By Zunaid Moti, Entrepreneur, Investor, and Founder of MotiMoves

Let’s clear something up straight away. There is no such thing as overnight success.

It’s an impressive phrase, but it belongs in the same category as “instant legacy” or “effortless empire.” It’s catchy and marketable, but largely fiction.

Scroll through social media long enough and you’d swear billion-dollar companies are built between Monday morning and Thursday afternoon, complete with a podcast appearance and a perfectly packaged motivational quote.

Real life is a little less cinematic. Behind almost every so-called overnight success sits a decade of work nobody noticed.

The myth that distorts entrepreneurship

The biggest problem with the overnight success label is that it rewrites the story of how success actually happens.

People see the breakthrough moment – the big investment, the viral announcement, or the headline that suddenly places someone in the spotlight. What they don’t see are the years leading up to it – failed ideas, difficult pivots, uncomfortable learning curves, and long stretches where progress feels measured in millimetres.

Social media doesn’t show that part of the story. It shows the champagne moment, not the grind that paid for the bottle.

When young entrepreneurs only see the final chapter, they start believing they’re falling behind. They’re not. They’re simply comparing their real journey to someone else’s highlight reel.

The “lucky break” illusion

When people try to explain someone’s sudden success, they often reach for the word luck. Someone was “discovered” or met the right investor by chance in a coffee shop.

Those stories make great documentaries. They make terrible business advice. In my experience, luck is usually preparation meeting opportunity. The people who appear lucky are almost always the ones who have been quietly working for years, learning their industry, refining their thinking, testing ideas, building relationships, and developing the thick skin to survive setbacks.

Hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but it improves the chances that when opportunity knocks, you’re not still scrambling to get dressed. If it arrives and you’re not prepared, it will pass to the next person.

Take Elon Musk. Many assume his success with SpaceX or Tesla was an overnight triumph. In reality, he spent years on the brink of bankruptcy, pouring his last cent into prototypes that repeatedly failed before the world recognized his vision. Most entrepreneurs work the same way. The public sees the breakthrough year, not the decade behind it.

The danger of chasing hype

In other words, believing the overnight success myth is naïve, and it can even be destructive. When entrepreneurs chase hype instead of building fundamentals, they begin measuring themselves against unrealistic timelines. And when those timelines aren’t met, frustration creeps in.

Six months without traction feels like failure, and a year without explosive growth feels catastrophic. But most serious businesses are still figuring themselves out in year three.

Business isn’t a sprint and it doesn’t run on social-media timelines. It’s a marathon with a few hills thrown in for good measure. Push too hard for too long without perspective, and the cracks start appearing – in your health, relationships, judgement, and the quality of your decisions.

Failure is part of the system

Show me an entrepreneur who claims they’ve never failed, and I’ll show you someone who hasn’t taken enough risks. Failure is not a glitch in the system. It is the system. Jeff Bezos has overseen dozens of high-profile “flops,” from the Fire Phone to defunct auction sites, losing hundreds of millions in the process. He views those failures as the tuition fees required to eventually build a world-dominant company.

Business is no different. Every failed deal, wrong hire, or flawed idea teaches you something – usually the hard way. Setbacks force you to rethink what went wrong and make smarter decisions next time.

The real competitive advantage

In keeping with this, people often assume the biggest advantages in business are intelligence, capital, connections, or even timing. But one factor matters more than most people realise. Endurance. You’ve got to be a pitbull about persistence.

Most businesses don’t fail because the idea was wrong. They fail because the founder ran out of patience or money.

The entrepreneurs who succeed are the ones who stay in the game long enough. They learn from their mistakes and refuse to let one difficult chapter become the whole story.

When something goes wrong, and it will, I remind myself of a simple question:

Is this the end of the movie, or just a plot twist? And most of the time, it’s just a plot twist.

Real success is messy and unpredictable, and it takes far longer than people expect.

But here’s the irony. If you stay focused on building something real rather than chasing headlines or shortcuts, one day people will start saying you succeeded overnight.

When that happens, don’t correct them. Just smile and get back to work. Because the people who last in business are the ones still building long after everyone else has moved on to the next “overnight success”.

There’s a popular saying in business circles: “Don’t mix business with family.” To which I’ve always said, “Why not?”. If I’m going to spend my days building an empire, fighting fires, and leaving a legacy, I’d much rather do it with people I trust more than anyone else on earth.

