Proudly South African and main sponsor, WesBank, announced the winners of the 3rd annual Homegrown Awards on 24 May 2007. The winners, in their respective categories are:
Company of the year: G.U.D Filters (Pty) Ltd (Corporate) and Stormsriver Adventures (SMME)
Product of the year: Spescom Limited (Corporate) and Living Gold (Pty) Ltd (SMME)
Service of the year: Spur Group (Corporate) and Longspan Gutters (SMME)
Innovator of the year: Altech UEC (Corporate) and BSG (Africa) (SMME)
Exporter of the year: G.U.D Filters (Pty) Ltd (Corporate) and Cerdak (Pty) Ltd (SMME)
CSI Champion of the Year: Mama Afrika – Clover (Corporate) and Stormsriver Adventures (SMME)
Nation Builder of the Year: The Chaeli Campaign (SMME)
Manufacturer of the Year: Eveready (Pty) Ltd (Corporate) and Chemlog (SMME)
The Awards were celebrated at a glittering social event at Xtreme Nissan, Fourways, with almost 600 of Johannesburg's business elite in attendance, including the Acting President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; Deputy Minister of the dti, Elizabeth Thabete; and Nedlac Executive Director, Herbert Mkhize.
Despite the prizes that winners receive (such as a year long honorary membership to the South African Quality Institute [SAQI]), winning a Homegrown Award signifies enormous prestige and recognition: an award gives credit to outstanding business acumen, expertise and quality local services and goods delivered.
General Manager: WesBank Corporate, Mike Chapman joined Proudly SA CEO, Manana Moroka in congratulating every winner as an invaluable element in the local economy that contributes to a sense of national pride by encouraging South Africans to invest in South Africa and buy locally-produced products and services.