Speakers Inc Magazine, Volume 2

SPEAKERS
V O L U M E 2
INC.
MEET THE SPEAKER
- L U M K A M S I B I -
FROM
PARA TO
DAKAR
J O E Y E V A N S
START
YOUR
YEAR
RIGHT
W I T H
K E V I N
G A S K E L L

Joey
Evans
Lumka
Msibi
Femi
Adebanji
Why
Customer
Service is
Key
Stef du
Plessis
Customer
service on
the Inside
4
Who is
Speakers
Inc?
The
incredible
story of
how Joey
overcame
being
paralysed
and went
on to
complete
the Darkar
Rally in
2017
Raymond
de Villiers
The World
of Work in
2019
13,14
Meet
Speakers
Inc's most
booked
speaker of
2018!
1,2
Meet the
team and
understand
the
importance
of using a
speakers
bureau
7,8
Mbali
Nwoko
Tenacity
wins the
day for upand-coming
veggie
farmer
3
5,6
9,10,
11,12

Kevin
Gaskell
How to
start your
year right
with some
tips and
ticks on
leadership
in the
workplace
15,16,
Liezel van
der
Westhuizen
shares her
experiences
after she
cycled
through
the Himalay
as
19,20
Peter van
Kets
Divide and
Conquer
21,22,
23,24
Jacques de
Villiers
Goal setting
and
achieving
greatness
Shelley
Walters
The state of
the South
African
economy
Stephen
Grootes
State of the
Land Reform
29,30
27,28
17,18
SPEAKERS
INC.
25,26
Contact us!
Website: www.speakersinc.co.za
Email: info@speakersinc.co.za
Tel: 021 789 0067

"MEET THE SPEAKER"
Lumka Msibi
Q. Who inspired you to pursue
your dream of speaking?
A. I was inspired by my mother,
she helped me to realize that
I could use my strong
communication and listening
skills to build relationships and
inspire people to achieve their
dreams and reach for the stars.
Q.Your quote used most often?
A. Don't tell me the sky is the limit
because there are footprints on the
moon. Fall down seven times stand up
eight.
Q. What kind of kid were you?
A. When I was a kid, I tended to see things from a unique, inventive
perspective. I was always asking lots of question, breaking my toys only
to re-assemble them. I also excelled at school and loved reading books.
Q. How did you get started?
A. I started speaking at school. I was elected into various leadership
positons and I would deliver talks in assembly as a prefect, house
captain and student representative. I continued to speak throughout my
university degree and at work in the various leadership
positions I was elected in.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. I was born and raised in Soweto

Q. What would you be if you were not a professional speaker?
A. I’m an Aerospace Engineer (qualified rocket scientist), a professional
speaker and tech entrepreneur. I enjoy the balance between my various
roles.
Q. Do you have any hobbies?
A. I love travelling – ukuhamba ukubona – travelling opens the window to
the world. I draw and paint (I was awarded top art student in high school).
I love reading, spending time with my family and the outdoors (riding my
motorcycle to the beach and surfing).
Q. What do you like most about professional speaking?
A. The ability to empower and inspire others to achieve the
impossible.
Q. How was your childhood?
A. My childhood was filled with laughter and love I enjoyed climbing
trees, building kites and wire cars with my brothers and playing
hopscotch with my twin sister. I loved reading. My mom encouraged my
reading curiosity by buying me books.
2

Research reveals that intentionally building a culture of service excellence
that aims to exceed customer expectations is not only a strong competitive
differentiator for businesses but also a powerful catalyst for business
FEMI ADEBANJI
growth. Studies have shown that by being more service driven, companies
can gain up to 6% more in market share and according to a study be
American Express, 58% of customers are willing to spend more on
companies that provide excellent customer service.
The bottom-line is that people don’t buy products, they buy expectations
and because customers are buying “expectations”, businesses have to go
beyond “satisfying” customers and start looking for innovative ways to
“wow: their customers.
Meeting customer expectations or merely satisfying customers will not
drive customer loyalty, improve customer retention or make your brand
stand out from the competition. “Wowing” your customers and exceeding
their expectation will. Consequently, it is imperative that businesses don’t
merely meet client expectations but exceed expectations – if they are to
survive and thrive. However, to exceed expectations, businesses must be
aware of what customers’ minimum expectations are.
One expectation that clients have is that the product or service they
purchase will deliver as promised; the next expectation is that if the product
or service does not deliver as promised, the business will take
accountability, make good on that promise to ensure that the customer’s
expectations are met; and finally customer’s expect the experience of
doing business to be easy, pleasant and seamless. If you’re not easy to
do business with, clients will quickly find someone else who is.
So at the risk of belabouring the point, businesses
need to at the very least understand the minimum
expectations of customers and seek to exceed
those expectations and ensure a smooth, seamless
and hassle free customer experience.
Now more than ever, customers are looking to
have their expectations exceeded and looking
to be wowed at every level and every touch
point with the organisation. This is what drives
brand loyalty. This is what drives customer
loyalty. Ultimately this is what makes a brand
stand out from its competitors and is a powerful
predictor of whether or not a brand will be
distinct or become extinct.
Author - Femi Adebanji
3

A number of years ago, we were drawn to an article in a business journal
from its title, which was ‘How do you create a culture of customer
service’. Because these are the two areas in which we focus (culture and
service), we enthusiastically began to read the article, which was a
collation of interviews with senior Australian business leaders. The more
we read, the more disappointed we became. One leader referenced their
customer feedback strategies – mystery shopping, customer surveys
and the like. Another leader referenced the customer service training
they provided to their staff. And another leader talked about the fact that
customer service was one of their top five corporate priorities. Each of
the leaders interviewed for this article missed the point. What they
outlined was the mix of customer service-related tactics and strategies
they deployed and that they hoped by osmosis would filter through to the
culture. None of these leaders talked about culture directly. And this is a
huge oversight. All of us know that customer service training can be
diminished or made completely obsolete by a culture that doesn’t
support training or customer service. All of us have encountered
companies that go through the process of measuring customer
satisfaction that becomes an end in itself and fails to impact on staff. .
All of us have experienced situations where a company has so called
‘priorities’ which are merely tick-box exercises to placate boards or other
stakeholders. Our point is this: If the culture isn’t ‘right’, then customerrelated
tactics and strategies can count for very little! If you want to
change the way that your people treat your customers,
you first have to create a culture that compels them
to do so.
STEF DU PLESSIS
About the authors
Stef du Plessis and Steve Simpson help
organisations to get their people fully on board
and to ramp up the way they do things.
Organisations in more than 50 countries have
used their one of a kind culture-by-design
Unwritten Ground Rules or UGRs concept to
drive performance, improve safety and to
make theirs a better place to work. Their
clients include organisations like McLaren,
Barclays, and Kmart. They also work with
small and medium organisations.
4