The truth is, family can be one of the greatest business advantages you’ll ever have – if you approach it with intention, structure, and shared purpose. And in my experience, having family by your side in business is less of a risk and more of a superpower..

Trust Is the Greatest Currency

Business runs on trust. Not just forecasts, not spreadsheets, not pitch decks – trust. You can’t buy it, outsource it, or fabricate it. And in a world full of smoke and mirrors, where competitors smile at you while sharpening their knives, having someone beside you who genuinely wants the best for you, is gold.

Family brings that by default. Who knows you better than your own family? They’ve seen you succeed, stumble, and rebuild, and they still back you. When you work with people who have stood beside you through real-life highs and lows, there’s a different level of belief in the mission. They don’t just show up for the salary – they show up for you.

They Understand the Sacrifice

There’s a unique, unspoken language that family understands when it comes to the pressure of building something from the ground up. They know what it means when you cancel dinner plans, miss the birthday lunch, or work through a holiday.

Why? Because they’ve seen it. They’ve lived it with you. And often, they’ve carried the load with quiet strength – watching the kids while you were in meetings, holding the fort when you were travelling, or simply showing up with coffee when the days got heavy.

That kind of support doesn’t get listed on an org chart – but it’s worth more than most titles.

Strength in Our Differences

Every family member has a strength. But every family member also has a weakness. The beauty is in how those strengths and weaknesses complement each other. Where one might be impulsive, the other is strategic. Where one is a visionary, the other is detail-obsessed. Together, it creates a balanced and grounded leadership structure built on mutual understanding – not ego.

I’ve seen this first-hand in my own journey. When done right, family businesses become ecosystems of skill, instinct, trust, and shared ambition.

Legacy Is a Long Game

Let’s be honest. Most entrepreneurs aren’t just building for today. We’re building for the next 10, 20, even 50 years. We’re building with the dream that something we start now will continue long after we’re gone.

That’s what legacy is. And who better to help you build something that lasts than those who will inherit the blueprint?

I’m not just thinking about business success – I’m thinking about what my children, and their children, will inherit. A business built on shared values is far more sustainable than one built purely on market trends.

But Family Doesn’t Mean Free Passes

Here’s the part they don’t put on the mugs and fridge magnets: working with family only works if everyone knows their lane.

In my businesses, family has never been a shortcut to a title. It comes with more responsibility, not less. If your name is tied to the legacy, you better be contributing to it. I believe in hiring family – but I also believe in accountability. Clear roles, expectations, and honest performance reviews aren’t optional just because we share a surname.

Love is unconditional – job descriptions are not.

Final Thoughts: Family Is the Foundation

Family isn’t a weakness in business – it’s the strongest foundation you can build on. It’s where loyalty lives, where trust is native, and where legacy can truly be born.

So, to those who warn against involving family in your business, I say this: just because some people did it wrong doesn’t mean it can’t be done right. With structure, shared values, and clear communication, family can be your greatest business asset.

And in a world that moves fast and forgets easily, building with family means creating something that stands – not just the test of time, but the test of legacy.

Zunaid Moti is a renowned entrepreneur and investor, best known for his free online entrepreneurial mentorship programme, MotiMoves. His ventures span various industries in Southern Africa, with a focus on innovation, sustainability, and generational impact.

Inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about the danger of a single story, the author, Dr Vilakazi wrote the book to inspire courage to own one’s truth and refusal to let outside forces and circumstances own your narrative. The book is about a true-life event that demonstrates leadership lessons that leaders at all levels can learn from, including aspiring leaders. The following are the key lessons conveyed in the book:

· Governance principles

· Employer/employee relations

· The South African labour court system

Extract from Chapter 3: Navigating Corporate and Academic worlds

Five months to the day after Professor Alagidede called me to his office about the Kantar contract, I was going about my usual routine when I opened my emails to find an invitation for a disciplinary hearing from Employee Relations at the main campus. Attached to the email was the disciplinary hearing bundle, which included the Kantar contract, the Cost Recovery (CORY) policy I was accused of violating, and gate access information detailing when and how often I had accessed the WBS campus.

