The appearance of the 'Proudly South African' logo on the front of SA Instrumentation & Control for the second time in four months got my interest aroused. What is this campaign all about? Who is behind it?
Proudly South African is an initiative of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) and is supported by organised business, organised labour, government and the community. But the campaign is not just for businesses and companies. Membership is open to a wide range of organisations that want to support South African companies and products. NGOs, sports organisations, education and health institutions, government departments at local, provincial and national level, publications, even individuals - all can join the campaign as members.
Chairman of the campaign is well-known broadcaster, journalist and media personality, Tim Modise. Says Tim, "Now every South African can be a nation-builder. As South Africans, we often forget how innovative, entrepreneurial and competitive we can be. We need to find a new sense of pride in who we are and what we can achieve. With the Proudly South African campaign, companies can identify themselves as such for everyone to see."
Before a company can put the logo on their products, they are required to comply with a set of criteria:
* The company's products or services must incur at least 50% of their production costs, including labour, in South Africa, and be 'substantially transformed' (in other words a product that is merely imported and re-packaged would not be eligible).
* The company and its products or services must meet high quality standards.
* The company must be committed to fair labour and employment practices.
* The company must be committed to sound environmental standards.
A visit to the campaign's website - www.proudlysouthafrican.co.za - will give a better overview of what the campaign is about.
For me, Proudly South African goes much further than simply pride in products that we produce. It includes the psyche of who we are as individuals and as a nation. Like many young South Africans I have travelled extensively outside of South Africa, as well as having lived outside of the country for extended periods. In fact, at one stage I left with the intention of not returning. I guess I had to learn that the grass is not always greener on the other side. The long miserable winters of Europe alone are almost enough to drive anyone to drink, not to mention the over-crowded living conditions.
As South African's we have a tendency to moan continuously about 'corruption, crime, yak, yak, yak'. It is about time that the boring and tedious dinnertime chat of the 'old era' is replaced with a positive and realistic view of a nation that is successfully rising from the ashes of the past. How wonderful it is to see an emerging generation of South Africans that are vociferously proud of their country. I certainly would not want to be anything other than South African.
As I write this column the news has just broken of the world's fourth biggest brewer, SA Breweries' US$5 billion purchase of Miller Brewery from US company Philip Morris. This makes SAB the second largest brewer in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to yet another Proudly South African company!
Graeme Bell
Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control
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