Marketplace: 'Made in Africa' service and product brands

Saul Molobi’s “Sounds and Fury: The Chronicles of Healing” now available in e-book version

Moving with the times? Almost everyone is forced to go digital. So please do get the e-book/Kindle version of this title by Brandhill Africa’s Group CEO and Chairman, Saul Molobi, aptly titled “Sound and Fury: The Chronicles of Healing”, from Amazon (by clicking on the link below). The “Foreword” to the book was written by H.E. Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of the Republic of South Africa.

Although the book’s title suggests a focus on the twelve months the author spent at a rehabilitation hospital, it only uses this as a context to draw on his previous life experiences. One chapter tackles his effort in Italy to use the Nelson Mandela iconoclasm as a strategic imperative in communicating South Africa’s foreign policy objectives.

Saul is touted by many as one of the foremost thought leaders on Africa’s competitive identity and public diplomacy with vast expertise in international business (specialising in global marketing; destination marketing; trade and investment promotion); diplomacy (with specialisation on economic diplomacy and public diplomacy); and strategic development for sustainable cultural industries.

His research areas covered the impact of FIFA World Cup 2010 on the brand equity of Polokwane – one of the host cities; how a country’s competitive identity impacts on investor decision making – the research developed a list of 40 variables ranking them in order of importance/relevance to investors (juxtaposing them with trade and investment promotion agencies in South Africa, Kenya and Mozambique on what they perceive to be significant to foreign investors). For his current studies, he’s studying how brand Africa impacts on “Made in Africa” service and product brands – using South Africa’s fortified wine exports as a case study. This aims to develop a brand management framework for “Made in Africa” services and products.

In 2020 he was nominated as the “World CEO of the Year” by the World CEO Rankings Board.

The Brandhill Africa group (on https://www.brandhillafrica.com) is is constituted by five subsidiary companies – namely, Brandhill Africa (Pty) Ltd (CIPC registration number: 2016/200012/07); Brandhill Africa Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd (2021/322005/07); Brandhill Africa Media Holdings (2021/378133/07); Brandhill Africa Institute (2021/373865/07); and, the Brandhill Africa Foundation NPC (2018/278829/08). The last is a not-for-profit company that manages corporate social investment programmes of the group.

Saul, a DBA candidate at the University of Northampton, holds an MSc in Global Marketing (University of Liverpool); MA in Dramatic Art and BA Hons (Witwatersrand); a Post-Graduate Diploma (IMM Graduate School of Marketing); and a BA (Limpopo).

He received vocational training in public diplomacy and international relations at the University of Southern California and Netherlands’ Clingendal Institute of International Relations.

This former Consul-General to Milan, Italy (March 2012 to June 2016) has experience from diverse fields: private sector (having worked as Publishing Director at Heinemann Publishers); state-owned companies (Senior Manager: Corporate Communication at Telkom; General Manager: Marketing & Communications, Trade and Investment Limpopo; most recently as Group Executive: Trade, Investment and Regulatory Enablement, Gauteng Growth and Development Agency); public service (Chief Director: Marketing Communications, Department of Trade and Industry; General Manager: Provincial Communication Services, Limpopo’s Office of the Premier; and Chief Director: Public Diplomacy, Department of International Relations and Cooperation); and the anti-apartheid NGO sector (Editor-in-Chief, Learn & Teach Publications; and Director, Independent Magazine Group).

He’s a member of the Black Management Forum (BMF) and an ex-EXCO member of the Polokwane Chamber of Business. He serves in the NEC of the National Writers Association of South Africa (NWASA) as a national spokesperson and head of the Cultural Diplomacy portfolio.

He co-hosted a slot on the Johannesburg-based Power FM mainstreaming issues affecting people with disabilities from January 2019 to end 2020.

He promotes “Made in Africa” service and product brands through Jambo Africa Online (news portal plus digital/PDF format) and the Biashara Services & Products Africa (BiSPA) Conference and Exhibition.

Brandhill Africa is an Associate Member of the World Free Zones Organisation (World FZO); a Supporting Partner to the African Agri Council; and a Strategic Partner to Proudly SA.

As an ANC underground operative and student leader at the then University of the North in the late-1980s, he spent thirteen months in detention under the draconian State of Emergency that empowered the apartheid security forces to detain without trial activists for an indefinite period.

This is what the former President Motlanthe has written in his “Foreword” to the book: “A work of a genuine wordsmith, the book is very eloquently written. Effortlessly, it blends moments of deep sadness, despair and hopelessness with moments of great inspiration, hope, jubilation and even humour. It is a work of literary genius by a great storyteller… The book is a reminder that our liberation struggle drew overwhelming support from ordinary men and women whose stories are yet to be told… Comrade Saul has told his story. May his work inspire others to also chronicle their life stories in the fight against apartheid and in serving our country.”

Another riveting review from from Len Kalane, former Editor-in-Chief of City Press and author of the newly published book, “The Chapter we Wrote: The City Press Story”, when he wrote: “The book, how shall I put it (?), is a complete epitome of applied oxymoron – in presentation, experience and expression and above all, its unalloyed honesty and sincerity; low on ego and high on substance. It is the little book big on matter, a simple and humbled narrative without being simplistic. Except that it is all so real, painful and sometimes delightful in execution reminding us we are all so vulnerable, owing our being, welfare and existence to very powerful forces and energies that are frighteningly so invincible and untouchable, yet so powerful, unleashing and delivering their message, power and strength in a merciless and often grotesque display and show of love. Thats the paradox. God takes us through pain and misery to demonstrate love.

“Its narrative is drawn from an interesting triangle: You, family and the hospital, and by extension humanity – all so well woven to tell a tale of the little things we so often take for granted. You are a master story teller. I now have more respect, more than ever, for your wife Tshepo. May God bless you two even in more ways – your letter to God will soon be answered. Watch the postman! You have met your Damascus, a modern day Saul to Paul situation. Indeed meet this new soul (this new Saul)!.. God Bless, a gallant victory my man.”

Furthermore, the book was reviewed positively on social and mainstream media – including print, radio and one of the national satellite television channels, SABC on DSTV Channel 404. One of the most touching feedback from one of the readers came from Felicity Radebe, who wrote in her Facebook post: “In June of 2020, I bought the book. It took me time before reading it. So, I started reading it on Friday, 29 January 2021. Page after page urges you, ‘read on, girl!’ I kept on going until I came to Chapter 5, which touched my chore!… I cried like I do when watching a sad movie! Hayi, Saul, you brought back memories of all the tribulations I went through while I was recovering from my orthopedic surgeries. Even though my plight was less than yours, I felt you, my brother… What a way of putting words into a book! I’m loving every moment of bonding with your work. I’m glad I bought myself a copy…”

Click on the links below for some of the media reviews: