs’ on the grid.
From juicy Karoo lamb to perfectly spiced spirals of boerie, from the firelighters to the charcoal and, in most cases, the beer that is enjoyed in icy gulps, just about everything that goes into a typical South Africa braai has been produced in our country – making the marriage on September 24 of National Heritage Day and National Braai Day a perfect fit!
Proudly South African CEO Eustace Mashimbye would like nothing more than to see his countrymen embracing the ‘buy local’ campaign all-year round.
“What does Heritage Day mean to all of us?” he asks. “It’s everything that is language, culture, traditional dress, and things we have grown up with. Things with which we are so familiar – iconic brands such as Cremora (It’s not inside, it’s on top) and Bar One’s 25-hour days.
“These are just two local South African products that we have whole-heartedly embraced and which can be found in just about every kitchen cupboard around the country. Sometimes, we buy unthinkingly, but this Heritage Month, it’s time to think about more conscious purchasing decisions,” he says.
“After all, we check for environmentally friendly products, we seek to restrict the purchase of single-use plastic, we buy dolphin-friendly tuna, and read labels to check for fat and sodium content in food items.
“But do you ever check where the item you are buying has been made? Heritage means things that belong to us. Things made in South Africa. Items that are Proudly South African, endorsed by the country’s official buy local advocacy campaign.”
Mashimbye says Proudly South African has member companies in the fast-moving consumer goods, clothing, textiles, retail, automotive, IT, cosmetics, chemicals, DIY, furniture, services and agro-processing sectors, and so much more.
“All of these local industries sustain many hundreds of thousands of jobs. By supporting locally grown, manufactured and produced goods and services, we are creating demand and creating jobs in the process. We are contributing to the economic recovery of the country.”
He says ‘buying imported goods exports jobs’.
“We want a heritage of 100% employment, of new and emerging local brands, of a nation that supports everything that is local, because it is good quality and is value for money.
“Look for items Made in SA. Help build heritage brands that will live on and become part of the fabric of our society. Buy local this month and always. Be Proudly South African. Buy local to create jobs.”