Hesketh started Speakers Inc. in January of 1999.
Bronwyn
describes her life’s work as putting her “messengers” in
She
with those who need to hear their messages.
touch
was honoured to be recognised as one of the Top 40
Bronwyn
in Mice for 2017, and she has just finished her year as
Women
of the Cape Chapter of the Professional Speakers
President
of Southern Africa. Bronwyn is a speaker mentor as
Association
as the author of “SpeakerSavvy”, written to assist all
well
speakers with taking their speaking businesses to
professional
next level, based on her two decades of working closely
the
many South African speakers, helping them achieve
with
success on the professional speaking circuit.
sustainable
Hesketh comes from an international sales
Duncan
(as Marketing Director for a major
background
company in the UK for 10 years) and, as
pharmaceutical
husband, he has been in and around the industry
Bronwyn’s
many years.
for
a former Policeman, provincial rugby and cricket player,
As
kids' rugby coach - as well as being a father of 3 children,
and
dogs and 2 cats - Duncan has had more experience in the
5
sector than you’d think, and is VERY capable
organisational
using that talent in the business world.
of
youngest member of our team is also the most tech-savvy.
The
Bacon is P.A. to our premium partners and does an
Christina
job of keeping them, and our office, organised and
incredible
track. In her typically responsible fashion, she has taken
on
of our social media platforms and ensures that our
ownership
are regular and relevant. She has a solid knowledge of
posts
business and multi-tasks between speakers and clients like
the
a true millennial can.
only
W h o I s S p e a k e r s I n c ?
5

Perrins is affectionately known in the office - and
Gemma
our speakers - as ‘The Machine’, because of her
amongst
efficiency and work-rate.
incomparable
a new mommy with a baby boy, Gemma is learning
As
new everyday outside AND inside the office,
something
is difficult to believe, since Gemma is our
which
longestsurviving
racking up 5 years on the clock, and still
agent,
strong. With her fresh, out-of-the box thinking and
going
plus her extensive knowledge of over 500 of our
initiative
Gemma will definitely help you to decide on the
speakers,
speaker for your event ... that we can guarantee.
best
Poole is a mother of three and a former teacher who is
Sue
newest addition to the Speakers Inc Team.
our
brings a wealth of knowledge and true understanding
She
how this industry works in relation to its clients and their
of
- working hard to make sure each experience with
needs
Inc is better than the last.
Speakers
is keen to help each, and every client find the best
Sue
speaker for their specific event and have fun doing
possible
With a contagious laugh and a work ethic thought only
so!
be a myth, Sue Poole is the agent for you.
to
would say that a good agent is someone you can rely on to provide you with unbiased,
I
feedback on the speakers who are available on the corporate circuit;
honest
advice on which speaker will be best suited to speak to your delegates; and
sound
is happy to work on a basis of transparency about the speakers’ rates – after all,
who
the agent doesn’t recognise their own value enough not to hide it, why on earth
if
you?
should
A n d w h y d o y o u n e e d u s ?
S o w h a t e x a c t l y i s t h e v a l u e o f a
g o o d a g e n t ?
6

Joey Evans
Sportsman, Adventurer & Inspirational Speaker
Joey had a dream to race his motorbike in the Dakar Rally. A race
considered to be the toughest off-road race in the world. But his dream was
shattered, when in 2007 during a local race, he sustained serious injuries,
crushing his spinal cord and leaving him paralyzed from just below his
chest. Doctors said he had a 10% chance to walk again...but then on the
2nd of January 2017, after 10 years
of tough challenges, successes and
lessons learnt, he lined up as a
competitor at the start of the Dakar
Rally in Asuncion, Paraguay. 13
days and a gruelling 9000km later,
he achieved his dream and became
the only South African biker to finish
the 2017 Dakar Rally.
Joey Evans has also completed several marathons and ultra-marathons,
hiked the fish river canyon, finished the Roof of Africa enduro and raced in
the Botswana desert 1000. He has been fortunate to have raced and
ridden his dirt bike throughout South Africa and throughout 15 countries!
"You didn't come this far to only come this far"

R275,00!
contact us
to Buy Joey's
book for only
8

asked what she puts her success down to, Mbali
When
who launched her Green Terrace crop farming
Nwoko,
in 2016, says her curiosity and determination
business
farm enabled her to create partnerships in the
to
These have ensured a bright future for her
sector.
business.
young
pursuing a career in agriculture, Nwoko was the
Before
and managing director of a recruitment
co-founder
In 2016, just three years after starting the
agency.
she made a drastic career change after being
business,
to farming by a friend who had also
introduced
started his own farming business.
recently
addition to learning about his operation, she
In
that there were opportunities for new
discovered
in agriculture, and so began carrying out her
entrants
research. She then registered her own farming
own
and her search for land started.
business,
on the research I’d done, I decided to start by
“Based
spinach, for which there seemed to be a ready
growing
I had to provide the start-up capital myself
market.
I had no luck accessing a loan from financial
because
she recalls.
institutions,”
May 2016, Nwoko managed to find a 100ha plot in
In
that she could lease for her business.
Heidelberg
I found the land, I was ready to start ploughing
“Once
learn other things on the job,” she says.
and
was soon taught the first of many hard lessons:
She
only one month of leasing, relations between
after
and her landlord’s relatives soured, forcing her to look for an alternative. “I’d already ordered 40
herself
cabbage seedlings, 20 000 spinach seedlings and 16 000 mixed pepper (green, red and yellow)
000
which had to be planted in July and September, so I couldn’t waste any time,” she says.
seedlings,
only a one-month window in which to locate a new site, Nwoko started searching in the Boksburg
With
near Spruitview, east of Johannesburg, where she had grown up. This time, luck was on her side: she
area
her current landlord, Beauty Aphane, whom she refers to as Mam’ Beauty, who farmed on a 14ha
met
near Vosloorus. According to Nwoko, Mam’ Beauty started farming in 2013, and required a tenant for
plot
portion of the land she was not using.
a
Beauty has been such a supportive landlord; I don’t think I’d be where I am today without her
“Mam’
and patience. She understands farming and the challenges that come with it,” says
understanding
T E N A C I T Y W I N S T H E D A Y
F O R U P - A N D - C O M I N G
V E G G I E F A R M E R
E n e r g e t i c n e w f a r m e r M b a l i N w o k o s t a r t e d h e r v e g e t a b l e
f a r m i n g o p e r a t i o n o n l y t w o y e a r s a g o , b u t h e r
d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o s u c c e e d h a s b e e n r e w a r d e d a n d
r e c o g n i s e d . L a s t y e a r s h e w a s n a m e d o n e o f 2 0 f i n a l i s t s i n
t h e p r e s t i g i o u s 7 0 2 S a g e S m a l l B u s i n e s s A w a r d s .
THE ROAD TO FARMING
Nwoko.
‘WITH THE HELP OF MENTORS, I’VE ESTABLISHED
MY OWN WAY OF FARMING’
9

to the lease agreement, Nwoko is entitled to use the equipment and some of the existing
According
on the farm; this includes a tractor, plough, tunnels and irrigation equipment. These had all
infrastructure
purchased previously with assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
been
Mam’ Beauty had also invested some of her own money in the business.
although
Nwoko first started cultivating the land, she took soil samples to the Agriculture Research Council,
When
supplied her with a list of suitable crops. Fortunately, the seedlings she had ordered were all
who
on the list. She then approached a fertiliser company based in Bryanston, Sandton, which put
included
in contact with an agronomist, who in turn advised her on a fertiliser and planting programme.
her
her first planting cycle, she planted spinach in July, cabbages in August and peppers in September
For
the help of Mam’ Beauty, who allowed her to use her labourers and even assisted with the planting.
with
also made friends with experienced neighbouring farmers, who helped and advised her.
She
you’re a female farmer, it’s difficult for male farmers to open up to you, but I kept asking for help
“When
they offered me assistance,” she says. This included information on farm management, farmworker
until
and weather patterns.
wages,
says that by mid-August her landlord had seen her
Nwoko
and, wishing to retire, offered her a 10-year
determination
on the entire farm.
lease
more land at her disposal, she planted pepper
With
in one of the tunnels, and soon expanded to six of
seedlings
10 tunnels.
the
Green Terrace grows a variety of crops such as
Today,
green peppers, baby marrow and green beans,
spinach,
are supplied to leading retailers such as Food Lover’s
which
as well as the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market.
Market,
says that she has reinvested most of her profit in the
Nwoko
where it has been used to construct a packhouse, as
farm,
September 2016, when her first round of crops was almost
In
for harvest, Nwoko attended a farmer’s day at the
ready
Fresh Produce Market.
Johannesburg
she met a senior representative from Food Lover’s
Here
and told him about her business. She followed up
Market
an email, providing details of her crops and how much
with
each she was producing.
of
Lover’s Market responded by arranging a farm visit by a
Food
buyer and their group head of sustainability, Andrew
senior
Millson.
they visited the farm, they asked about supplier
“When
such as a refrigerated truck, a packing house
requirements
whether I had any certification standards in place, which
and
didn’t,” Nwoko recalls. “My only vehicle for delivery was my
I
friend’s van. Despite these challenges, I was able to
father’s
an agreement whereby I would supply Food Lover’s
reach
with 300 bunches of spinach a day. I could supply 3
Market
bunches a week, so I also started supplying the hawkers’
500
also put her in touch with Solidaridad, an
Millson
organisation committed to the development of
international
and ecologically responsible supply chains. This in
socially
connected her with the LIMA Rural Development
turn
which sent an agronomist twice a week to
Foundation,
free technical assistance.
provide
late October 2016, Nwoko started supplying other retail
In
with spinach and peppers.
outlets
this time she was supplying 2 000 bunches of spinach a
By
week.
ESTABLISHING THE BUSINESS
FOOD LOVER’S MARKET
well as to repair the tunnels.
market in Katlehong with spinach at R10 a bunch.”
10

peppers were the most difficult to farm, as they’re so sensitive. We also had whiteflies. But I
“The
asking advice from the agronomist,” she says.
continued
the 40 000 cabbages planted during that first year, I was unable to harvest anything due to excessive
“Of
and poor employee management in August,” Nwoko recalls. “I also had challenges with bollworm,
rains
even though we applied insecticide, due to the rain it didn’t work.”
and
learnt several lessons after I’d finished my first year and started preparing for my second rotation. These
“I
always plan ahead; have a five-year crop rotation plan so that you plant on time; and order seeds in
were:
to meet supplier demand.”
advance
says that government and the commercial sector need to establish better, more accessible
Nwoko
and funding models for new farmers.
financing
doing everything I could to supply only the best produce, find markets and establish cash flow,
“Despite
was still difficult to acquire funding for working capital to grow my business.
it
the support of a few mentors, I’ve now established my own way of farming. I’d like to be a modern
“With
and use more technology to improve my yields, which requires me to train and empower my
farmer
in the use of such technology.
workers
also intend to create a household brand for my business with the help of digital marketing platforms
“I
first supplier agreement
Nwoko’s
a retailer was to supply Food
with
Market with 300 bunches of
Lover’s
a day.
spinach
having secure access to
Despite
and even after proving her
land
as a new farmer, Nwoko still
ability
to obtain financing.
struggled
intends making better use of
She
to increase yields and
technology
CHALLENGES AND LESSONS
To irrigate her crops, Nwoko uses drip irrigation on 7ha of land.
FINANCING DIFFICULTIES FACED BY NEW FARMERS
and social media, and I want to serve as an example to other upcoming farmers.”
FAST FACTS
improve overall efficiency.
11

MEET THE SPEAKER Q&A
Q.
A.
Who inspired you to pursue professional
speaking?
Enkromelle Andrew
How did you get
started?
I was constantly being approached by organisations
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
What songs best describes
your work ethic?
Respect by Aretha Franklin
to share my story or provide my input on a specific
topic/theme/discussion and everything just progressed from
there on.
What kind of kid
were you?
I was a shy and introverted kid,
very aspirational and curious about the future. I was very
involved in sports, especially swimming. I was also extremely
which I still am
Who is your
competitive,
crush?
celebrity
have plenty, however the person that
A. Do you have
I
comes top of mind is Patrice Evra
any hobbies?
Yes, reading business books/magazines
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
/reports (print and online). Watching my favorite TV series such as Suits,
Empire, Carte Blanche, How to Get Away with Murder, Game of Thrones
How have you changed since you
first started speaking?
and The Fixer to name a few.
I've become more confident and less critical of myself. Being offered the
opportunity to speak to an audience, learn and share things, reminds me that
there is a place for me on this earth.
How hard do you
push yourself?
Extremely hard. I'm so tough on myself that I sometimes don’t find it easy to
Q.
A.
Q.
A.
forgive myself when I make mistakes. Its a bad habit, I aware of that, however
its the only way I know how to succeed.
if
somebody to give you would advice What
they were interested in pursuing professional speaking?
Go get yourself a copy of Bronwyn Hesketh's, Speaker Savvy book. It’s an investment.

