Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015

Working with the Nation

Brand

Brand South Africa

Research Note

Perspectives from Global

South Africans living Down
Under

By: Dr. Petrus de Kock

General Manager, Research, Brand South Africa

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015
Background
One of Brand South Africas key
international programmes focuses on
Global South Africans (GSA). Essentially
Global South Africans are the sum total
of the countrys diaspora.
Through the GSA network Brand SA
endeavours to reach out to South
Africans living and working abroad.
The
critical
importance
diaspora
communities could, and do play, not
only in the South African case, is
underlined by the African Union.
South Africa hosted, and became
signatory
to
the
African
Union
Declaration of the Global African
Diaspora Summit, 25 May 2012.
Through the AUs work on the African
diaspora, the organisation underlines
the important economic, social, and
developmental role African expats and
diaspora communities can play back
home on the continent.
The same thinking applies to Brand
South Africas GSA programme. Through
this network Brand SA aims to keep
South Africans updated regarding
developments in the country.
But, simultaneously the goal is to
involve South Africans living abroad
more directly in efforts to promote and
market the nation brand, and to
understand the ways in which such South
Africans are already, or are willing to
play a role in the social, economic, and
human development back home.

Brand SAs stakeholder & research

mission to Australia
Between 22 and 26 March 2015 Brand SA
embarked on a stakeholder engagement
and research mission to Australia.
During November 2014, the late Minister
for
Performance
Monitoring
&
Evaluation, Mr Collins Chabane, led a
delegation
of
senior
government
officials, and Brand SA executives to
Australia to open a conversation with
the South African community in the
country. This was part of carrying the 20
Years of Democracy message to the GSA
community.
There are varying estimates, but
approximately 150 000 South Africans
live down under. This is the second
largest
South
African
diaspora
community outside of the United
Kingdom.
Following on the successful Ministerial
delegation in 2014, Brand SA decided to
dedicate the 2015 GSA engagements in
Australia to more focused stakeholder
engagements, and research reference
group discussions.
The purpose with the 2015 GSA outreach
was to, in partnership with the South
African High Commission in Australia:
1. To provide feedback on the
performance of the Nation Brand
domestically and internationally;
2. The research reference group
sessions hosted in Melbourne &
Sydney acted as platforms where
South Africans living abroad can
help
deepen
Brand
SAs
understanding of the needs of
this community, perceptions of
the country, and to identify
concrete ways in which Brand SA
can work more directly with
GSAs in the market.

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015
In the discussions with GSAs Brand SA
requested input and suggestions on the
following issues and questions:

GSAs to suggest feasible means

by
which
Brand
SA
can
communicate, and interact with
South Africans on an ongoing
basis;
To what extent are South
Africans
in
Australia
still
connected to home?;
What kind of news/ information
on SA would GSAs like to receive
from Brand SA?;
Recommendations on means/
platforms
of
communication
between Brand SA and GSAs;
Concerns
regarding,
and
perceived strengths, of the
nation brand.

To what extent are GSAs connected to

the country?

Brand
South
Africas
Domestic
Perceptions Research indicates that
South Africans maintain high levels of
national pride. The Pride Index score for
the latest round of research stands at
80/100.
While this may be true for the domestic
environment, discussions with GSAs
clearly indicated that while many
families may have been living in
Australia since the 1970s and 80s, they
still actively maintain contact, and are
unquestionably proud to hail from South
Africa.

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015

HE High Commissioner Designate to Australia, Mr Sibusiso Ndebele, opening the GSA

dinner 24 March 2015

In terms of the ways in which South

Africans are still connected to Home it
is evident from discussions that family
and networks of friends, professional
and business networks, investments and
attachment to unique South African
brands and products (like Biltong, of
course) keep GSAs either directly, or
indirectly connected to home.
From discussions on how South Africans
are connected to the country it also
emerged that there are some exciting
ways in which GSAs are already playing
their part to positively contribute to the
country.
What are GSAs already doing for SA?
A few examples of the kinds of projects
GSAs are already involved with in South
Africa:

Several South Africans are

involved in fund raising activities
for local charities, e.g. for AIDS
orphans;
A small group of South Africans
have for several years already
been involved in raising finds to
build school libraries in Limpopo
Province;
Australia Aid South Africa is also
quite active in a variety of
spheres to support initiatives in
South Africa.

But, just as important as what is already

being done, is the fact that consistently
throughout discussions GSAs indicated
that they would be willing to do much
more to reach out, and support
initiatives in South Africa.

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015
Ask us what you need!
In terms of discussions on what GSAs
could potentially do to contribute to the
country,
several
reference
group
participants in both Sydney & Melbourne
had a rather straight forward answer:
come to us, and clearly indicate what it
is you need.

GSA Research Reference Group in Melbourne

During discussions it became clear that

Brand SA should ideally identify a few
key areas of activity it want to mobilise
support for. Some of the concrete
suggestions made in this regard include:

Sharing
information
on
investment
or
business
opportunities in SA;

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015

Identifying and communicating

specific interventions needed in
SA, for which the GSAs can either
mobilise monetary, skills, or
other resources to support such
activities;
Brand SA could assemble senior
GSA executives in the corporate
sphere in Australia to identify
possible sectors, or areas where
the country needs investment;
It was also suggested that Brand
SA should approach GSAs with a
concrete list of projects or
initiatives such as: support to
education; the development of
student exchange programmes;
community
development
initiatives that can be supported
by GSA fund raising or skills and
capacity
development
interventions;
Alumni associations from SA
universities could explore closer
ties with graduates and in so
doing open opportunities for
deeper contact and GSA network
interactions.

