“This Heritage Month, we’re urging South Africans to prioritise local businesses.”SMEs as the backbone of the economyAccording to the FinScope MSME South Africa 2024 report, SMEs remain critical to economic growth, particularly in townships and rural communities. Four ways consumers can make their spend countRCS is encouraging South Africans to make deliberate choices this Heritage Month:Buy local first: Prioritise proudly South African products. - Click local: Support home-grown online retailers. - Show up: Attend community events that support small business. Richardson challenges consumers to take the Heritage Local Challenge: for the rest of September, choose one local alternative for every purchase.