Promoting South Africa has its challenges. Like the uncomfortable squirm during the globally watched Mandela Memorial when the country’s President is boo-ed. Or hearing how the country is perceived by Americans as a jungle with wild animals in our back gardens. Not forgetting the visual impact and memories created by the still-fresh Marikana tragedy. Gugu and I put questions on these issues and others to Miller Matola who runs Brand South Africa. His thinking is clear on the key issue – first step is to address internal challenges; even the best of them can’t spin you out of reality. – AH
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ALEC HOGG: From political posters to bottles of wine and kitchen aprons, the face and name of Nelson Mandela is a potent commercial and political brand in South Africa. Miller Matola, Chief Executive of Brand South Africa joins us. I was at Madiba’s house on Saturday, Miller. I saw your ‘Brand South Africa’ branding behind where all the flowers were being put by people. Over the road there were hawkers selling various memorabilia with Madiba’s face on it. So firstly, well done in getting the branding out there but secondly, it seems a bit macabre to be using such a sad occasion for some people – celebratory for others – as a way of promoting the country.
MILLER MATOLA: Thank you very much, Alec. It’s not so much about promoting the country. It’s simply that we’re paying our respects and pledging solidarity with the individual who has played a critical role in bringing us to where we are, an individual who has actually made us who we are as a national brand. To the extend where individuals, corporates, and all of us…have been paying tribute to this great man. That is simply all that Brand South Africa is doing.
ALEC HOGG: That’s good stuff, and we’ve pulled it off again, haven’t we? There were no glitches yesterday with all these Heads of State – 91 at the last count – coming into the stadium. Does that help you in your efforts?
MILLER MATOLA: Well, it does help our efforts, even though it’s a very sad occasion that brings all these people to our shores. I think one of the things it highlights is obviously our ability and capability as a country, to really manage such major events/occurrences. Secondly, I think it speaks to the stature of former President Nelson Mandela himself, with which he has actually imbued this country. Therefore, the associations between Madiba and South Africa are inseparable. To the extent that it’s a reflection of the stature of President Mandela, it is also a reflection of the high regard with which this country is held.
ALEC HOGG: Gugu and I had some very interesting guys in the studio. You will know whom I’m referring to: Oprah Winfrey’s husband and JT Foxx. They sat here saying ‘we’re from America and in America…many people think South Africa is a land of…’
GUGULETHU MFUPHI: Zebras, giraffes, and lions in our backyard…
ALEC HOGG: Come on Miller, you have to sort these out. We were defending you that day. Aren’t you doing your job?
MILLER MATOLA: Well, we need to tell that story a lot more. Again, one has to be very careful. Although there’s a load of globalisation, there is still much insularity, especially in big economies, which tend to be inwardly focused. I think our challenge really, is to tell the story a lot more, of this country and what it offers, and that’s really, what we are about: shifting the narrative of South Africa. President Mandela has done a lot in terms of that. Post the 1994 period, for instance, he shifted perceptions of South Africa from the apartheid era to a democracy, and a country that is focused on human rights. It’s about freedom, respect of an individual, freedom of speech, and all those issues. He actually put those things forward. Now they’re enshrined in our Constitution, an inherent element of who we are as a country, and we need to communicate a lot more of that story.
GUGULETHU MFUPHI: You mentioned freedom of speech, Miller. Yesterday in the audience, we saw people in the FNB Stadium booing our current President, Jacob Zuma. That can’t be good for the image of the country or the President, given the fact that we had such high-profile guests there.
MILLER MATOLA: Well, it can’t be good. In our culture, it is also disrespectful to do something like that, and especially at such an occasion. Secondly, I think it is just improper to do that for the high office in the land. Thirdly, you raised the point that there were visitors. I think how we conduct ourselves should not necessarily be governed by who is there. It is what we do when no one is looking that is important for the building of the reputation of this country.
ALEC HOGG: The point there is that billions of people around the world were watching it. We know people from all over the world who were watching…up stands the President of the host country and it can’t be easy for you when you go out into the market.
MILLER MATOLA: The important point is that it is unfortunate that there was an attempt – I suppose – at making political statements or expressions at such an occasion and I think that’s what we really need to respect. Indeed, as South Africans it behooves all of us to conduct ourselves in a manner that is disciplined, and also in a manner that shows respect, because as you rightly say ‘the eyes of the world were upon us as a country, at that very moment’.
ALEC HOGG: I heard what you’re saying – and they’re lovely words – but we had Marikana a year ago. Really, booing a President in that kind of environment, versus what happened at Marikana must make your job more difficult. How do you address these issues?
MILLER MATOLA: Well, you talk about Marikana. It’s a very unfortunate incident, as well. How you address these issues is to have the conversation internally about the fact that our labour relations environment needs to be more stable, and that has happened. The Deputy President has had an accord with Labour where they’ve taken these issues into account and said ‘we need to make sure we have a more stable labour relations environment’, because industrial action is something that is acceptable in – as I’m sure you know – our Constitution. However, once it becomes violent, then it creates such challenges. The second thing is that how we deal with it, the rule of law will sustain and as you saw we immediately set up as a country, a commission to look at this. I think that is what people look at. ‘Is this country’s rule of law going to sustain? Is there going to be fairness and justice in dealing with this matter?’ which has been demonstrated. It does not however, take away from the fact that we need to deal with the underlying issues, which the Deputy President hasn’t addressed.
ALEC HOGG: So, only when things are fixed in South Africa, can you go and show that internationally, so it’s almost like a double job that you have. Let’s sort things out locally where there are issues, so that you can go and tell the story. You don’t really want to start spinning a story that isn’t true.
MILLER MATOLA: It’s a parallel process, Alec. We don’t have to wait for things to be sorted out. Part of our mandate…part of our job is to hold the mirror up to ourselves as a nation and say ‘here is how we have to conduct ourselves if we are to become a competitive economy, if we are going to become one of the leading economies in this world, and be able to address our socio-economic challenges’. Each one of us has to play a part in the competitiveness of the country, whether you’re in labour, business, or government. That message is the message we carry throughout.
GUGULETHU MFUPHI: Miller, thank you so much for your insights today. That was Miller Matola. He is the Chief Executive of Brand South Africa.
