Johannesburg - It has been more than a decade since the establishment of Brand South Africa’s Play Your Part initiative and its leaders said the organisation is stronger than ever.
But an economist warned that despite the good intentions of some South Africans, the country’s image has suffered globally. Since inception, Play Your Part has been onboarding new faces that adequately represent the country’s extraordinary citizens, and who are using their resources to co-create a better South Africa for everyone. Brand South Africa recently held two engagements in Durban and Johannesburg to celebrate ambassadors and the important work that they do.
Acting CEO, Sithembele Ntombela mentioned the importance of ambassador collaboration, stating that “You first need to love us. Then you need to like us. And then you need to call us.”
She reiterated how ambassadorship was ultimately a mutual collaboration, and how vital it was for Play Your Part to keep avenues of communication open in order to fully benefit from the programme’s intent.
Brand South Africa Marketing Manager, Tshepiso Malele, outlined the various pillars that uphold the Play Your Part Programme including Creative Arts, Education, Entrepreneurship and Environment. There are currently a wide range of Play Your Part ambassadors holding the flag high in their respective fields, from actress Candice Modiselle to social justice advocate Yusuf Abramjee, as well as a variety of socially conscious entrepreneurs who have been active in positively changing the economic landscape to empower youth, create jobs and enhance skills development.
The two events not only celebrated the existing ambassadors but also welcomed new ambassadors, including Tshepiso James Kwakwa, a community activist and the founder of The Big Brothers Hug Foundation, an organisation that is dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health of men in the community.
The Ambassador programme has significantly contributed to South Africa’s global visibility, which Ntombela noted in her address, drawing attention to how people make a country what it is, and how people hold the bulk of responsibility for a country’s brand image.
And while local heroes are doing their bit to keep SA’s flag flying high, the recent goings-on in the country have made things difficult.
Prof Dieter von Fintel, from the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University said while we are facing challenges at home, we are not unique in this regard.
“South Africa is only a part of a global era of instability. The world at large is doing reputation management and coping with instability in leadership. There have been multiple, rapid government changes in the UK, the former US president is facing criminal charges, the Chinese are protesting zero Covid-19 policies, the war on Ukraine has created instability in international markets and the world is under inflationary pressure,” he said.
Von Fintel added that SA is part of a global leadership crisis, evident in the events of the last few weeks.
“Brand SA is in a difficult place, but not out of line with the rest of the world. While the exchange rate is not an indicator of the health of an economy, it can be seen as a barometer for how the world views current South African events. In the last five years our currency depreciated 37%. While the worst shocks took place during the Covid period, there was a temporary recovery from these particular events. This instability was linked to global uncertainty rather than SA’s reputation. Nonetheless, the currency continues on its path of weakening against the US dollar. The last few weeks show how sensitive markets are to South African political events,” he said.
Von Fintel added that as the Phala Phala affair broke open, the uncertainty about credible leadership in SA was associated with a temporary depreciation that subsequently reversed when Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as ANC president.
“It appears that the market values certainty in the short run, even when leaders continue to have serious allegations levelled against them. Credible leadership will be important for changing the long-run trajectory. Structural reform and addressing foundational constraints such as the power crisis will also play an important role. In summary, there are indications that Brand SA is under long-term pressure, but the current international crises are revealing similar reputational problems across the globe. Credible leadership and structural reform will determine whether South Africa can buck the trend,” Von Fintel concluded.