Two charges had been brought against me: the first was that I had neglected my duties as a lecturer due to my limited time on campus, and the second was that I had accepted full-time employment without the university’s knowledge, thereby prejudicing the institution. The charge stated that this constituted gross misconduct, and if found guilty, I faced dismissal. I was confused and terrified by the email. Immediately, I called Professor Alagidede to ask what could be happening. He replied that he didn’t know but had received the same email. He reassured me that it was probably nothing and that I just needed to show up at the disciplinary hearing on the designated day. However, I knew it was definitely not nothing; it was potentially serious. No one gets invited to a disciplinary hearing for trivial matters.

I then called my colleague, Dr Thanti Mthanti, who was quite vocal about issues of unfairness at the university and served as the chairperson of the Transformation Forum for WBS academics. He was one of my close colleagues at the time and was helpful to both other academics and students. When I asked him about the email, he immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation. He advised me that something like this had never happened during his tenure but urged me to take it seriously. He didn’t know what I should do and suggested that I speak to Professor Anthony Stacey, who might have insight into the situation since he had been with the university for over 20 years and knew WBS very well. I called Professor Stacey, who confirmed the seriousness of the matter.

He echoed Dr Mthanti’s statement that it was unprecedented for someone to face disciplinary action at WBS. He offered to represent me as a fellow colleague, which I greatly appreciated, as I had no idea what to do. I accepted his offer and forwarded him the email to start preparing for the hearing.

Professor Stacey analysed the policy landscape and concluded that nothing in the policies contradicted the Kantar contract. He pointed out that the Cost Recovery (CORY) policy was specifically about consulting work done by academics using university resources. The accusation was that I was not sharing my income with the university and was therefore in breach of the CORY policy. This policy required academics who used university resources to share income with the university; however, I was clearly not utilising any university resources for the Kantar work. He was as confused as I was, but we decided to go to the hearing together.

On the day of the hearing, Professor Alagidede came to my office to offer me a lift to the main campus, where the hearing was set to take place. As we talked about the situation, I could feel the tension rising. He blamed me for not acting promptly to change the contract as he had advised, suggesting that if I had, we wouldn’t be in this predicament. Our voices grew louder, and just then, Professor Stacey happened to walk by and overheard our conversation. He became upset, perceiving that Professor Alagidede was intimidating me. In his view, it was inappropriate for him to come to my office just before the hearing.

I interpreted Professor Alagidede’s actions as genuine concern for my well-being, believing he felt remorseful about the situation and wished he could alleviate my distress. We drove together to the hearing, and upon arrival, I was met in the corridor by a very hostile senior manager from Employee Relations. This immediately set a daunting tone for the proceedings. The hearing chairperson, Ms Marie-Luise Winter, invited us into the room, and as soon as the hearing commenced, I was taken aback during the opening statement. It was revealed that Professor Alagidede had reported the matter to Employee Relations and was acting as the university’s witness against me. I was in utter disbelief as the hearing unfolded. Anger welled up in me as I recalled Professor Alagidede’s earlier assurances that he had no idea what was happening and that I had no reason to worry. I glanced over at Professor Stacey, who mirrored my shock as the reality of the situation sank in.

When the charges were presented to me, I pleaded not guilty, determined to defend myself against these baseless accusations. Then, Professor Alagidede took the stand, and to my astonishment, he lied about our relationship. He claimed that the trust between us had been irrevocably broken, asserting that I had planned to deceive him from the very beginning when I first approached him for guidance. It was jarring to see him speak in such a manner, completely out of character and seemingly rehearsed as a witness for the university.

During the cross-examination, Professor Stacey deftly questioned him, revealing that the Cost Recovery (CORY) policy did not apply to my case. The inconsistencies in Alagidede’s testimony began to surface, particularly when Professor Stacey pressed him on the specifics of when and how trust had been broken between us. It was clear that he was struggling to justify his claims, and the evidence began to point in my favour.

Professor Stacey’s questioning was incisive as he pressed Professor Alagidede on the credibility of his claims. “Did the trust get broken when he discovered the contract five months ago, yet still proceeded to give you additional work and even praised your performance in a glowing appraisal afterward? When did this trust actually break?” Alagidede was left stumbling for an answer, visibly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. It was clear that the weight of the situation was pressing down on him, and I couldn’t help but feel a convoluted mix of sympathy and frustration.

Realising that I needed more evidence to counter his assertions, I took the step of requesting a postponement to gather additional documentation and witness testimonies. Initially, the chairperson, Ms Winter, seemed reluctant to grant the extension, likely believing that the hearing should proceed as planned. However, Professor Stacey advocated for me with compelling arguments about the necessity of a fair hearing and the importance of allowing me the chance to adequately defend myself. After some deliberation, she reluctantly agreed to a two-day postponement, giving me a glimmer of hope amid the turmoil.

