I will be launching Zapreneur tomorrow.
Zapreneur is a platform for new voices and ideas on the challenges facing South Africa. Zapreneur will offer:
- Original and challenging content
- Constructive conversations on developing public policy alternatives
I am so excited, and hope you will take a moment and register on the site.
Posted: February 9th, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Filed under: Economic Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Internet and Public Policy |
Are newspapers receptive to civil society voices? I argue that in my experience newspapers need to do much more to provide a voice to civil society.
For more clips visit SACSIS. The organisers have captured the essence of the engagement as follows:
SACSIS and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung South Africa Office. The roundtable examined the media’s perspective of the South African economy.Other media speakers at the event included, Nic Dawes (Editor in Chief, Mail & Guardian), Alide Dasnois (Editor, Cape Times) and Reg Rumney (Head of the Centre for Economics Journalism in Africa, Rhodes University). Editors were asked to answer the following questions: Is the economy on the right growth path? What are the prospects for making it more inclusive? How does the media report on the economy? Does the media have a vision for South Africa’s economic development?
(Still a little strange to be posting clips of myself online.)
Posted: November 11th, 2010 | No Comments »
Filed under: Civil Society, Entrepreneurship |
Bianca Mavuso wearing Francois Vedermme
How do we tell the story of economic policy in South Africa? As an analyst my tools are statistics and substantiation, and even sometimes a case study. Steve Mandy, a fashion artist, tells the story through art. (A profile of Steve is found here.) His exhibition – which I have viewed only through online pictures – tells a more accessible story. (Details on the exhibition are here.)The exhibition titled “Local Obsession” – which involves Steve working with fashion designers – offers a profound and demanding reflection of the clothing industry, and more broadly, the South African economy.
I requested permission to use some of the images. Steve Mandy made a phone call, and explained the motivations behind his exhibition. The aspect that stood out for me was using what was available to develop and fund the exhibition, and how the exhibition appealed to an audience outside the traditional audiences that attend art exhibitions. This is a typical case of an entrepreneur using the available inputs to explore an existing opportunity.
This exhibition builds on the concept of international super monopolies and their involvement in African economic markets. This opaque influence infiltrates African countries with great subversive skill and the effects are not apparent to the general consumer. I have used ‘Fashion’ as a metaphor for all industries effected by foreign involvement and symbolised foreign intervention with Chinese Theatrical masks which are hidden within images.
Source: Steve Mandy
Whilst, I am not a sophisticated art goer, I have always appreciated the artist’s perspective. In this case, the exhibition matches a beauty of the exhibition, with an invitation to think and act about our deeper social and economic issues. The exhibition and its motivations raises three broader issues for economic policy in South Africa.
The exhibition asks South Africans for more consciousness in buying choices. The idea being that buying South African helps us to grow an industry. There have been several attempts to shift buying decisions towards South African products. The challenge for businesses however remains providing value to customers, both in terms of quality and price. The exhibition shows that there are strong possibilities for providing both affordable and high quality clothing products in South Africa. In this sense, it provides a much more imaginative restatement of the traditional debate on low cost imports in South Africa, which asks the questions devoid of creativity. The question is “Do poor people benefit more from cheaper products which
Priynaka wearing a Haroun Hansrot Creation
make South Africans factories unviable, or do they benefit from having jobs in factories?”. The exhibition turns the question around asking instead: What are possibilities for creating a viable clothing industry that both provides good quality goods, and serves a market effectively.
At first blush, I was left wondering what on earth do resin and steel have to do with clothing. Here again, the exhibition seeks to show how unconventional inputs are crafted into products, with a bit of imagination. It however raises a deeper insight - producing internationally competitive products requires value chains that give fair value and price to businesses, if South African businesses are to create awesome products, which are potentially job creating. The linkages and the innovation in other parts of the economy create new inputs, and as such scream out for conversion into unexpected opportunity, is something we very often glance over in developing economic policy.
Gugu Msimang Creation Multi media Fibre glass, resin and fabric
There is obviously too much rah-rah in the entrepreneurial world, and huge structural challenges for South African entrepreneurs. However, as Steve mentioned in our chat, he finds ways to use what existed to create the exhibition. This included partnering with a range of designers, manufacturers and involving communities in the process.
Granted, the structure of the economy is an obstacle for entrepreneurs. Yet, there is a lesson for those struggling to start-up (that includes me) can learn a lesson or two. The lesson is somehow make a plan.
In fact, it shows that if think creatively and logically at the same time, the inputs might be available.
In sum, the exhibition raises some important and valid public policy issues in an accessible and beautiful way. Personally, it provided both a distraction and space to think about the South African conversation.
Posted: October 7th, 2010 | No Comments »
Filed under: Economic Inclusion, Entrepreneurship | Tags: Cothing, employment, Entrepreneurship, Localness, South Africa, Steve Mandy
Netsetter Badge
The Netsetter made a surprise announcement that it would close. My surprise at the closure is two-fold:
Posted: October 5th, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Filed under: Entrepreneurship |
