to support south african products:The dtic is set to launch two ecommerce platforms hosted by Proudly SA – one business-to-business and one business-to-customer — with the online shop offering some 1 700 locally made products.

Government Launches E-Commerce Platforms to Support South African Products

News24 | Government Launches Two E-Commerce Platforms to Promote South African Products

On July 1, 2025, South Africa will witness the official launch of two major government-backed e-commerce platforms, hosted by Proudly South African in collaboration with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to Support South African Products. The platforms are:

Shop Proudly SA: A business-to-consumer (B2C) online store.
Market Access Platform (MAP): A business-to-business (B2B) trade portal.

🌐 dtic: What’s the Goal of These e-commerce platform?

The initiative aims to streamline access to locally made goods, particularly from small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). Minister Parks Tau emphasized that the platforms will:

Make it easier for consumers and institutions to buy South African products.
Support small businesses in accessing digital markets.
Promote job creation and boost economic activity.
Regain market share from imported, cheaper products.

According to the minister: “Over 1,700 south african products are already available on these platforms, covering a wide range of categories. There’s something for everyone.”

🛒 Shop Proudly SA (B2C)

This is an online mall that allows regular consumers to purchase a wide variety of locally made products — from fashion and furniture to books and food. The platform is already live ahead of the official launch.

Example prices and products include:

Locally made dress priced around R4,000 (~$200–$250 USD depending on exchange rate).
Coffee table priced at R10,000 and a three-seater couch at R18,500.

The goal is to change the perception that local goods are just cheap alternatives, highlighting their competitive quality and design.

🏢 MAP (Market Access Platform for B2B)

This is a digital procurement solution targeted at organizations and companies. According to Eustace Mashimbye, CEO of Proudly SA, the MAP portal is “a direct response to procurement officers looking for certified local suppliers.”

Key features include:

A verified supplier database of South African manufacturers.
Automated request-matching to simplify sourcing.
Priority access for suppliers registered with Proudly SA.

📈 Economic Impact Potential

South Africa’s e-commerce market is projected to grow from around $42.4 million (~R763 million) in 2023 to over $165.1 million by 2030.

This initiative is expected to:

Support SMMEs through increased visibility and sales.
Create thousands of job opportunities.
Encourage local consumption and reinvestment in the economy.
Lay the foundation for export opportunities via digital platforms.

📦 Competing and Complementing Existing Marketplaces

Despite strong competition from platforms like Takealot (66% market share) and the recent entry of Amazon, the new platforms serve a different mission. Their focus is on:

Promoting verified local-origin products.
Helping institutions meet local procurement targets.
Strengthening national economic identity through local branding.

In this way, the platforms don’t aim to compete on price alone but rather on purpose and value.

✅ Platform Benefits for Stakeholders

For Consumers (Shop Proudly SA)

Wide variety of trusted, quality local products.
Secure online payments and logistics.
Empowerment through local economic support.

For Institutions (MAP)

Easy access to a certified local supplier base.
Smart, automated procurement matching.
Compliance with public sector local purchasing mandates.

🔗 Helpful Links

🖼️ Visual Suggestions

Here are a few suggested images to support the article visually:

This article was crafted to highlight South Africa’s forward-thinking approach to local economic empowerment through digital transformation. Your feedback is welcome!

Thanks for reading for more news visit our website: africatrademonitor.com

this post by new24