As the hearing came to a close, a blend of anxiety and a strong sense of resolve washed over me. I had a brief window to prepare and gather the evidence I needed to clear my name and counter the accusations against me. With the support of Professor Stacey and my colleagues, I was resolved to fight back and expose the truth behind this unjust situation.

The matter resumed two days later, and I had the evidence I needed. To my surprise, the goalposts had changed. The first charge, for which I had prepared evidence, was now being dropped. Professor Alagidede testified that the access information to the university didn’t hold any significance because it was normal for academics at WBS not to come to campus daily, and they were not expected to.

My performance was also not under scrutiny, as it had been satisfactory. Additionally, he was abandoning the CORY policy and was now citing the policy on the declaration of interests, which included moonlighting as one of the interests to declare. He argued that my work with Kantar constituted moonlighting and that, according to the policy, I needed to seek permission before engaging in it. I was seeing this clause for the first time, and I was completely confused and traumatised by what was happening.

Professor Alagidede testified that the Director of the MBA program, with whom I was working closely, had also told him that she couldn’t trust me. This was even more

shocking news to me. The lies and the shifting information were unfolding right in front of my eyes. By this time, I didn’t know exactly what I was defending. My understanding of the policy on declarations was that I needed to declare my interests annually, and Human Resources would send out reminders, even if I forgot to do it. I gave my testimony, explaining that I had not seen the threat or urgency of declaring my interests since the deadline for declarations, which was the 28th of February that year, had not yet arrived, and the hearing was taking place in January. When the hearing ended, I left with Professor Stacey feeling confused, shocked, and guilty. I couldn’t help but think I must have done something terrible to make him throw me under the bus like that, as if I had genuinely disappointed Professor Alagidede for him to sell me out like that.

We live in a time of stark contrasts, with great economic uncertainty, unprecedented wealth accumulation and radical technological advances, whilst at the same moment inequality is deepening, the climate crisis is worsening, and environmental degradation is pushing ecosystems to the brink.

For Africa, the stakes are particularly high. As the continent most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and inequality, we face a complex challenge: How do we build thriving economies without sacrificing our social fabric or natural resources? How do we create prosperity that lifts communities rather than widening the gap?

While African business are uniquely positioned to lead this change, we need a credible framework with which to do it.

What’s Broken in Business Today?

The old way of doing business is no longer fit for purpose. Profit at all costs has left us with rising emissions, exploitative supply chains, and communities that are excluded from the wealth they help create.

This isn’t just bad for people and the planet—it’s bad for business. Consumers are demanding more transparency and accountability. Employees want to work for companies that align with their values. And regulators are starting to crack down on greenwashing and unethical practices.

It’s clear that business as usual is not sustainable. What we need is a new way forward—a framework that balances profit with purpose, growth with responsibility, and innovation with inclusion.

That framework exists. It’s called B Corp Certification.

B Corp: A Credible Framework for the Evolution of Business

At its core, this is about rewriting the rules of business. It’s about holding companies accountable for their impact on people, communities, and the planet—not just their shareholders.

To become a certified B Corporation™, a company must complete a rigorous, independently verified assessment measuring its performance across five key areas; Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and its Customers. Crucially, Certified B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

Given Africa’s historic challenges with corruption and transparency, B Corp provides a measurable, independently verified way to ensure businesses are part of the solution, not the problem.  As the certification is globally recognised, African companies involved in exports to international markets are also able to authentically differentiate themselves with a credible trust mark, overcoming legacy stigmas associated with African businesses. 

Finally, the framework encourages resilience—something African businesses have always excelled at. By focusing on governance, sustainability, and inclusion, it aligns perfectly with the strengths and values of our continent and the principle of ‘Ubuntu’.

Animarem’s Journey: A Personal Perspective

When I founded Animarem, I wanted to create something that mattered—a company that could help businesses become better versions of themselves while driving real change in the world.

From the beginning, I was drawn to the movement. It felt like the community I had always been searching for—a group of businesses that believe success should be measured not just by financial profit, but by the positive impact they create.

But certifying Animarem wasn’t easy. In fact, the first time we undertook the B Impact Assessment, we didn’t make the cut. Our score was in the 60s – far below the 80-point threshold required to certify.