The World of Work:
South Africa 2019 - Change Trends, Farmers,
and 21st Century Skills
B Y R A Y M O N D D E V I L L I E R S
South Africa in 2019 and beyond…..what awaits us as
Accepting that our world won’t be turned upside
local citizens, Africans, and members of the global
down where should we be looking to see the threads
community?
of change, and the currents of transformation that will
In short, more of the same…. just a little different.
make 2028 look as different in our future as 2008
looks in our past? As you enter the new year listen for
The nature of change is that it is incremental and not
words and phrases in conversation and the media like
often something that society experiences as violent
artificial intelligence, automation, bots, robotics,
upheaval. Some individuals impacted by change may
mixed reality, mobile-first, blockchain, and smart
experience it violently and strongly (job loss, death
contracts. At the same time there will be continuing
and illness, etc), but on the whole society shifts slowly.
use of cloud computing, big data, and data analytics.
These are concepts that have been moving through
Bill Gates says that we often overestimate what we will
the word of work for the past 18 months and they get
achieve in 2 years, but we underestimate what will
bundled under the collective label of Digital
happen in 10 years. This statement resonates with
Disruption…. It is fun to chat about these disruptors
most of us because when we think about last year it
and the associated trends, but they are also red
feels very similar to this year, but when we think about
herrings.
2008 it seems like an existence on a whole other
planet.
If EVERYONE is talking about these things why are
they red herrings? Surely they are at the heart of the
As a futurist focusing on the future world of work I
conversations we need to have about our evolving
believe that 2019 will not be a year of major upheaval.
society?
As South Africans we have the national elections
We need to beware of the temptation of allowing the
which everyone hopes will finally shake off the Zuma
technology / disruptive trends tail to wag the social
years, but if we are honest regardless of how the
and business dog. If we focus too much on the
balance of political power shifts things will be largely
technology, digital, and other disruptions we miss the
the same for the man in the street…. and the world of
real focus of change…. namely, people - how they are
work will shift marginally in response to these political
impacted, how they need to respond, and what the
changes. Brexit, Trump - China trade wars…. all pretty
fundamental human value proposition is in a time of
much the same limited impact for us.
technological disruption.
13

The conversation that will closely follow the list of
To help us understand 2019 and the years beyond it is
helpful to pull our gaze back a few hundred years.
words above will be peppered with words like
redundancy, job losses, head count reduction,
Why look back to look forward? Because the type of
disruption and (r)evolution we are experiencing now is
resource efficiency, and other similarly terrifying
thoughts. I’d love to say that this is just sabre rattling
not new…. it is similar to dynamics humanity has had
to navigate several times before.
and fear mongering, but the unfortunate reality is that
it isn’t. Certain job functions will no longer need
human beings to execute them. Certain skills sets will
In the agricultural age the value proposition of
humanity lay in our ability to work the land with the
no longer be worthwhile for a corporate to pay for. Life
aid of beasts of burden and community effort. In this
will change forever. In the rise of the steam engines
smart farmers didn’t scream about the injustice of the
age the person who led was likely physically the
strongest and able to work a plot of land longer and
tractor. Smart farmers didn’t organise farmers unions
and agitate for the banning of the steam engine.
drive a more powerful team of harnessed animals.
Then along came the steam engine, and with it the
Smart farmers didn’t look to government to create
legislative hurdles to the introduction of
dawn of the Industrial Age….. suddenly being the
strongest, biggest, fittest, human specimen no longer
mechanisation….. Smart farmers reskilled themselves.
2019 needs to be a year where each of us looks at our
held the mantle of honour and respect it used to.
world of work, our career, and the skills for which we
ANYONE who could stoke a fire and sit behind tractor
or steam engine could do MORE in one day than the
expect to be paid and we evaluate our future
relevance. Every individual needs to take personal
fittest strongest biggest person could achieve in a
week.
responsibility for their future and grow themselves.
This is not the responsibility of HR, or the company
Learning & Development department - it is the
As we move into 2019 we are in the midst of the same
type of transition. Brain power and the ability to
responsibility of each person.
remember and apply “regurgitated” information,
which was the heart of the value of the professions we
How should we be evaluating ourselves and our world
of work?
all aspired to (doctors, lawyers, engineers,
accountants… etc) is rapidly being superseded by the
The World Economic Forum has a model for the
ability of even the most basic computers. Cast your
eye back up a few paragraphs to the list of phrases
development of 21st Century Skills. The key parts of
the model are the columns in orange and blue. In
and words to listen out for - these are the harbingers
of redundancy for traditional careers and jobs. The
order to thrive and succeed in a time of transition and
be successful, you need to be a person who; exercises
workplace in 2019 is going to be experiencing a
“farmer moment”.
curiosity, takes initiative, is resilient in difficulty, is
flexible and adaptable when things don’t go to plan,
leads themselves (and only then leads others), and is
able to seamlessly work across multiple cultures in a
global economy. In the workplace these character
qualities will be expressed and seen in your ability to
solve problems with a fresh perspective generated by
rigorous critical thinking, creatively approach things in
a new way, communicate in a manner that draws
others along with you, and build an effective and high
functioning collaborative environment.
However these character qualities and competencies
may play out or apply in your world you must have the
courage to engage them. This will keep you relevant
and useful in a world that feels like it is changing
slowly, until you look around and realise that it has left
you behind.
In 2019, we must not be farmers….. we must be the
SMART farmers.
14

view is that people are incredible. Ordinary people, led well, can achieve
My
results. I believe that people can be inspired to stop chasing
extraordinary
rewards but rather think about building something that lasts,
immediate
something of which they are proud.
creating
everyone is 5% genius. A leader’s role is to combine the team’s
Apparently
and thereby create a complete genius. My job as a leader is not to be
5%’s
genius, but to be a genius creator. Short term incentivisation is replaced
a
long term inspiration, creativity and pride. Under achieving teams are
by
We create a culture of continuous change and innovation. We
transformed.
a fun environment that is fair and achievement oriented. We praise
build
rather than scold failure – we catch people in, not catch people
progress
I now focus on transferring the skills and techniques of inspirational
out!
15
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A
GENIUS TO BE A GENIUS
Kevin Gaskell
LEADER!
I have been leading companies for 25 years
– my earliest challenges were to rebuild a
broken Porsche brand and then to inspire
the team at BMW GB to achieve a 500%
improvement in profit while transforming
the service levels of an industry. I have
founded start-ups, driven turnarounds and
built companies in numerous sectors. Our
teams have won awards and been
recognised as some of the best in the world.
They have also created over R60 billion in
shareholder value.
leadership to others.

