The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) is proud to announce that they have taken up membership with the country’s official “Buy Local” campaign, Proudly South African.
Explaining the reason for the move, Monique Holtzhausen, CEO of SAVA, says South Africa has a dynamic and burgeoning vinyls manufacturing sector that stands to benefit from displaying the Proudly South African logo as a recognised endorsement of local content and quality.
“It makes sense for us as an industry association to be affiliated with the country’s Buy Local Movement. We have a wide variety of superior vinyl products that are manufactured in South Africa. In many cases, these products are exported around the world. From PVC pipes and gutters to shoes and gumboots; from flooring products and décor accessories to medical devices – we want these companies to enjoy the benefits afforded to them through joint membership to SAVA and Proudly SA,” she says.
Like SAVA, Proudly SA is a membership-based organisation. Only companies that have been audited and approved are entitled to carry the logo, which symbolises the adherence of that product or service to required local-content thresholds and quality standards.
Safe, sustainable and responsible PVC products
Customers and end-markets know that SAVA members adhere to health and safety standards and best practice models.
The association’s voluntary Product Stewardship Commitment (PSC) specifies safe, responsible use of additives, sustainable manufacturing processes, closed loop management and a sustainability awareness. This consumer-confidence will be further strengthened by displaying the Proudly South Africa logo as proof of quality and local production.
Encouraging local procurements
Says Eustace Mashimbye, CEO of Proudly SA, “We are excited that more and more industry bodies are recognising the need to join the buy local movement. This proves to us that they understand that the buy local message is important not only for consumers, but also for business-to-business trading, and most importantly that they have an appreciation that we all have a collective responsibility to create much needed jobs for our country”.
“We are pleased to see that clarity has been provided by the courts indicating that the 2017 public sector preferential procurement regulations, which contain clear local procurement provisions and requirements for items designated for this purpose, will remain in effect at least until early 2023 when new regulations will hopefully have been finalised, and we hope that even these new regulations will provide for preference to be given to locally made products, when public entities procure items currently designated for this purpose.
