GLOBAL AFRICAN BRAND AND REPUTATION
ARCHITECT, ADVISOR AND AUTHOR


Ikalafeng has published, written
and contributed to several books
on a range of topics
from autobiographies, personal
marketing, brand leadership,
trends and society.

Writing Archive

 
Writing

  • We Never Imagined This Moment

    This is an unwelcome moment we never imagined on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, on the banks of the Mbashe river in the Eastern Cape, when AbaThembu Chief Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa and Nosekeni Fanny...  More

  • Gaffes No Laughing Matter For Voters

    When citizens go to vote next year, what will weigh on their minds will not just be Marikana, the Limpopo textbook debacle, unemployment and inequality, but the words uttered by those seeking...  More

  • Ibrahim No Award For African Leadership

    No Mo Ibrahim Prize has been awarded again this year but the continent has more exemplary leaders than ever, says Thebe Ikalafeng.   More

  • Should SA Heed The IMF Warning?

    Brand South Africa is under siege. Africa’s dominant economy is facing internal disruptions and external competition from rising African peers who are more attractive and growing at a rate of 5...  More

  • At The Source Of The Cycle Of Conflict

    Intolerance based on religion, politics, tribe and race can only lead to animosity and violence without end, writes Thebe Ikalafeng.  More

  • MTN, Coca-Cola Most Admired And Valuable Brands On Continent

    A few years ago, former president Thabo Mbeki said in his African Renaissance speech, “out of Africa reborn must come modern products of human economic activity, significant contribution to the...  More

  • Why Black Is No Longer Beautiful

    The obsession with skin colour has become a handicap and a currency for underachievement, entitlement and lack of ambition, writes Thebe Ikalafeng.  More

  • A March For The Good Of Men

    The male brand should not be tarnished by a delinquent minority and the nouveau riche with fleeting money, writes Thebe Ikalafeng.  More

  • Sex Is A Nice But Costly Pleasure

    From King David to Tiger Woods, history is replete with instances of sex scandals having lead to the downfall of famous folk, writes Thebe Ikalafeng.   More

  • Putting Women In Their Rightful Place

    Women still bear the most responsibility when it comes to raising the children in our society – so it’s an insult when they are excluded from positions of empowerment and decision-making, writes...  More

  • Why Talent Is Not Enough

    Reputation guru Thebe Ikalafeng explains why musicians should take branding and entrepreneurship seriously Musicians are renowned for being passionate about their craft, often at the expense of...  More

  • Corporate Corruption Hurts Brand SA

    Company misbehaviour is at the heart of most of our scandals, from the World Cup construction cartels to the businesses that built President Zuma’s Nkandla home, writes Thebe Ikalafeng  More

  • The Face Of The Organisation Is Key To Its Identity

    Winston Churchill once said “politics are as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous”. In politics, says Thomas Sweitzer, a US political media adviser, “all the planning and...  More

  • Africa Is Better Because Of Mandela

    This week Nelson Mandela celebrates his 95th birthday. Thebe Ikalafeng reflects on this man's vision for Africa, and how he created an enabling environment for Thabo Mbeki to express our identity...  More

  • Time To Lose The 'African' Identity

    The trouble with African symbols of identity is that many of their attributes are reflective of the focus on Africa’s past and not the future aspirations of Africa.  More

  • Where Did Our Winning Spirit Go?

    We are no longer competing. We have become spectators. We have become the blaming, striking and begging nation Nelson Mandela never imagined. We have become complacent.    More

  • We Can’t Let Go Of Our Madiba

    Mac Maharaj, the presidential spokesperson is right when he says “we want Madiba to live forever but we know he is a human being and we have to adjust our expectations”.   More

  • The Medium Isn’t The Message

    With electioneering under way, who can blame the DA for targeting the mobile youth vote?  More

  • Brands In Africa

    The last 50 years has been a remarkable journey for Africa. But despite many undeniable setbacks, the resilient continent has transformed to take its rightful place among the giants of the world....  More