are a number of core
There
principles:
performance begins and ends with engagement. The leader’s role
High
to establish a clear vision of success. Everyone needs to understand
is
success will look like, what it will sound like and what it will feel like.
what
will it mean for the customer when we get there? Our teams discuss
What
1
vision and make it tangible. Everyone in the team has a role to play so
that
give them the opportunity to get excited and engaged.
we
it easy for the team to contribute. Build a clear, but simple, plan.
Make
it. Invite comments and ideas. Excite the high performers to
Share
leaders at every level in the organisation. Be totally inclusive of
become
and ideas – let people dream! Communicate the successes of
talent
3
opportunities for growth. Address the fear of change
are
discussing the new status we are striving for. Evaluate carefully the
by
and the marketplace and deal only in facts. Get excited
opportunities
by being enthusiastic about the freedom to make real and
together
ideas and improvements. Quietly identify low performers and
individual’s
the issues: Motivation, skills, other? Provide support once, then
address
first, challenge later. Provide regular feedback. Make heroes of
Praise
high performing teams by praising their approach to a challenge.
the
positive approach can be transferable to other areas. High performers will
A
with the opportunity. Leadership is about creating a positive culture and
run
4
that people are amazing. Leading teams to high
Recognise
is about creating the belief that ideas and challenge are
performance
Set a positive example, be approachable, consistent, and make
progress.
visible. Positive belief is an energy which transfers to others.
champions
5
2
Challenges
substantial change. Invite team members to move quickly.
twice. Don’t carry passengers.
letting the team run. It is not the end of the world if it goes wrong.
16

ABOUT KEVIN'S BOOK
Leadership is the essential guide to helping leaders
Inspired
teams perform at the highest level every day. As CEO of
and
author Kevin Gaskell led the company from near
Porsche,
to the market’s most profitable car company.
bankruptcy
his four years at BMW, the company saw 80% growth
During
sales and 500% increase in profitability. Good leaders get
in
great leaders get great results but Inspired Leaders
results,
extraordinary results, revitalise companies, inspire teams
get
turn brands into household names.
and
book shows you how to become an Inspired Leader.
This
such leaders engage and inspire their teams.
How
recognition and creating the culture which
Demonstrating
every team member to achieve extraordinary
encourages
Workable strategies, practical frameworks, and real
success.
essential skills give the reader a concrete curriculum
world
success, while anecdotes and examples drawn from the
for
author′s experiences illustrate important concepts in action.
aspirational, and deeply instructional, this guide
Inspirational,
become your go to resource for navigating the inspiring
will
role. From tricky situations to everyday interactions,
leader′s
learn the skills and outlook you need to take your team
you′ll
to the next level.
17

contact us
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18

LIEZEL VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Liezel van der Westhuizen and Cindy Jacobsz are the first
African, South African all female blind and sighted pair to
tandem cycle from Manali to Khardung La India, 18 330
feet covering 550km.
Not only was it a triumphant African first
when media personality Liezel van der
Westhuizen successfully piloted blind
fellow cyclist Cindy Jacobs on a tandem
bicycle over the famous Himalayas from
Mandali to Khardung La in India last
month, but the pair also had to battle the
elements of wind, rain, sleet and sub-zero
temperatures whilst being severely
challenged by every imaginable technical
problem.
They covered the mean distance of
550km in 10 days at altitudes of up to 18
330 feet.
Liezel describes it as that ‘once-in-alifetime’
event that cyclists around the
world dream of. The expedition starts at
Manali, which is known as the door to the
heaven of the Himalayas, the route takes
you cross five passes with a maximum
altitude of 5602 meters reached at
Khardung La (It’s one of the world's
highest roads in the world.)
Both being extremely passionate about
philanthropy, the two had decided to use
the event to raise funds for two medical
charities namely Operation Smile South
Africa and OneSight. The former is
dedicated to providing free surgery to
children and adults born with cleft lip
and/or cleft palate, while the latter
provides refractive error services and
prescription spectacles to people
without access to affordable vision care.
“Cycling this distance on some of the
highest roads in the world, is a daunting
challenge, especially because the roads
are non-existent at some places, and
you have to be physically and mentally
prepared to complete it,”said Van der
Westhuizen.
What further sets the event aside, is the
fact that it allows for participation of

visually impaired and other physically
challenged athletes. The event was
organized by Adventures Beyond
Barriers Foundations with the aim to
promote inclusion by enabling Persons
with Disability and able bodied people to
participate in Adventure Sports together.
They stayed in tents along the way with
limited access to water for showers and
wore a proudly South African sports wool
brand (CORE MERINO) that protected
them against all the elements.
Some of the technical problems the
women had to endure included Liezel’s
‘camelback’ (water backpack she carries
for nutrition) breaking, her left-hand
cycling glove being blown away and
everything getting wet – all on day one.
On the second day Cindy contracted a
bad eye infection, followed by the
tandem’s left crank breaking on day 3
which meant they had to walk a far
distance before they had access to
technical assistance. A crank from a
spare bicycle that was fitted to their
tandem to aid them with their finish.
On subsequent days Liezel battled a
stomach bug, their bicycle brakes
stopped working due to the altitude , and
on the final day of cycling the screw on
Liezel’s seat post that held Cindy’s
handlebar to the tandem broke off. They
had to walk the final two kilometers to the
top of Khardung La on the highest
motorable road in the world.
People can still
make donations to
their fundraising
efforts:
SMS the word
"tandem" to 42030
and donate R30
20

conduct both our professional (and personal) lives in a turbulent, dynamic,
We
competitive and often harsh world. And so, starting a business,
fiercely
an insane sales target, turning a floundering venture around, these
meeting
all challenges that are infinitely comparable to trekking to a Pole or
are
an ocean. The Business world is the new frontier, it is a place of
rowing
adventure, presenting an arena for uniquely challenging
extraordinary
every day.
expeditions
the past decade of my life I have taken part in and led many expeditions to
For
of the most remote desolate and beautiful parts of the planet, and the
some
I have learned are astonishingly transferable to the world of
lessons
etc etc
business/sales/marketing/finance
passion, grit, calculated risk taking, survival, collaboration, discipline,
Vision,
precise planning are as important in the boardroom as they are in
leadership,
wilderness…although of course an error in the boardroom may not result in
the
death.
your
all of the attributes I have mentioned, resolve/vasbyt/Nyamezela is the one
Of
most likely to guarantee success. However, resolve isn’t created in a
quality
it cannot and does not stand alone. It grows out of PASSION.
vacuum,
presentation, RESOLVE, takes a new look at how to foster passion, then
This
that passion to create discipline and to construct a process which will
harness
passion and discipline towards significant success. “If one is resolute
drive
the journey ahead and passionate about achieving one’s vision, then
about
the right processes in place we can achieve that which has been
with
to be impossible before.” But it will take RESOLVE
considered
Peter van Kets
A D V E N T U R E R A N D C O N S E R V A T I O N I S T
21

