The Trouble with Branding Things African …

James Maposa Director Consultant Intergroup Brand Science (formerly Interbrand Africa) I’ve often heard people describe products and services coming out of our continent as African. Examples include African attire, African cuisine, African print and so on. For those who’ve been lucky enough to have travelled our beloved continent you’d understand the problems that come with […]

Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil and Africa: What to expect

Otavio Veras, Research Associate of the NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies Synopsis In the wake of controversial picks for Trump’s cabinet, the spotlight turns to his appointed choice for Secretary of State, the highest diplomatic rank in the United States government. After a brief interlude with Mitt Romney, which would certainly be a favourite pick […]

Brand valuation missing the so what

James Maposa Director Consultant Intergroup Brand Science (formerly Interbrand Africa) I recently read an article that reported on South Africa’s most valued brands for 2016. The country’s top-10 brands were MTN, Vodacom, Sasol, Standard Bank, Woolworths, FNB, Absa, Nedbank, Investec and Mediclinic; with Multichoice bubbling under at number 11. For me what was missing in […]

Future Options to Store Energy near Cape Town’s City Centre

Electric power arrived at Cape Town around 1900 with the construction of a coal-fired, steam-driven power station located near the Victoria and Alfred dockyard area. The location offered 2-advantages in that the power station was close to the unloading area of coal ships that could sail from Durban. The second advantage was that close proximity […]

An Option for Energy Efficiency and Water Production at Cape Town

Summary: The thermal capacity of seawater off Cape Town’s coast can be applied to reduce the energy consumption of commercial scale refrigerators and air-conditioners as well as sustain the energy efficient operation of refrigeration-based technology that extracts potable water from humid air. Introduction: During successive summer seasons that extend over a period of decades, the […]

Liberated Africa: Pathways to Self-Transformational Development

In the period since independence in the 1950s, Africa has undergone profound social, cultural, economic and political changes. Some inherited and historically rootless colonialist political and social systems have collapsed, been transcended and reconstituted. Different political systems – single party rule, personal rule and military governments have come and gone. New post-independence political and social […]

African Challenges to African Development

The parlous story of African economic and social development since independence best expressed in the failure to achieve the autonomous capacity for self-actuated development and in particular to create conditions of national and continental modern mass production and prosperity is well known and need not be repeated. It is enough to re-state that Africa’s development […]

2017 Travel Goals; Explore Six of Africa’s Most Exotic Islands

No one talks of safari without mentioning the great treks that crisscross the African continent. So popular is this cradle of mankind for its magic-ridden sunsets and vast plains teeming with wildlife, that many seem to awe away at the bush ideal, totally ignoring that the continent also takes pride in mothering some of the […]

Glorious Beach Vacation at Langano

If there is a destination which never runs out of being an exceptional timeless destination it’s Langano. Its endless adventure offers a dream of incredible water adventure. Whether you enjoy water sport or just lying on the sand enjoying the warm sun and fresh air you will not be disappointed in the land of Hawassa. […]

Ethiopia Gearing to become Africa’s Top Tourism Spot

During the past two decades, Ethiopia’s ambitious economic initiatives to become a middle income country managed to progressively grow and develop the economy. The country has given ample focus to sectors like tourism, increasing their GDP contribution to the entire economic key factors. Addressing the country development shortfalls and poverty reduction initiatives has grabbed the […]