Brand-South Africa - Annual report 2015 - 2016

and south africa Annual Report 2015/2016
The team hosted a media event to encourage investment in
South Africa’s wine industry, which was widely attended by
journalists. A video was produced to showcase South Africa
and some key facts about the country.
Media activity
Brand South Africa distributed a piece of content in which it’s
Chairperson, Ms Chichi Maponya, spoke on Freedom Month
in South Africa. A number of press releases were sent to
coincide with days of national significance, such as Nelson
Mandela Day and Africa Day. Others covered news events
and opportunities, such as the opening of the first regional
centre of the BRICS Bank tourism, as well as business and
investment opportunities, to coincide with South Africa Week.
The media also covered local and international meetings,
such as the meeting between South African companies
and Brazilian businessmen in Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre,
preparations for the African Union Summit, and President
Zuma’s signing of the Treaty on the 21 st Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change in Paris.
Articles on the rollout of Wi-Fi connectivity to South Africa’s
rural areas and on progress by South Africa and other African
countries on Continental Free Trade Zone negotiations
were distributed.
India
Brand South Africa leveraged various events and stakeholder
relationships to achieve positive and widespread media
coverage in India.
Stakeholder management and media
engagement
• Brand South Africa counselled the High Commission
regarding a media statement in response to the
defacement of Gandhi’s statue in South Africa. The
team arranged an interview with the granddaughter
of Mahatma Gandhi, Ela Gandhi, who shared her
experiences of time spent with Nelson Mandela.
• An interview was arranged between the Minister of
Economic Development and The Telegraph to discuss
bilateral trade between South Africa and India, followed
by an editorial on the strengthening of ties between
India and South Africa, specifically in the light of the
changes to visa regulations.
• The team assisted in arranging media activities for the
India-Africa Summit 2015, which took place in October.
One interview took place between the South African
High Commissioner to India, Mr France K Morule, and
a journalist at The Economic Times.
• The team arranged a photo opportunity during a press
conference at the India-Africa Summit for South Africa’s
Minister of International Relations and Co-operation,
Ms Emily Nkoana-Mashabane.
• The team arranged media interactions for Mr Phillip
Mtsweni, the Economic Consul of the SA mission in
Mumbai, to discuss India-Africa bilateral trade and
socio-economic relations between the two nations.
• The team supported the 7 th Annual International
Trade Initiative (ITI) in Hyderabad and Delhi through
prearranged interviews between selected media and
the High Commissioner and Director: Export Promotion
Asia, the dti and other South African government
officials and delegates.
• A speaker slot for Ms Lerato Mashile, Consul Political,
DIRCO, as the chief guest on 19 th March at Lala Lajpat
Rai Institute of Management was arranged.
• The team organised an email interaction with a journalist
from Dainik Navjyoti on the South African economy and
the India-South Africa trade partnership.
Celebrations of days of significance
The team focused on leveraging and promoting the 21 st
Freedom Day celebrations, and assisted in arranging and
hosting a soccer tournament, ‘The Nelson Mandela Cup’, as
part of the Mandela Day celebrations.
Russia
Brand South Africa successfully leverages events and used
a mix of stakeholder engagements and proactive media to
promote South Africa in this market while addressing topical
issues. The outcome was sustained, positive publicity for
South Africa.
Stakeholder engagements
• The team leveraged President Zuma’s visit to Moscow
at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to attend
the commemoration of the 70 th Anniversary of Victory
in the Great Patriotic War.
• South Africa’s participation in the BRICS Summit,
hosted by the Russian Federation, was an important
national milestone as part of this growing international
organisation. The Ufa Declaration dealt with the largest
range of issues ever covered by the BRICS. Most
importantly, the African issues included in the summit
clearly show South Africa’s role and influence in the
association.
• The team arranged and facilitated a business roundtable
with key media in Moscow. The focus of the roundtable
was business relations between Russia and South Africa.
Media activities
• The team leveraged the IV Festival of South African
Wines in Moscow to secure media coverage.
• The team actively managed and distributed content
regarding the Russian Ministry of Education which
developed a project for the BRICS Network University.
• The team distributed a press release regarding the BRICS
Youth Summit held in Kazan. The summit discussed,
among other things, youth employment, innovative
ideas, entrepreneurship, co-operation and consolidation
among the youth of member states.
• The team distributed a press release regarding Mandela
Day.
• A second press release on the Youth Summit of the BRICS
group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was
sent out. The focus was the aspirations of young people
to gain experience and knowledge from other member
states through internships and student exchanges.
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