Do you have what it takes to compete?
Fundamentals Still Matter
Despite the rise of AI and emerging technologies, the consensus among the panel was clear: the foundational principles of marketing still hold true. Elizabeth described a great marketer as someone fundamentally interested in solving consumer problems, whether through products or services. This call back to basics echoed throughout the discussion. Core capabilities such as strategic thinking, business acumen, consumer understanding, creativity, and communication remain essential. These are not 'old school' skills – they are enduring ones. They form the foundation upon which new tools and channels must be layered.
Adaptability is Non-Negotiable
While the fundamentals remain, the game is undoubtedly changing. The convergence of media channels, the proliferation of big data and AI, and rapidly shifting consumer expectations all demand that marketers evolve. Sechaba highlighted the importance of staying intellectually curious and agile – constantly learning and adapting, and the panel encouraged marketers to embrace ambiguity, viewing it not as a threat, but as an opportunity for innovation. They emphasised the importance of experimentation, being willing to test, learn, and iterate in real-time while remaining grounded in human insight. Success hinges on crafting effective stories tailored to the right platforms and understanding the ethical considerations and legal compliance aspects of new technologies.
The Human Element is Marketing's Greatest Advantage
In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and automation, the human element is more valuable than ever. Marketing is fundamentally about connection – the ability to engage with people on an emotional level, understand their needs, and build genuine relationships is essential. The panel agreed that empathy, curiosity, and a deep understanding of human behaviour are the traits that will continue to set great marketers apart. They also stressed the importance of compassion in both leadership and marketing – the necessity of caring for the people being served and led.
The Skills Gap
The panel acknowledged a growing skills gap within the marketing profession and emphasised the importance of closing it. This call to raise the bar also extended to the broader industry. Panellists urged senior marketers to actively mentor and support emerging talent, while encouraging younger professionals to take ownership of their growth, seek feedback, and remain relentlessly curious.
A key takeaway was the need for marketers to clearly demonstrate their impact on business performance – not just through traditional marketing metrics, but by showing how marketing drives revenue, profit, and shareholder value.
CMOs at the Strategy Table
The panel also explored the evolving role of the Chief Marketing Officer. Far from being custodians of communication alone, CMOs are increasingly expected to lead growth and innovation across the organisation. To succeed in this expanded role, CMOs must build influence across functions, embrace data while not losing sight of intuition, and continually translate marketing activities into business outcomes.
Five Takeaways for the Marketer of the Future
Reconnect with Core Principles
Great marketing starts with understanding people, solving real problems, and communicating powerfully. Get that right before chasing the next shiny tool.
Stay Agile and Curious
Technology and platforms will keep changing. What matters is your ability to adapt, experiment, and learn quickly.
Lead with Empathy
Human connection is marketing's superpower. Build it into how you lead, how you work, and how you serve your audience.
Raise the Standard
Join professional bodies, seek mentorship, and invest in the development of yourself and others. We rise by lifting the industry as a whole.
Earn Your Seat at the Table
Speak the language of business – focus on delivering tangible business outcomes and demonstrate the impact of marketing initiatives. Prove how marketing drives growth.
This first webinar in the '2025 Marketing Masterclass' series offered both a reality check and a rallying cry. The profession is changing. Expectations are higher. But opportunity has never been greater for marketers who are willing to evolve, to lead, and to connect more deeply with both their audiences and their organisations.
This nine-part series is designed to offer practical, real-world insight for marketers navigating complexity, career growth, and creative leadership and as it unfolds, it promises to reveal how South African marketers can lead the way. To find out more about the next Marketing Masterclass, visit Daily Maverick Events. DM
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Daily Maverick
3 days ago
- Daily Maverick
Do you have what it takes to compete?