It was humbling. But it was also clarifying.

We took a hard look at our operations, our governance, and the way we measured impact. We made deliberate choices to improve – not just so we could pass the test, but because we wanted to live up to our values.

Fast forward to today, and Animarem is officially a certified B Corporation with a score of 91.6. That number represents more than just a milestone – it represents the kind of company we’re becoming every day.

Our Role 

For years, Animarem has been at the forefront of the movement in Africa. As a prior Market Builder for Southern Africa, we’ve worked to raise awareness, engage communities, and help businesses see the value of balancing purpose and profit.

Today, we’re proud to have Africa’s top team of B Leaders — consultants who specialize in guiding companies through the certification process. We’ve seen first-hand how the framework transforms businesses, not just in terms of impact, but also in terms of cultural engagement, brand distinction, and operational excellence.

Nearly 90% of our revenue during our certification year came from B Corp clients. That’s not a coincidence, as purpose-driven businesses attract purpose-driven partners.

But our work is far from done. Africa is home to some of the world’s most resilient and innovative businesses. There are still too few certified B Corps on the continent and that’s why we’ve set an ambitious goal: to help create 1,000 certified B Corps across Africa.

Why Now Is the Time

During the current global economic turmoil, the opportunity for Africa to set its own long-term economic approach is upon us. The choices we make now will determine whether we become a leader in sustainable development or a cautionary tale of having ‘missed the boat’.

B Corp Certification offers a way forward – a framework for businesses to grow sustainably, inclusively, and with integrity. For leaders and founders, the question isn’t whether your company can become a B Corp. The question is: When will you start the journey?

A Resonant Call to Action

If you’re reading this, you’re already part of the conversation. You already see that business has the power to change the world. Now, it’s time to act. I once heard a saying that entrepreneurs ‘learn by doing’. The same is true of organisational evolution, there are thousands of companies and leaders navigating their role in this new world right now, with courage and conviction. We at Animarem are among them, will you join us to create a more conscious, inclusive, and sustainable economy?

Prof. Bonang Mohale is an accomplished academic, former business executive and a modern leader. Mohale is the Chancellor of the University of the Free State, President of Business Unity South Africa and Professor of practice at the Johannesburg Business School in the College of Economics and Business. Mohale chairs the two boards of the Bidvest Group Limited and SBV services. He is the author of two books, ‘Lift as you Rise’ and ‘Behold the turtle’. Both these books are now in the Top 10 Best Seller’s list and making waves. Tribe Business Magazine sat down with him to discuss his books and thoughts around leading and leadership.

What was the inspiration behind your book Lift as you Rise?

‘Lift as you Rise’ is an African edict that simply says that as an individual you don’t have to wait until you are at the pinnacle of the organisation or you have the title before you extend a hand and lift as you rise. It says that if you are the government, the best amongst us lead with the heart of a servant because servant leadership is not a leader with many servants. It says if you are a business you need to continue doing well by doing good, because when business does well, society in general does well. As business we have a huge responsibility on our shoulders and we cannot be at the apex of corruption and shady dealings. It says business cannot continue to be an island of prosperity in a sea of poverty. Lastly it says that – lift as you rise portrays the law of nature – because nature is a wonderful metaphor for business. Everything that nature does it doesn’t do for itself, but for others. ‘Lift as you Rise’ took 8 years to write and ‘Behold the turtle’ took 2 years to write, not because I got clever but simply because I was in national lockdown. The second book ‘Behold the turtle’ which is also an African Edict says behold the turtle, it only makes progress when its neck is stuck out meaning that all of us as human beings could choose to be comfortable in our own safety like the safety of the hard shell of the turtle or the tortoise but if we do that then we won’t go anywhere as fast. For one to make progress from point A to point B we have to stick our neck out, just as when the turtle sticks its neck out, there is a possibility that the bird of prey might be hovering on top of trees watching and waiting to pounce. The metaphor is for us as human beings, in the context of ethically principled leadership, meaning each time we want to move forward in space and time we literally have a dance with death. We have to be prepared to risk it all in order for humanity to realise its common purpose and greater good. It’s about time that the good people put as much energy, time, work and effort as the bad guys do in doing bad things. Therefore we know all that is required for evil to persist and to thrive is for good people to do nothing. When we choose to be silent, we have made a choice and we have chosen the side of the oppressor not of the oppressed. That choice was made therefore our silence speaks volumes and we can’t claim neutrality because each time we claim to be neutral we are actually making a conscious, intentional choice to choose the side of the evil versus the good. I like the fact that both my books are African Edicts because I could have written like Shakespeare but in case you haven’t noticed I am an African. Secondly it was Africans who suffered 360 years of colonialism, 98 years of separate development and 48 years of institutionalised Apartheid. Not only was our land stolen which is the primary means of production but our culture was stolen our language was stolen, our morals and ways of doing things was stolen. We were told that everything black and African was backwards and hidden. Black is bad and good is white, but when a company is doing well it’s in the black and that’s the only time a positive association is connected with blackness other than that everything else is seen as negative. That’s why a lot of our people have been so brainwashed that to them progress and being clever had to be expressed in speaking English, that you are really productive and at work if you speak English and even amongst our fellow Africans we choose not to speak our mother tongues.

