Editor

The 2025 edition of the Proudly South African Buy Local Summit and Expo has provided a platform to inform the dynamic ways in which South Africa can create jobs and grow the economy using tools and resources at its disposal. 

The summit was recently held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. It featured over 200 exhibitors spanning diverse industries from information and communication technology (ICT), textile, automotive, cosmetics and personal care, beverages, confectionary, food, and the gaming industries. 

In a world grappling with environmental challenges, one South African enterprise is making a difference by blending sustainability with tradition. 

When Tshidiso Motlhabane’s favourite pair of sneakers began to wear off, he needed to find creative ways to revamp and save them. Little did he know that this would soon turn into a business. 

Today he is the founder and owner of The Shoe Mechanic, a company that he established in 2019 specialising in doing artistic work on shoes and clothing items. 

Born and bred in Taung in the North West, and now based in Randburg in Gauteng, Motlhabane loves wearing unique sneakers that make him stand out. 

What started as a home improvement project during the COVID-19 lockdown has now become a thriving business in the Eastern Cape. Ahtis Paints, founded in 2022 by Sitha Letha, was born out of necessity and an entrepreneurial spirit. Faced with unemployment and the loss of a previous business, Letha saw an opportunity in an unfamiliar type of paint—gamazine—and turned it into a growing enterprise.  

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has tasked the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit to oversee  and bolster the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl in Matatiele, in Eastern Cape.

Thamsanqa Rabasotho (30) of Mafikeng in the North West is a young animal scientist who uses his academic knowledge to run a thriving commercial farming business. He is the founder of Thandi and Thami Trading and Projects, a business that he established and registered in his teen years. The business specialises in livestock farming including cattle, sheep and goats. 

Last week, Parliament adopted the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals as tabled in the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance.

The 2025 Budget is directed at growing the economy and supporting the livelihoods of our people.

Sifiso Gumbi, a former waste picker and finalist for the 2024 Young Environmentalist of the Year at the South African Youth Awards, is transforming the city’s recycling landscape.&n

What started as a volunteer stint at a local bakery has blossomed into a successful business for Lulama Nhlebeya, founder of Lime Bakers. With three bakeries now operating across Mpumalanga, Nhlebeya's journey is a testament to perseverance and his entrepreneurial spirit.

With South Africa looking to promote international recognition of educational qualifications to support global mobility during its G20 Presidency, students are already benefitting from longstanding bilaterals with China, a member of the forum.

Lawyer Nonhlanhla Ngwenya bears testimony to what such relationships could mean for South Africans looking to further their studies abroad.