of the great perks of my life as an adventurer and as a speaker is that I
One
to meet some amazing people. Speaking at conferences all over the planet
get
gives me the opportunity to hear their stories in great detail, but by far
also
most interesting of these speakers are the futurists. Ahhh the future! What
the
it hold for us and this fragile planet of ours. Robert Frost once said ‘We
does
dance about in circles and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and
all
It seems now that we know a lot (we think) and the main point
knows.”
is that in 10 years time, especially with the influence AI
unquestionably
intelligence), the businesses that we know today and the way they
(artificial
led (including leadership styles) will, without doubt, not be the same as
are
are today. It takes constant strategic adaptation to disruptive business
they
and a heap of resilience (in a basic nutshell) in order to maintain any
trends
of sustained success. Undoubtedly, one of the big problems with
semblance
is having an adaptive approach.
this
just returned from the Dunlop Beyond the Rift Valley Expedition in
Having
and having had another encounter with the unexpected, I have once
Rwanda
learned the value of being adaptive in ones approach to strategy.
again
intention for this expedition was to be the first person to traverse the
My
Nile Congo Divide. A series of mountains, hills and volcanoes that
Great
the Nile River to the east and the Congo River to the west. The source
separate
this traverse is in the south of Rwanda in a spectacular rainforest (that gets
of
of rain a year) called Nyungwe and finishes on the border with the
1800mm
divide starts really close to the Burundi border and as we drove into the
The
we noticed hundreds (literally) of really well armed soldiers patrolling
reserve
area. At the forests headquarters we were told that we were absolutely not
the
in the area because of a major “landslide” (right!). Something
allowed
amiss and we were not going to argue with these extremely competent
was
military personnel. However, this was a big deal as it meant that the
looking
expedition was in jeopardy and that I would in fact not be able to
whole
what we came to achieve. And it’s just the start! Enter PLAN B!
achieve
DRC and Uganda in the north.
22

a brief chat with the team we decided to not waste any time, take
After
of a bad situation and climb the highest mountain in the area called
advantage
This swiftly followed by a cranking mountain bike ride along the
Bigugu.
Nile trail which runs on the
Congo
of lake Kivu then to climb the
edge
and Karisimbi volcanoes in the
Bisoke
of Rwanda and finally kayak Lake
north
from the North back down to the
kivu
Keeping it simple! This change
south.
not an easy for many reasons.
was
one for my psych, but also
Mainly
we had been granted many
because
(Rwanda is a wonderfully
permits
country) by the Rwandan
controlled
Board facilitated through
Development
Baas who heads up Wilderness
Ingrid
in the area. These permits are
Safaris
controlled and any changes
strictly
to them would take days, if not
made
to get approved. After a few
weeks
calls to Ingrid and the RDB we
phone
settled on the new plan.
eventually
are no greater breeding grounds
There
adaptive behavior than those
for
found in big expeditions. Constant changes in the environment
opportunities
adaptive behavior and if you don’t adapt the chances of survival in
forces
cases are slim. The ocean, especially the Atlantic Rowing Race has
some
me valuable lessons about planning and strategy. On my first row across
taught
Atlantic with friend Bill Godfrey we had had to deal with constant change,
the
none more exasperating than a cut off low pressure system in the middle of
but
any endurance event, the race route is a decisive factor; it’s even more
In
when you have to choose your own path from start to finish and you
important
to decipher the winds and currents of an entire ocean in the process. Our
have
was to navigate a seven-metre rowing boat 5,500 kilometres across the
task
Ocean, from the Canary Islands to Antigua, and finish on a line only
Atlantic
mile wide – all without assistance or motors to keep us on track if we were
one
off course. We had decided to take a direct route to Antigua (which is
blown
the norm). On Christmas day we were in 1st postion (out of 23 boats), our
not
which was a straight line route, was working perfectly. And then
strategy,
changed. The next 24 hours saw us go backwards in maddening
everything
And it worked magnificently.
the ocean that brought about total change in overall race strategy.
currents and constantly changing winds. At this stage the only other boat

had decided on this route as their strategy was a boat called Pendovy
who
and they were 50NM behind us and in second position.
Swift
short, our straight-line strategy had just about failed us. Tjaart (my weather
In
and I discussed the options over the satellite phone: stick to our route in
man)
hope that the low would dissipate, or get out of the system by heading
the
and pick a fight with the guys down there. If we chose option one and
south
low persisted, our race chances would be shot; if we headed south now,
the
could well give up our first place position. Neither option filled us with joy.
we
headed south!
We
only did we have to head due south, but to make up the distance we were
Not
to lose we also had to do it as fast as we could. This meant rowing
about
as much as possible. Initially, we shortened our rest periods to one
together
while maintaining our 90-minute shifts, giving us 15 minutes together at
hour
start/end of each shift. Then, once we were used to shorter rest periods,
the
dropped them further to only half an hour each. Now it was 90 minutes on,
we
minutes off, allowing us 30 minutes together at the start/end of each shift.
30
risky decision paid off and after 3 days of heading south we turned and
Our
west.still in 1st position. But it wasn’t over yet. We would still have to
headed
hard to maintain that lead. Over the next few days we rowed hard into a
work
north-easterly wind, but we managed to maintain our heading which
strong
had decided on this route as their strategy was a boat called Pendovy
who
and they were 50NM behind us and in second position.
Swift
short, our straight-line strategy had just about failed us. Tjaart (my weather
In
and I discussed the options over the satellite phone: stick to our route in
man)
hope that the low would dissipate, or get out of the system by heading
the
and pick a fight with the guys down there. If we chose option one and
south
low persisted, our race chances would be shot; if we headed south now,
the
could well give up our first place position. Neither option filled us with joy.
we
We headed south...
To here the rest of the story you'll have to book me for your next event!
24