You are one of the MyMastery instructors focusing on ethical leadership and strategy and you are running a course on it. Here at Tribe Business Mag we believe in modern leadership. We believe modern leadership is what ties in with the change in times. You define yourself as a modern leader by using the traits that are relevant in today’s world. What are your thoughts on ethical leadership and strategy in this world that is in flux?

Leadership cannot be anything but ethical; however for emphasis we say ethical leadership. Because I am pretending to be an author I over-emphasise that by being tautologous in saying ethically confident leadership. As a leader you can’t be defensive and say you haven’t been found guilty in a court of law because the mere choice of confessing that you are a leader means you aspire for the higher ranks of morality and principles not just a rule of law. It means we measure you and you measure yourself with a higher standard, and that standard is the highest form of our own aspirations to be better today compared to yesterday, to never rest until the whole of humanity is out of the self-perpetuating vicious cycle of absolute poverty. So leadership is followership because you cannot lead yourself. Followership for other people is taking their faith and putting it in your hands. This essentially requires 3 things. Firstly a leader requires some sort of compelling vision that you are taking your people to a better place, a place they have never been. Secondly a leader requires courage because nobody will follow somebody who is petrified and scared of their own shadow. They have to be a warrior, gallant and have to be absolutely like the turtle that sticks its neck out. Lastly a leader requires integrity and this is the one principle we don’t speak about. You can’t call yourself a leader when the society or the village you come from know you as a thief and unethical. You are a leader because you represent absolutely the best hope and aspirations of what we have as a people. Therefore leadership is about extending trust not expecting it. It’s about starting with the – who first and then the what, because if you surround yourself with good people they will help you figure out what is it that you are supposed to be doing. Because together we can accomplish that which on our own will take inordinately long. Leadership is exemplified in the fact that when things go right you credit the team and when things go wrong you take final accountability. Leadership is about praising publically but chastising in private. Therefore this notion of leadership is absolutely the key in anything that needs to be transformed. As I conclude I’m reminded of another African edict that says I fear a pack of sheep led by a lion more than a pack of lions led by a sheep, this is because the tone is always set from the top it is never bottom up. To an extent we need to create space for people to feel needed and wanted, to feel free to speak their mind to create an environment that is a safe space. That to me is leadership and both my books talk about that notion of leadership. We have forgotten why we went through the struggle in the first place in a rush for feeding like absolute pigs, in the trust of industrial state beauty when we have forgotten that it was always about improving the quality of lives of our people.

Do you feel that, because we haven’t incalculated the values of African-ness and African-hood into the way leaders are leading, perhaps we have taken more elements that are borrowed and that don’t resonate with the leadership that’s needed on the African continent? Do you feel there is a gap and we are lacking for example the philosophy of Ubuntu that promotes togetherness, family, empowerment and success, do you feel these elements are lacking in some of our leaders in the country and on the continent?

