President Jacob Zuma met with the Board of the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria today, 24 May 2011.
The meeting discussed at length the need for business and government to work together to promote and market the successes of the country domestically and to the world.
The IMC was established in 2002 with the primary objective of developing and implementing a pro-active and coordinated marketing, communication and reputation management strategies for the country.
The meeting discussed strategies of communicating the successes and strengths of the new democracy, successes in the sports and other arenas and how to take the country message beyond the arts into the economic arena. It was agreed that the country must be marketed as a competitive business destination, to contribute to economic growth and job creation. Currently the marketing has focused primarily on sports as well as arts and culture.
President Zuma encouraged the IMC to use the forthcoming events such as the International Olympic Committee general assembly in July and the United Nations climate change conference in November to further market the brand, building on the successes of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Other opportunities are the membership of BRICS as well as the current two year membership of the United Nations Security Council.
The IMC presented a few proposals to the meeting and these are the following;
The Board made a few proposals to the President:
- They would like the name of the IMC to be changed to Brand SA to ensure that the name resonates with the mandate of the organisation. This will also assist in eliminating the confusion with the many Inter-Ministerial Committees (IMCs) in government.
- The IMC wants its mandate to be also focused on promoting the brand and successes to South Africans as well, so that all South Africans become ambassadors of the brand. This will assist to change the trend of continuous negative messaging about the country. Currently the primary focus has been the external market. It was agreed that citizens should also be a key target so that they become brand ambassadors.
- The Council proposed the appointment of volunteer Brand Patrons - eminent businesspersons, some of the recipients of the National Orders as well as eminent foreign nations from around the world who are friends of South Africa. They would serve as ambassadors of the country worldwide.
- The proposals will be tabled in Cabinet soon to ensure broader government buy-in.
The President has appointed the following additional persons to the IMC Board:
- Geoff Rothschild, Executive Director: Government and International Affairs of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
- Moss Leoka, Executive Director of Harrison and White, who brings to the Board finance and marketing expertise.
- Sindi Mabaso-Koyana, Group Chief Financial Officer, Passenger Rail Agency of South African (PRASA), brings finance and accounting expertise to the Board.
- Ramasela Moloto, Chief Financial Officer, National Nuclear Regulator, who also brings to the Board finance and accounting expertise.
New Government representatives on the Board are Dr Cassius Lubisi, (Director-General Presidency) Lionel October (Director-General Department of Trade and Industry), Jimmy Manyi (CEO GCIS), Sibusiso Xaba (Director-General Arts and Culture) and Timothy Scholtz (Chief Operations Officer, Tourism SA). They replace government representatives who have been redeployed to other Departments.
The President bade farewell to Board members who have resigned due to work commitments; soccer legend Mr Lucas Radebe, businesswoman Dr Judy Dlamini and Mr Sydney Kunene, who represented Mpumalanga Province.
“We thank all outgoing members of the board for serving our country so well. We wish the new members well in their new tasks. We are confident that they will serve South Africa well,” said President Zuma.
The rest of the members of the IMC Board of Trustees are Mr Ajay Gupta, Mr Alan Winde, Dr Danny Jordan, Mr Esa Yacoob, Ms Kenosi Meruti, Mr Lefty Mogorosi, Ms Mathipe Moganedi, Mr Happy Ntshingila, Ms Neela Hoosain, Mr Thabo Mhlongo, Ms Victoria Moloi, Mr Vusi Mvelase, Mr Wayne Morris and Mr Welcome Msomi.
President Zuma was accompanied by the Minister in the Presidency, Mr Collins Chabane, Minister of Economic Development, Mr Ebrahim Patel and Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Ms Dina Pule.
Enquiries:
Zizi Kodwa
Cell: 082 330 4910
Source: The Presidency
