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Buy Local is more than just a slogan - it’s a movement. A movement to encourage and educate consumers about the importance of supporting and shopping from locally owned businesses.

 

Our goal is simple: to create a more inclusive economy, where our Lowveld towns not only survive but truly flourish. More people employed, more families given access to the economy, and more opportunities for local prosperity.

 

Unfortunately, our current economic system doesn’t do this well. It’s one of the reasons why South Africa has over 10 million unemployed. In fact, the system is often unfair and unjust. Too many people are being left out, left behind, and excluded from economic opportunity.

 

When economists speak, they often paint a picture of a healthy economy - but this picture primarily reflects the experiences of the wealthy and those already included. The reality on the ground tells a very different story: thousands of South Africans live in shacks, are unemployed, and struggle daily to make ends meet. One major cause of this unemployment is that starting and sustaining a business in a corporate-dominated market is extremely difficult.

 

As Nelson Mandela once said:

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings."

 

A Personal Story: The Decline of Local Towns

 

I grew up in a small agricultural town in the Free State. Back then, the town was thriving. But as the agricultural sector grew, our town slowly started dying. Streets fell into disrepair, local businesses closed, and friends and family struggled to keep their shops alive.

 

Why? Money started leaving the town. Groceries were bought elsewhere, milk from corporates rather than local dairies, children went to schools outside the town, cars purchased from outside dealers. Locally owned businesses were no longer supported.

 

The difference is clear: corporates with head offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, or even New York take money out of our towns, while locally owned businesses keep money circulating locally.

 

How Do We Change This?

 

By choosing to buy and support locally owned businesses. It’s a simple action that makes an immediate difference to real families in town. This is where Buy Local Lowveld comes in. We are the voice and movement that educates both businesses and consumers about the power of buying local.

 

The Problem with Corporate Retail

 

South Africa’s retail environment is tough. Corporate stores dominate most urban landscapes with massive shopping centres - Checkers, Shoprite, PnP, Woolworths, Edgars, Game - and they operate without any obligation to support local suppliers. Daily essentials like bread, eggs, milk, and vegetables are often trucked in from outside, leaving little opportunity for local producers to thrive.

 

Historically, the Lowveld had thriving dairy farms, agricultural shows, and local producers. Today, most are gone, contributing directly to unemployment. This is not inevitable. In countries like the UK, Germany, and across Europe, regulations and local retail charters protect small businesses, ensuring communities retain their economic identity and jobs.

 

In South Africa, by contrast, corporate shopping centres dominate, siphoning money away from our local economies and limiting opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

 

Why Buying Local Matters

 

Locally owned businesses employ people who live in the community, pay taxes locally, invest in property, and raise families here. Supporting them keeps money circulating, creates jobs, and strengthens the local economy. As Adrian Gore, CEO of Discovery, notes:

 

"It’s not the corporations that create jobs. Big corporations are not entrepreneurial and do not create jobs. Entrepreneurship and job creation happen in the small business space."

 

What Buy Local Lowveld Does

 

Our first task is simple: identify locally owned businesses and encourage them to join our directory. We provide Buy Local branding so consumers can easily recognize them. At the same time, we encourage consumers to support these businesses, knowing that every purchase helps strengthen the local economy.

 

Some examples of locally owned businesses making a real difference:

 

• Yoons Eatery in White River has not only expanded its restaurant hours but also created more jobs for waiters, chefs, and support staff. The owners’ children attend local schools, and their investment in the community helps keep the town vibrant.
• Systeco, a macadamia processing company, started just a few years ago but already employs over 250 people. By working closely with local farmers, they’ve built a sustainable supply chain that benefits both the company and the surrounding community. Their commitment to support local producers ensures that opportunities and growth remain within the Lowveld.
• Bronpro, a juice factory, faced challenges over a decade ago with sourcing mangos for production. Instead of relying solely on large-scale suppliers, they reached out to local informal farmers, creating opportunities for dozens of smallholders. Each bakkie delivering mangos is paid cash, and the company also gives back with baby mango trees and encouragement, fostering long-term sustainability. This initiative injects millions of rand into local communities each year - something corporate chains rarely do.

 

These businesses demonstrate the power of supporting locally owned enterprises. Every purchase keeps money circulating within the community, creates jobs, and builds a resilient local economy.

 

Research shows that even a 10% shift toward buying local can revitalize a town. Across South Africa, communities are seeing towns come back to life because local businesses work together and consumers choose to support them.

 

By looking for the Buy Local Lowveld logo, visiting our online directory, and choosing local wherever possible, you are helping to ensure a thriving, inclusive economy in the Lowveld.

 

Support local. Buy local. Make a difference. Every purchase counts.

 

How You Can Help

 

Every member of the community has the power to make a difference:

• Look for the Buy Local Lowveld logo when you shop.
• Use our online directory to find a local grocer, butcher, baker, coffee shop, or restaurant.
• Think about what you need, look around, and where possible, choose locally owned businesses.
• Spread the word and encourage friends and family to do the same.

 

By working together, we can stimulate, strengthen, and grow the Lowveld economy. We can create jobs, foster entrepreneurship, and ensure vibrant, thriving towns for generations to come.

 

Support local. Buy local. Make a difference.