Informal trader urges residents to buy local to support ailing economy
“Buying more of imported products and less local is suicidal. We are shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Informal trader Nono Kupa has urged South Africans to buy local products and support local businesses.
Kupa said local businesses needs to develop and make a meaningful contribution towards fighting poverty, inequality and the high rate of unemployment in the country.
The 38-year-old said this should not be interpreted as a call for people to completely refrain from buying imported products.
“It can help our economy a lot when people buy at least 80% of local products and around 20% from other countries. It is clear that South Africans buy imported products more than the locally manufactured goods, which has devastating effects on the country’s economy.”
She said this type of behaviour does not help the country in fighting poverty, inequality and high rate of unemployment.
“Buying more imported products and less local is suicidal. We are shooting ourselves in the foot,” she said.
“It is the responsibility of every South African to contribute to developing the country’s economy before other countries.”
According to Kupa, problems such as poverty and high unemployment in the country do not only have undesirable consequences on a certain class of society but on everyone.
“Although I am not justifying crime in South Africa, it is clear that poverty and high unemployment are related to high crime.
“A South Africa that has poverty, high unemployment and crime is not the country most South Africans dreamed of.”
Kupa is one of thousands of South Africans who lost their job during an infamous Covid-19 lockdown in 2021.
She said she is, however, one of a few smart informal traders working hard to formalise their businesses.
Although she started trading in April last year, her vision is to have a formal business as early as next year.
“This is only possible when South Africans support local businesses.”
She said when her business, of mostly locally manufactured beauty and cleaning products, grows, she will be able to employ more people and contribute to reducing unemployment in the country.
The former restaurant waitress advised fellow business owners to run their businesses in accordance with the law in order to be successful.
“As street vendors, we should ensure that we have permits to trade in the street and we sell only right products or those indicated in our permits.”
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