This was the central question posed in the first webinar of the '2025 Marketing Masterclass' series, hosted by Daily Maverick in partnership with eatbigfish Africa, the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), and the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA). The session was led by David Blyth and Khaya Dlanga from eatbigfish Africa, with panellists Elizabeth Mokwena, Executive Marketing Director: HomeCare Southern Africa at Unilever, and Sechaba Motsieloa, founder of KANSY Group. Together, they unpacked the key competencies marketers need to remain relevant, create meaningful value, and drive business growth in a world where the rules are being rewritten in real time. Fundamentals Still Matter Despite the rise of AI and emerging technologies, the consensus among the panel was clear: the foundational principles of marketing still hold true. Elizabeth described a great marketer as someone fundamentally interested in solving consumer problems, whether through products or services. This call back to basics echoed throughout the discussion. Core capabilities such as strategic thinking, business acumen, consumer understanding, creativity, and communication remain essential. These are not 'old school' skills – they are enduring ones. They form the foundation upon which new tools and channels must be layered. Adaptability is Non-Negotiable While the fundamentals remain, the game is undoubtedly changing. The convergence of media channels, the proliferation of big data and AI, and rapidly shifting consumer expectations all demand that marketers evolve. Sechaba highlighted the importance of staying intellectually curious and agile – constantly learning and adapting, and the panel encouraged marketers to embrace ambiguity, viewing it not as a threat, but as an opportunity for innovation. They emphasised the importance of experimentation, being willing to test, learn, and iterate in real-time while remaining grounded in human insight. Success hinges on crafting effective stories tailored to the right platforms and understanding the ethical considerations and legal compliance aspects of new technologies. The Human Element is Marketing's Greatest Advantage In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and automation, the human element is more valuable than ever. Marketing is fundamentally about connection – the ability to engage with people on an emotional level, understand their needs, and build genuine relationships is essential. The panel agreed that empathy, curiosity, and a deep understanding of human behaviour are the traits that will continue to set great marketers apart. They also stressed the importance of compassion in both leadership and marketing – the necessity of caring for the people being served and led. The Skills Gap The panel acknowledged a growing skills gap within the marketing profession and emphasised the importance of closing it. This call to raise the bar also extended to the broader industry. Panellists urged senior marketers to actively mentor and support emerging talent, while encouraging younger professionals to take ownership of their growth, seek feedback, and remain relentlessly curious. A key takeaway was the need for marketers to clearly demonstrate their impact on business performance – not just through traditional marketing metrics, but by showing how marketing drives revenue, profit, and shareholder value. CMOs at the Strategy Table The panel also explored the evolving role of the Chief Marketing Officer. Far from being custodians of communication alone, CMOs are increasingly expected to lead growth and innovation across the organisation. To succeed in this expanded role, CMOs must build influence across functions, embrace data while not losing sight of intuition, and continually translate marketing activities into business outcomes. Five Takeaways for the Marketer of the Future Reconnect with Core Principles Great marketing starts with understanding people, solving real problems, and communicating powerfully. Get that right before chasing the next shiny tool. Stay Agile and Curious Technology and platforms will keep changing. What matters is your ability to adapt, experiment, and learn quickly. Lead with Empathy Human connection is marketing's superpower. Build it into how you lead, how you work, and how you serve your audience. Raise the Standard Join professional bodies, seek mentorship, and invest in the development of yourself and others. We rise by lifting the industry as a whole. Earn Your Seat at the Table Speak the language of business – focus on delivering tangible business outcomes and demonstrate the impact of marketing initiatives. Prove how marketing drives growth. This first webinar in the '2025 Marketing Masterclass' series offered both a reality check and a rallying cry. The profession is changing. Expectations are higher. But opportunity has never been greater for marketers who are willing to evolve, to lead, and to connect more deeply with both their audiences and their organisations. This nine-part series is designed to offer practical, real-world insight for marketers navigating complexity, career growth, and creative leadership and as it unfolds, it promises to reveal how South African marketers can lead the way. To find out more about the next Marketing Masterclass, visit Daily Maverick Events. DM
Daily Maverick
5 days ago
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ArcelorMittal responds, says the mini-mill dream could melt down
