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Editorial Comment

The value of Buy Bloemfontein
As reported elsewhere in this edition, the Free State Business Bulletin intends running a campaign to promote Buy Bloemfontein and all that entails. It is a fact that a lot of business - millions and millions of rand - is being conducted by local Bloemfontein businesses outside the city and the province, mainly in Gauteng, Durban and Cape Town. It has come to the attention of the Free State Business Bulletin that many of the large businesses, the universities, parastatals, government departments, corporates, etc. in the city are monthly contracting millions of rand outside the Free State. Some of the economic sectors mostly affected are IT, computers, printing, media services, graphic services and much more. The same happens in the case of many government departments, the FDC, corporates, etc. Therefore this subject clearly needs debating, attention and action. How wonderful would it be if a campaign of Buy Bloemfontein could be broadened to one of Proudly Free State, to such an extent that the share of the province in the national GDP could be increased from about 5% to 7,5%? Be as it may, it is hoped that all stakeholders and roleplayers, including chambers of business, are to join hands in such a campaign.