JACQUES DE VILLIERS
G O A L S E T T I N G
If you’ve ever tried goal-setting, and you probably have, you’ll know that there are only two outcomes. You either achieve
the goal or you don’t. Strangely, both success or failure to achieve your goals leads to dissatisfaction and disillusionment.
It’s easy to understand that failing to achieve something can lead to dissatisfaction and disillusionment. One has one’s
heart set on achieving an outcome - getting the car, the house, the date, the wealth - and it doesn’t happen. It’s easy to get
that one can be disappointed. And, if one continues to fail at one’s goals it can become a chronic condition where one sees
oneself as a failure. This is not a helpful space to be when one wants to lead a fulfilled and harmonious life.
What’s more nuanced and harder to understand is that when one achieves one’s goal that one is still dissatisfied,
disappointed and disillusioned.
THERE ARE THREE REASONS FOR THIS
1.
goal one achieves is not what it appears to be. It’s not a panacea to making you happy and fulfilled (which is
The
the point of any endeavour in life). When you get what you want you find that you’re still insecure (is this
actually
husband going to stay faithful, is this beautiful car better than the Joneses and is this house going to
handsome
me safe)? Relatively, it’s not long before you want to trade in the beautiful husband, car and house because
keep
they have faults and foibles that don’t sit well with your view of how things should be.
2.
fraught with arguments, accusations and anxiety. How simple was life when you had a one-bedroomed
becomes
in a modest area? That four-bedroomed beauty in the upmarket area you now stay in becomes a
apartment
and time-consuming enterprise. You now have to worry about gardeners, domestic workers, handymen
massive
security. You have to spend money on more and better furniture, televisions, wifi and kitchenware. Your rates
and
Getting the things you want increase the level of complexity in your life. The beautiful relationship you desired
and taxes and water and electricity bills are sky high. There’s more stress on you to earn more and there’s more
insecurity that if you lost your job or business it would be massively disastrous. You get to realise that the more
you have, the more you have to lose and thus, the more insecure you are.
3.
of us are driven to achieve goals because we come from a place of lack. We think that we don’t have
Most
and need more and are not enough and need to be more. We’re always chasing something to try and
enough
away our insecurities because we think that if we have more and if we are more, we’ll be secure, powerful,
push
and harmonious. When Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor said, “You can never be too rich or too
fulfilled
thin,” she was spot on. We can never get enough to feel secure.

IF ACHIEVING OUR GOALS IS NOT THE ANSWER TO
SECURITY, POWER, FULFILLMENT AND HARMONY,
WHAT IS?
HERE ARE TWO CONCEPTS TO EXPLORE:
YOU HAVE MORE THAN IS YOUR DUE
You and I are enough and have enough already. Think on it, just by
getting to play on this planet for the brief time allocated to us, we
already have more than is our due. You are already full of blessing.
Being conscious and getting to experience this wonderful gift of life
is the point of the exercise. What if you were born dirt poor on an
island somewhere in the Indian Ocean? Imagine that you lived in a
threadbare shelter, you subsisted on fish, coconuts and bananas
and you worked hard to eke out your survival.
And, to add to the blessing of working, you have two beautiful
children who are the apple of your eye, you get to make love with
your partner every night, you get to sing and dance with your
friends around the fire, especially when the banana moonshine
kicks in. If you were this person and someone asked you if you were
secure, fulfilled and contented, I reckon you’d say “Yes.” You’d be
grateful to be living this awesome life.
PROCESS TRUMPS OUTCOME
You’ve probably heard the cliche, “It’s about the journey, not the
destination,” more times than you care to remember. We have to
think about what the point of our existence is. I don’t believe it is to
accumulate more stuff. I believe the point is that it’s a process of
becoming a courteous and useful human who is there for the benefit of others. Also, (in my context, anyway), to show my
gratitude for getting to play here, I want to thank my benefactors and present them with a beautiful work of art. It’s only
through the process of living this life and using the good and bad that comes my way that I can shape myself into a
Davidian masterpiece. My job is to take every waking moment, be my best in it, savour it, be grateful for it (because I might
not have another moment after that one) and be useful in it.
In the final analysis, our goal is to become an excellent human being and not a collector of stuff. Our goal is not to die with
the most toys. Our goal is to experience and be enchanted by this story that has been written for us.
Of course, this piece of text is is not here to say that we can’t strive for the stuff we desire. Go for it, set your goals and
undertake the actions to achieve them. Just be mindful that the accomplishment of them won’t necessarily lead to security,
fulfillment, harmony and happiness.
I don’t know about you, but I want to weep with infinite joy, fulfillment and harmony when my daughter looks into my eyes
with total trust and love and hugs me. I just can’t seem to get the same feeling from sitting in my beautiful car, sitting in
front of my television and holding my IPhone in my hand.
26

S O U T H A F R I C A ' S E C O N O M Y
WALTERS
SHELLEY
Everybody is lamenting the state of the South
African economy, not to mention the global
economy. We respond with surprise and
frustration, yet we know that downturns are
inevitable in anybody’s lifetime. It’s how you
ride them out that determines not only our
business’ longevity and success, but also our
competitive advantage.
Throughout history, every economic downturn
has changed business processes. First, in the
way we buy, and then by necessity, it changes
the way we sell. If an economic downturn does
not change the way we sell, we are missing
the client’s cues.
Either way, we can expect clients to put
increasing pressure on us if they do not get
value from their interactions with sales. They
will request or seek automation – allowing
them to reduce or eliminate the role of sales (if
they feel it is no longer relevant) and
accelerating the journey to commodity
supplier.
The ‘cost of sale’ is growing faster than
revenue for most B2B clients, with little to no
room to cut more fat, so increasing efficiency
and reducing friction in the sales process
provides returns not only for clients, but also
for the sales portion of our organizations.
This economic downturn presents us with an
opportunity to streamline our offering, our
messaging, our approach and our processes -
positioning us for meaningful and frictionless
client engagements. And when the dust settles
and we are back to a stable and growing
economy, you would have put so much
distance between you and the status quo that
your competitors will find it a real challenge to
catch up.
Conversation Intelligence Africa works with
teams both locally and abroad, in large
enterprises and small, to ensure that your
sales professionals have the clarity, conviction
and competence to deliver your differentiated
messaging to your clients.
27