ArcelorMittal SA has come out swinging against a recent Daily Maverick article that it says turned the national debate into a scrapyard brawl in favour of mini-mills and scrap metal traders. In a sharply worded statement, ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) claims Daily Maverick 'misrepresents the complex reality of South Africa's steel sector' and unfairly promotes 'a misleading narrative in favour of mini-mills and scrap metal traders, particularly those who benefit from importing cheap finished steel.' The company argues that the journalist (me) presents mini-mills as a silver bullet and 'masks the vested interests of a small cohort of import-reliant firms', adding that the idea these facilities can simply replace integrated production is 'economically and technically untenable'. Cool. Amsa's voice is strained by its terminal injuries — it's long steel business – slated for mothballing come the end of September 2025 – and a policy environment the company says leaves it no choice but to start winding down. Depending on who you ask, the problem is either a failed state, a flawed business model, or both. Long steel's long goodbye Amsa has confirmed that unless a last-minute industrial miracle occurs, it will shutter its loss-making long steel operations at Newcastle Works, Vereeniging Works, and its rail-focused subsidiary. The company says it has exhausted the R1.68-billion bailout from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and 'cannot assume any further financial risks related to the Long Steel Business beyond the next few months.' The closure directly threatens 3,500 jobs. But according to Elias Monage, president of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa), the ripple effects could be catastrophic: 'The signs of collapse are unmistakable. This is not just about a single mill – it is about an entire industrial ecosystem at risk.' Monage's message is no longer merely a plea for urgent intervention. In a June statement, he called for a full-scale reset: 'South Africa's steel and engineering sector stands at a perilous crossroads. Years of deindustrialisation, declining production, job losses and a steady erosion of competitiveness have brought us here. This decline is not the result of chance, but a culmination of systemic policy failures, a lack of coordinated action and inadequate implementation of recovery frameworks.' Dance if you want to dance Monage once championed the Steel Master Plan as a roadmap for reindustrialisation. Now he concedes the plan has 'not lived up to its potential'. Instead of decisive action, he describes a 'diffusion and inaction' that left industry leaders disillusioned. 'The Steel Master Plan had over 20 workstreams and 73 deliverables, but it lacked focus. Progress stalled, and as it did, industry leadership began to withdraw,' Monage says. The hard stats back him up: steel production remains 18% below its 2007/8 peak, capacity utilisation has slipped below efficiency benchmarks, and per capita steel consumption has dropped by 37% since 2013 – all while global steel intensity rises. Monage argues that South Africa needs a new 'strategic agreement for impact,' a compact that binds government and industry to shared, measurable objectives like achieving 4-5% annual growth in metals and engineering output. 'Business as usual will not suffice,' he warns. 'This moment demands a bold shift – from fragmented policies and siloed departments to a unified national compact anchored in public-private collaboration.' Let's play the blame game National Employers' Association of South Africa (Neasa) CEO Gerhard Papenfus has long argued that Amsa's woes are self-inflicted, a product of propping up an uncompetitive giant. But Amsa doesn't think the one-time, self-appointed envoy to Washington, DC, is arguing in good faith. 'Though Neasa does not publicly disclose its membership, multiple sources including Neasa press statements and trade forums highlight its strong representation of steel traders and re-rollers with minimal domestic productive capacity,' the company said. Amsa also countered that narrative directly. 'Mini-mills that can replace integrated primary steel production are economically and technically untenable,' the company insists. 'Mini-mills based on scrap cannot produce the full range of high-quality, flat and long products required by the automotive, mining, defence, renewable energy and construction sectors.' The core argument is that the Preferential Pricing System (PPS) and export restrictions have cost informal workers and recyclers R60-billion over a decade, while propping up a few scrap-based mills employing only 5,000 people. Government goes to the mat 'The PPS has not just failed; it has actively undermined the viability of integrated producers,' Amsa says. Worse still, it accuses mini-mills of gaming the system: 'Declining to purchase scrap at PPS-mandated discounts, only to subsequently call for tighter export controls to suppress prices further.' The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has admitted it is in 'firefighting mode,' with Minister Parks Tau's working group scrambling to contain the fallout. But Monage is clear: 'Government must acknowledge that past interventions, however well-intentioned, have not delivered. Without leadership, clarity and decisive action, the socioeconomic consequences – more job losses, more factory closures, deeper erosion of capacity – will only deepen.' Meanwhile, globally… ArcelorMittal's global operations are booming. With Q1 2025 gross profit of $1.6-billion and strategic expansions in Liberia, India and the US, the global group is thriving while Amsa fights for its life. The South African story remains bleak: rail failures labelled 'the worst performance on record', soaring energy costs and shrinking domestic demand. Even with a smaller loss expected this month, Amsa warns that 'without immediate policy coherence', integrated plants like Newcastle and Vanderbijlpark could become relics. But Monage offers a final plea for collective ambition: 'No country can industrialise – or reindustrialise – without a resilient metals sector. Steel is the foundational input into mining, construction, transport, manufacturing, energy and agriculture. We must rescue the original intent of the Master Plan and build a future of inclusive, job-rich growth.' At stake is not just the survival of one steel mill or one company. It's the question of whether South Africa can once again build things. DM
Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Daily Maverick
City in the dark — Power cuts choke Joburg's once-vibrant small businesses