The greater matter of success is who we become in the process because if you don’t know who you are then money will define you. As we speak today, borrowed converses pour from our lips; borrowed ropes hang from our necks. The measure of progress, intelligence and wisdom is not for ourselves but others. Everything that is African we are trying to underplay, while we promote, highlight and celebrate everything but blackness. All our learnings and teachings we get from nature that’s why the psychologist and scientists will study very intently a monkey that holds all the Bananas to himself when other monkeys are starving to death because the survival of the monkey in the clan is dependent on it working with the other clan member. Yet as human beings, when somebody does what the monkey in question did, we put them on the cover of a magazine or when someone buys 23 cars we give them front page news. My grandmother used to say that when your neighbour is hungry you cannot sleep at night so when we speak of Ubuntu it’s a way of life and its more than just a philosophy, it’s a notion that says in Africa it takes a whole village to bring up an African child. That the African way is looking at the son that is stealing Apricots from their neighbour’s yard without permission, without humbling himself and asking, and not shaming them in public but calling that child and seating him under the shadow of the Marula tree where his elders will teach him that his people have worked very hard in order for that tree to be fruitful. When they are finished with him they allow him to go back into society to go and experience Ubuntu. When he leaves there he only has one thought; I’m going to hold my clan name in the highest esteem, I would never soil it and shame it. That is how we dealt with things. We had our own ways of instilling hope and inspiring confidence in our youth. We had our own way of telling our own stories with the most amazing talent. Just because we didn’t write doesn’t mean we had/have a low IQ, it just means that is how we chose to do things until someone told us if you can’t write, not only are you dumb, stupid and backwards but you are also not even allowed to be a fully functional member of society. Yet we know that if we do not think for ourselves we place our future in the hands of others. It is up to us to create a new world. That new world doesn’t have to be like Japan, China or India but it can be typically African. You don’t compete by copying what others do; you highlight your absolute best. When one moves to France you want to eat typically French food and when the French come here they don’t want to be served croissants but typically African food. They want to experience a journey that represents Africa. When an African has money they don’t want anything to do with being African such as having murals or pictures of other African artists. When Africans have money they want to show other Africans that they have made it and are now rubbing shoulders with the best of the best. ■

For more information about Bonang Mohale’s My Mastery Ethical Leadership classes visit www.mymastery.tv The only local online subscription learning platform where you can learn on demand, in your own time, with exclusive video access to selected individual and often iconic “masters” such as Prof. Mohale, in a structured curriculum.

We all recognise a good leader when we see one but defining qualities and practices is so much harder. There are so many variables in the debate. Are successful leaders simply defined by accomplishment, or how and what their followers feel? How does nature versus nurture factor in? Can leadership be learnt? Is it a formula? And where do trait, circumstance and behaviour fit in?

Tribe Business Magazine sat with CEO of Accenture in Africa – Vukani Mngxati, and prolific investor and entrepreneur – Gil Oved, to speak about modern leadership and what it means in a context ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, digital transformation and globalisation.

INTERACTION ON DIFFERENT LEVELS

 Moreover, the seamless integration of all components using the TIA Portal and the Profinet backbone ensures optimum data visibility. Reliable industry-grade components from Siemens are used on all levels to ensure high plant availability.

“Siemens provided digitalisation, flexibility, and customisation in deploying the technology, which was the right fit for the project. Based on close cross-collaboration between all our divisions, several elements from the Siemens portfolio could be successfully integrated. The fact that it was all brought together by our Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal makes it even better,» says Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens South Africa.

SO MUCH MORE THAN WATER

 Since starting operation, the plant has continued to provide not only a reliable source of drinking water, but also jobs for the local population. “With this project, we are also helping to develop local skills. Staff of the operating company Water Utilities Corporation received training at the Siemens Sitrain center in Midrand, South Africa, and in Botswana. Now they can utilise these skills to run the plant,” explains Mike Tearnan.

“This deep involvement of the people at the site is a significant factor for successful project implementation.”

MAKING DIGITALIZATION HAPPEN

 With the treatment plant in full operation, Mike Tearnan already has plans to expand the services that Moreflow is able to offer to customers based upon the Siemens digitalisation portfolio: “We look forward to introducing the digital twin concept in future projects. This will allow us to do an upfront design confirmation to better mitigate project challenges, which will translate into significant cost savings and ensure that projects are completed on time. Moreover, we are looking at cloud connectivity to MindSphere, the leading IoT as a service solution from Siemens.”

These plans are well in line with Siemens’ digitalization strategy. “Digitalization provides important tools to network systems and to support novel approaches of data analysis in operation and maintenance. With our comprehensive digitalization and automation solutions, we are steadily increasing the adoption of innovative technologies and effectively addressing our customers› challenges,» explains Ralf Leinen, Senior Vice President of Siemens Digital Industries for Southern and Eastern Africa.

 What has been your most memorable moment working in South Africa for the Global Citizen campaign?
My most memorable moment to date has been working with one of our corporate partners to build out a co-branded action for a sanitation campaign to eradicate pit latrines by 2020. This action has turned out to be one of our most popular actions to date, with more than 110 000 action takers. This has been truly moving to see how much my fellow South Africans have been invested in rallying behind children’s safety through access to proper toilets in schools.