International corporate speaker and trainer, Shelley Walters, specialises in sales, persuasion and
presentation skills, providing individuals, groups and audiences with relevant, up to date with
information to boost their performances in both sales and presentation skills.
With over 15 years sales and presentation experience in both business-to-business and businessto-customer
environments, Shelley brings unique insight and experience to her clients; helping
them to navigate the increasingly challenging areas of sales, persuasion and presentation skills.
Her career began in a cut-throat office automation industry, working her way up from direct sales
to negotiating at a boardroom level in just 3 months. Later, Shelley served as the first Business
Development Officer for South Africa’s first black-owned finance house, Sadiba Asset Lease, until
she joined the team at Kingfisher FM in 2007.
For four and a half years, Shelley served as the Breakfast Show co-presenter on Port Elizabeth’s
popular radio station. Addressing 144 000 people every morning, she quickly learnt how to think
on her feet and how to entertain an audience whilst consistently providing information that was
both relevant and informative. She regularly recorded voice-overs for adverts, productions and
documentaries. This she did, whilst also serving as the station’s Sales & Marketing Manager,
turning the station around from 100% donor-funded to 100% advertiser-funded in 18 months.
In 2010, due to increased opportunities to address business audiences on topics related to sales
and presentation skills, Shelley made the move from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg. Since then,
Shelley has spoken at over 300 conferences, seminars and training courses internationally. Her
natural wit and humour, combined with her passion for people and broad corporate experience,
makes her a passionate and engaging presentation skills and sales trainer.
When not speaking, she coaches clients around
the world, having worked with 50 companies within
South Africa and abroad.
“The outcome of the training you’ve provided
me has been phenomenal to say the least. The
common question after each presentation is:
“Who has trained you?”’
Siyabulela Xuza, Harvard Graduate & Rocket
Scientist / Energy Entrepreneur
“Shelley’s training was high quality and offered
a lot more than I expected! This is crucial
information for any company who regularly
presents new ideas and concepts, whether
internally or externally”
Phillipa Wild, Head of Technical Marketing,
Discovery Head Office
28

S t e p h e n G r o o t e s
REFORM
LAND SA'S
The debate and conversation around land ownership in
South Africa, and what has become the battlecry of
“expropriation without compensation” has become one of
the dominant political issues of the year. So powerful is the
issue, and so closely is it tied up with political identity” that it
is likely to remain an important issue for many years to
come. It is also likely to have a big impact on next year’s
elections, on sometimes unexpected ways. But, at the same
time, there are also elements to it that may be more complex
than is sometimes assumed. By Stephen Grootes.
At the time of writing, Parliament’s Constitutional Review
Committee has resolved that the Constitutional clause
around land and property, Clause 25, will be changed. While
the committee does not have the power to dictate what the
clause should be changed to, or what the final text should
look like, the ANC has said that will make it more explicit
that expropriation without compensation is allowed, for the
particular purpose of land reform.
Already, there are at least two court challenges in the works.
The first is from the Institute for Race Relations. It has
problems with the process, saying that it appears that
thousands of submissions that were opposed to a change of
the Constitution were ignored. The Constitutional Court has
spelt out a definition of “meaningful consultation” in a
previous case, which means that this process could be
challenged against that standard. The second case is from
Afriforum, which is vehemently opposed to any kind of
expropriation. These two cases are simple harbingers of what
is likely to come. No matter how the political process plays
out, is is very likely that every step of the way will be
challenged in court.
However, that may not be the best outcome to this issue.
Land, and land occupation, is in some ways the “original sin”
of South Africa. Black people, who occupied the land, were
forcibly removed from it, by white people. This is a historical
fact that underpins the conversation around it now. At the
same time, it is also fair to ask whether this issue would have
the political power it does now if it had not been used by
former President Jacob Zuma and his supporters during the
run-up to the ANC’s Nasrec conference. And it is also clear
that the resolution taken at NASREC to expropriate without
compensation was very nearly defeated. As a result of this,
the issue is still hugely contested within the ANC.
One of the aspects of this debate that is easily missed, is that
there are two strands to the argument to expropriate. One
group of people, generally around President Cyril Ramphosa
and the ANC in Gauteng, often concentrates on “giving land”
to people who currently don’t have it. They focus on urban
land, on the need to “give land” to those who have no assets
at all. The point here, is that their focus is on helping people
who have nothing.
29

Then there is another group of people, including some in the
ANC and those in the EFF, who focus on “taking” land. For
them, this is a very different prospect. They appear to
believe that white people have given up very little since the
end of Apartheid. As a result, they should now give up some
of the land “they” own. this is a very different argument,
and in the end is really about racial identities. At the start of
the year it appeared that this issue was dominated by the
voices of those on the “take land” side of the debate. Now,
it seems that the other side, the “give land” side may be
gaining momentum. This is significant, because it might
signal that Ramaphosa has been able to take charge of the
debate and the narrative around this. That in turn could
indicate that he has been able to consolidate his power in
the ANC.
However, while it seems momentum is moving towards
some kind of change, there are still other thorny problems
to deal with. To put this in perhaps an over-simplified
fashion, it may well be possible to craft a political consensus
in which white people lose some land without being
compensated for that. From a technical point of view, that is
relatively easy to do, the people who own the land who are
white are easy to identify. But the problem may really come
around deciding who would actually own the land
thereafter. As an example of this problem, consider this
hypothetical example. Imagine, for a moment, that there is a
piece of land occupied by a farmer and their family in
Mpumalanga. They have occupied that land for several
generations. It used to be occupied, or owned, by a black
family who were forced off the land during the Apartheid
era. Next to that farm, lives another group of people who
are in shacks, and have very little, they depend in the main
on social grants.
But it still runs the risk of raising homes that are then dashed,
leading to further disputes in our society.
Meanwhile, if the 2019 elections are seen as a referendum on
land, it may actually be to the detriment of the ANC. The DA
would stand as the party, and the only big party, opposing a
change to the Constitution. This could be important, as it
could turn the election into a poll between the “haves” and
the “have-nots”. That in turn could help the DA resolve some
of its own internal disputes over its identity. That surely
would be to its benefit. This would also make it hard to
predict that the ANC and the EFF together would actually win
the two-thirds majority they would need together to change
the Constitution.
There are many strands to the debate and the conversation
around land reform, and expropriation, that have yet to be
resolved. In some ways, where we are now, may only serve as
a starting point. At this stage, it does seem clear that
Ramaphosa, and most of the ANC, is determined not to follow
the examples of Zimbabwe or Venezuela. His often-repeated
claim that there “will be no smash-and-grab land reform” is
an indication that no matter what happens there will be a
legal process that will be followed. This is likely to prevent
the worst of any possible economic damage that could occur
as the result of investors losing confidence, or farmers giving
up their farms.
However, despite all the problems thrown at them, the
family that originally owned that land have been able to
enter the middle-class, and are doing quite well and living
and working in Sandton. If the land is taken from the white
family, who would get it? The people living next to the land
who have nothing? Or the descendants of the people who it
was taken from? If you were to give to those with nothing, it
would mean a black government is presiding over the
continued dispossession of land from a black family. If it is
given to that family, what does that mean for those with
nothing, they are unlikely to sit idly by and let it happen.
Just that aspect alone reveals some of the complexity
around this problem. There may be some solutions,
involving the waiting lists for RDP houses, or other measures
of determining who should benefit.
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