Daily Maverick collected voices from Johannesburg's hardest-hit communities where chronic power failures aren't just an inconvenience — they're an existential threat to businesses, livelihoods, and public safety. In a big city, big numbers tell the story of struggle. But what do almost 100,000 reported power cuts in nine months really feel like? After mapping 5,126 of the most serious multi-day and regular outages, Daily Maverick identified some of the worst-affected areas and went out to collect citizen testimonies of what it means for the lives and businesses of the city's people. We found that when the lights go out, so does business. Emmarentia is one of Johannesburg's most beautiful suburbs in the near north. Its business strip is testimony to the city's changing districts. The food shops range from Italian to Indian and to popular halaal fast food spots like KFC and Pizza Hut. Its spice shops and greengrocers do a roaring trade, as does the lovely lady who sells Cape koeksisters and bollas (delicious doughnuts) on Sundays. I go there regularly, and you can see the businesses struggling when the lights go out — as we tracked data, it wasn't surprising to see Emmarentia and surrounds as one of the areas most affected by the crisis of multiple power cuts in Johannesburg. This kind of retail strip drives the city's economy and is essential to the national economy — small and medium-sized businesses are vital to the macro economy, but are also most vulnerable to chronic municipal failure. Whereas big businesses can buy out of the crisis with huge solar plants and massive water tanks, small and medium-sized businesses do not have the capital, we found. Eesa Bhyat owns 3@1 Emmarentia — a photocopying and general admin business. 'The outages affect us very negatively, we had to get solar. I had to because it's just horrible. We also have an inverter, so as long as the sun is shining I have power now. When there's no power, the (cellphone) towers go down, and my Wi-Fi goes down, so I stand on a chair to get a signal and hotspot the shop. When there's no signal, it's terrible. I've lost customers due to this, and it's because of the power outages. The ward councillor comes in to print, and she seems to be proactive. There are always ideas on how things have to be done, and what they are doing, and what they're going to do, but it's a process.' Malusi Manzini owns STANDUP Coffee Machines. ' STANDUP Coffee Machines has been here since 2018 and employs three people. In order to repair or test a machine we need power. So, if there is no power we can't do anything. Whether it is one day or five hours we just have to wait to get the power back. We can't keep our three-day repair promise if we're out for a day. 'The business is really struggling since Covid-19 so we cannot put in generators or inverters or solar panels.' 'The business is really struggling since Covid-19 so we cannot put in generators or inverters or solar panels. Once we can afford it, we will put in solar and an inverter. These days we need the internet, even our landlines are connected. So, we can't make calls or send or receive emails, we have to use our cellphones and there is a slow connection. When the power is out, card machines lose signal. So, then we have to ask customers to bring cash and it becomes a whole long story. The amount we pay for electricity along with the service charges that go along with that, we just expect the power to be consistent.' Priya Deva owns a dog grooming parlour. Pet ownership is huge in many suburbs, and servicing furry friends can be a vibrant small business. But not when there's no electricity. 'This store has been here for 25 years, and I took it over just over three years ago, and I employ three people and another person who works on weekends. We had planned for load shedding, and then we started getting additional issues when there is a storm, or a substation goes down, then it affects us and then there are unplanned outages. (It's getting more erratic, she says.) 'We try to get faster help through supportive ward councillors. With a generator backup you always need to ensure that you have diesel on hand, and that the machine is serviced and working and you have to check it occasionally because of the outages. In our store when there is no power cut, we can do four dogs at the same time. During planned or unplanned load shedding, only two. Sometimes we need to reschedule, and not all clients understand. We used to have a steady flow of clients — now outages and water issues disrupt us, and it really affects us as a small business. (Emmarentia often has both water and electricity cuts at the same time.) 'As a small business, we depend on electricity — it affects revenue. We use hair cutters and hair dryers, but not normal hair dryers, powerful hair dryers. As a small business owner, we would love to have electricity at all times. We get messages saying that someone has been sent out to find the fault, but then we go there and actually there is no one there finding the fault. Sometimes we drive to the substation to see if there is anyone there. But this thing happened a month ago or two weeks ago and it's happening again now.' Thulani is an employee at El Caballero Tobacconist, which has been open for five years. 'Our store mainly runs off Wi-Fi, so if the Wi-Fi is down I cannot do anything. I can't make calls and I can't update stock. My point of sale works through the Wi-Fi, without Wi-Fi I can't sell — my inventory synchs automatically. I have a tablet as a backup, but I have to recharge that every 30 minutes. If the cigars aren't chilled, they go stale and we lose money. 'We got an inverter and that set us back, the inverter and the battery. It cost a pretty penny to install that. The battery alone cost R40,000 and the inverter is about R15,000. When there is a power outage, then the customers start flooding. What's a better way to sort a problem out than to smoke a pipe and just wait for the power to come back? Everyone's complained to the ward councillor. What happens, right, is we will have a power outage for two hours, then after the two hours the power is not back, we get a notification saying there is a tower that's down or a (power) line that has broken. The next day we get a notification saying that they're fixing it. Another day: a notification with a status update. (City Power's quarterly reports show that power outages are taking longer and longer to fix.) 