Mthembu inspires SA at Nation Brand Forum

Monday, October 28, 2019

From the Boks’ strong showing in the Rugby World Cup underway in Japan, to the unforgettable performance of the Ndlovu Youth Choir on the international stage – these are just some of the national highlights that South Africans can be proud of.

“Nothing nurtures a sense of shared national pride better than the country consciously making efforts in nation building activities, and nothing unites a people better than sport, arts and culture.

“I’m certain we are all proud of how the Springboks have been showcasing our sports progress in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, having secured South Africa’s spot in the finals… We equally pride ourselves with the performance of our National Netball Team, who were crowned the 2019 Africa Netball champions last week,” said Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu on Monday.

Mthembu addressed the 4th Annual Nation Brand Forum in Sandton, Gauteng. Held by Brand SA under theme ‘Reviving South Africa’s Nation Brand identity and narrative’, the forum brought together a plethora of stakeholders, whose objective was to promote a cohesive approach when marketing South Africa internationally.

Mthembu said while the nation has a lot to be proud of in the 25 Years of Democracy, much more remained to be done to create an environment conducive for the betterment of the lives of South Africans on a grand scale.

“Our country needs a thriving economic sector to drive development and transformation imperatives destined to improve the quality of life and a better life for all,” Mthembu said.

South Africa is currently the 60th most competitive nation in the world, out of 140 countries ranked in the 2018 edition of the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. South Africa also ranked 82 among 190 economies on the Ease of Doing Business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings.

He appealed to all sectors of society to rally behind the major investment drive that was initiated by President Ramaphosa in 2018. The country will in November host the second Annual South African Investment Conference in Johannesburg.

The Minister said South Africa could not talk about nation building without addressing the social ills that limit the country’s progress.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the acts of violence against women, children and foreign nationals, and strongly condemn anything that seeks to break down the foundation it collectively took us to build.

“As government, we have acted strongly by arresting the perpetrators of public violence and have implemented multi-faceted plans and interventions to prevent gender-based violence.

“We want to strive for a violence-free future that allows all to thrive,” said Mthembu. - SAnews.gov.za