Participants in the reference groups also

indicated that there is a significant level
of goodwill towards South Africa among
the GSA, but also general Australian
community.
From this perspective it means that the
lessons Brand SA is taking from the
interactions are:
1. Brand SA to be concrete and
rather
specific
on
the
areas/issues
it
needs
GSA
support;

2. That there exists a significant

corps of South Africans abroad
that are already involved in
projects back home, or that are
more than willing to devote
time,
skills,
expertise
or
resources
to
supporting
initiatives inside South Africa.
The reputation of the brand
During 2014 Brand South African
launched the SA Inc. research project to
assess the countrys reputation in peer
African markets.
From fieldwork conducted in Kenya,
Ghana and Nigeria one finding that
emerges the strongest is that the
country, or nation brands reputation, is
to a large extent shaped by the
experience African peers have of South
African individuals, corporate brands, or
government interactions with peers in
the market.
From the SA Inc project Brand SA
gathered some insight on soft factors
such as business culture and etiquette,
and how the behaviour of individuals, or
organisations,
can
impact
either
positively, or negatively on the over-all
reputation of the nation brand.
Why is this relevant for the GSA
discussion in Australia?
In a world where digital modes of
communication and platforms dominate
the public sphere, it is interesting to
note that traditional word of mouth is
still the most trusted source of
information.
This means that the way in which GSAs
speak about the country, the way they
carry the country message, and interact
with peer wherever they are, have an
indirect, but sometimes lasting impact
on the reputation of the country.

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015
This implies that the reputation of the
nation brand can be boosted and
enhanced, or damaged and undermined
through the way we speak about the
country, and the manner in which we
treat people we meet on our journeys
through the world.
Through the research reference group
discussions it emerged that some of the
key perceived reputational challenges
Brand SA has to deal with in the
Australian context include:

Reports on crime in South Africa.

This is a particularly sensitive
issue, due to the fact that some
post-1994 SA immigrants to
Australia cite crime in the
country as one of the main
reasons for choosing to relocate
to Australia;
The countrys current energy
challenges and the need to
contextualise and tell the story
of what interventions are coming
through to deal with the
situation;
The need to contextualise key
government policies such as
Black Economic Empowerment.
This calls for a clear articulation
of the transformative journey
South Africa is engaged in;
Perceptions of corruption in
government
and
insufficient
service delivery.

It should also be noted, however, that

through the reference group discussions
Brand SA also managed to learn that
increased flow of information to the GSA
community can go a long way towards
creating
a
better
contextual
understanding of the unique challenges
the nation brand is facing as it enters
the third decade of democracy.
In terms of the latter, participants in
the discussions noted that there are
several well organised South African
networks of families, businesses, and
professionals.

A suggestion was made that Brand SA

should ensure that these networks are
linked to the GSA newsletters, and that
research and indicators on the economic
performance, social development, and
key achievements in the country will be
welcomed by South Africans living in
Australia.
What are the lessons?
One of the first lessons that Brand SA
brought back
from Sydney and
Melbourne is that there is a significant
energy, and willingness from GSAs to
contribute
positively
to
the
development of the country.
In order to extract more value from the
GSA network Brand SA is paying specific
attention to suggestions pertaining to
the concrete projects GSAs can be
linked to inside the country.
One of Brand SAs key domestic
programmes is Play Your Part. Based on
input received from GSAs it may be
interesting to explore the option of a
GSA Play Your Part platform, where
individuals and organisations active
abroad can become part of the
movement
that
promotes
active
citizenship.
It is furthermore enlightening to learn
about the range of projects GSAs are
already involved in back home. This
gives Brand SA confidence to develop
the network further, and to rise to the
challenge of being more specific in its
requests for assistance back home.
Many more are the lessons the team
brought back home. Suffice it to say
that the suggestions made by GSAs are
being given serious consideration. As the
programme is developed further in
future, Brand SA will do it best to brings
workable
ideas
to
a
practical
implementable stage.

Brand South Africa

Research Note 10 April 2015
Thank You to the GSAs
Each of the research reference group
discussions Brand SA hosted carried on
much longer than planned for.
Brand SA took this as a lesson that the
South Africans in Australia are no
different from those still living at home:
-

They are friendly

They are engaging
And
they
are
willing
to
contribute constructively to the
future of the country.

A special word of thanks also goes to HE

Mr Sibusiso Ndebele, and the team from
the South African High Commission,
without your assistance and support the
sessions in Melbourne and Sydney would
not have been a success.
Brand SA believes that the GSA network
can become a bridge between worlds,
and that it can create new opportunities
for learning, growth and development.

With this being said Brand South Africa

would like to thank all the GSAs that
supported, and participated in the
discussions.
We value your input, and look forward
to creating a stronger network that can
serve not only the needs of the country,
but also to support South Africans
wherever they are.

Sydney Harbour Bridge