'City Power's response times are an hour or an hour and a half. That's just to answer the call.' 'City Power's response times are an hour or an hour and a half. That's just to answer the call. If I make a call at 8am, City Power sends someone at 1pm. Their response is slow. This takes my attention away from my customers, and I use my money and my airtime to make that call to City Power.' Nazeer Varachia owns a Wimpy, a busy and vibey franchise. ' Wimpy Emmarentia has been in business for 20 years now and we have about 20 staff members. We've experienced outages for a number of years now. It's tough. We have to rely on our generators, and they are expensive equipment to run with the diesel costs and running costs. It impacts on overall margins. The generators are a massive capital outlay, which I am sure that a lot of businesses are still paying off. 'At first, it (the outages) was good for business. When people weren't fully prepared for these outages, we used to get a surge of business. But now households have geared up for this, and they've got other means of cooking or preparing meals at home. During the week, it's a toss-up between starting up the generator and waiting for customers to come in, or to stay with the generator off. That confuses customers, so we power it up, and just hope that they come in, so at least we can cover the running costs of the generators. 'We sometimes have power surges and that causes some damage to equipment. We've had fridge and freezer failures. I've had an issue with my ice-cream machine as well. We just carry on. A lot of these speed points work with SIM cards, and when the power is out the signal goes down with different cellphone companies, and customers get impatient and frustrated when it comes to making payment using these speed points. We have constant communication with the ERA, that's the Emmarentia Residents Association, as well as one or two WhatsApp groups that the councillors are on, and they keep us updated. But there is only so much that they can do.' Selby and Booysens are industrial areas, almost 100 years old, where Johannesburg's light and manufacturing industry thrived and now barely survives. While political leaders have preached for decades about South Africa's de-industrialisation and how the country needs to build its manufacturing sector, the power cuts display in hard detail how poor governance can snuff out the remains of the sector, which could still be a net employer if the City was run efficiently. James Miles of Metals Centre, which started up in 1986. 'The period from December 2024 to March 2025 was diabolical, the worst since national load shedding started affecting businesses in 2008. Staff numbers have plummeted from 52 to 20 employees. It's a major problem. Our factory needs power for six units, and we need lights to operate the machinery. 'In 2008 we hired a generator, at our cost, during three weeks of an underground fire in the tunnels (that run under the city) caused by stolen cables. With the diesel that it took to run for the duration, we couldn't purchase a generator, and at that time the economy was still in decent shape. (The economy has been stagnant for more than a decade.) 'In December 2024, City Power's communication was very poor. They didn't tell us how severe the problem was, or how long it would take to restore power. Eventually, an official notification came through my landlord, to say that there was major cable theft of about 2.7km of cable in the inner city. It took them a few days to replace the cables and restore the power. 'The following week they stole the cables again, twice. I had a maximum of five days where the electricity worked.' 'The following week they stole the cables again, twice. I had a maximum of five days where the electricity worked. We have investigated purchasing a generator, but the diesel would cost more than my daily profit. I have asked my landlord to explore the possibility of solar. 'In January and February (2025) there were a number of cuts, but they were shorter. In March, we had on-off electricity and a cut for four days. I had four hours of workable electricity in that week for my business. (He reels off the days, saying that in March they could work at full capacity for only six days due to the outages.) I can't pay rent this month.' (Fires in the tunnels that run underneath the inner city are common, and earlier in 2025 cable thief gangs who operate there attacked City Power teams trying to deal with the outage. There are many multi-day outages in the inner city.) Jennifer King is the owner of Dick King Lab Supplies in Selby. 'We've been around since 1978 and employ 15 people. We have massive generators for manufacturing, but of course the diesel and petrol bill has gone through the roof. The whole process gets affected in that our supplier can't perform certain tasks and do certain things, and the entire manufacturing process slows down. 'It affects customers collecting goods. It's been 20 years of this. In Selby, there's an increased safety issue because of the outages. More and more people don't want to work late or don't want to work on weekends. It's time to motivate and inspire in the area in Selby, maybe form a security forum to make it safer. We have never had any of the ward councillors take an interest in us, but if there are any other businesses in the area that want to approach the ward councillors, I would support them. It would be interesting to see who can assist us and who would stand up for our rights.' William owns Stone Work Wear in Booysens, a company he started 15 years ago and which employs 15 people. 'If the power is out for three days, that costs my business R1,800 and affects my bottom line quite significantly. (He was forced to buy a generator three years ago.)' DM This investigation was produced with the support of the SA | AJP, an initiative of the Henry Nxumalo Foundation funded by the European Union. This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