Taara Rangarajan, Country Director, Global Citizen SA:
Taara is the currently the country director for the newly opened Global Citizen headquarters in Johannesburg where she works with a strong team of advocates and campaigners to build the first office on the continent.

Previously, she served under President Obama at the National Security Council, US Mission to the UN, and at the White House. She served as adviser to former national security adviser Ambassador Susan Rice, handling foreign policy planning, interagency co-ordination and crisis management.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100?
I moved to South Africa in April 2018 to help start the Global Citizen Johannesburg office. The relationships working with our young team of campaigners, artists and advocates in support of incredible local organisations like Harambee, Afrika Tikkun, Lalela and Kliptown have been truly inspiring. I am excited to see how our campaigns fighting for equality, access to clean water and sanitation and improved health outcomes continue to grow in the coming years.

What has been your most memorable moment working in South Africa for the Global Citizen campaign?
The most memorable moment for me was having the honour of visiting with Dr Makaziwe Mandela to discuss how Global Citizen Mandela 100 could do justice to live up to her father’s legacy. She shared personal reflections on Madiba’s love for music and for building community, all while being a fierce advocate for equality. This has been a guiding principle for the work we are doing to build a movement of global citizens in South Africa and around the world.

Letlhogonolo (Tlhogi) Ngwato, On-Point Public Relations Account Director, Global Citizen SA:
Tlhogi is a dynamic communications and public relations professional specialising in the international development sector, and the connection between global issues, new media and innovative communications. She successfully manages relationships with media organisations and effectively navigates government institutions, NGOs and international organisations to meet client needs.

She has worked on a wide range of industry and brands including MultiChoice Africa, Audi South Africa, Red Bull South Africa, EY South Africa, OMO South Africa and The Unemployment Insurance Fund.

Dr Okito Vanessa Wedi, Manager of Global Policy and Government Affairs, Global Citizen:
Dr Wedi is a South African medical doctor and advocate of Congolese descent, who has worked in both low- and middle-income countries. She is also one of the founding members of the Ona Mtoto Wako project (“See Your Baby” in Swahili), a social initiative that uses mobile ultrasound clinics and mhealth technology to take trained local healthcare workers to pregnant women in remote communities in the DRC.

Her nine years of experience in health, policy and social development are founded on a commitment to help tackle health inequity, gender inequality and extreme poverty in the Global South and the world.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100?
It means being a part of something bigger than myself—something focused, prime and purpose-driven. Being a part of this moment is nothing short of blessing.

What has been your most memorable moment working in South Africa for the Global Citizen campaign?
Hearing the voices of hundreds of women and non-conforming people across South Africa sharing their stories of gender-based violence, sexual violence and homophobia. It was a sobering reminder that we as Global Citizen have been entrusted with the stories and experiences of real people, and thus have a responsibility to them and every person who has taken action on the key issues that need to be tackled if we are ever to realise a non-violent, non-sexist, non-prejudice world.

Allana Foster-Finley, Business Development Campaigns Manager, Global Citizen:
Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Allana has an extensive background in the fashion industry. Before making South Africa her home in 2000, she worked her way around the US fashion world.

For the past 18 years, she has been focused on telling the story of the Africa in innovative ways. She has produced a 14-part series for the US government programme Pepfar, is an advisory board member to the first ever South African Menswear Week, a non-executive board member of the Cape Town Fashion Council (2014–2016), served on the board of the Museum of African Design, and contributed to the book African Catwalk by award-winning photojournalist Per-Anders Pettersson.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100?
When Global Citizen came on my radar, I was working in the fashion industry and doing my MBA in Kigali, Rwanda. I didn’t think twice about shifting courses to help make this festival a reality. Being part of the festival means I am a part of changing the negative narrative that has plagued the African continent. It is so powerful that Global Citizen is putting the power of impacting policy change in the hands of African citizens.

What has been your most memorable moment working in South Africa for the Global Citizen campaign?
My most memorable moment was during our first action journey, watching a whole community in Soweto, young and old, come out of their homes to clean up a dump site that had been laden with trash for so long. I had honestly never witnessed anything like it—and in that very moment I knew that Global Citizen was unlike any movement to hit Africa before.

Victoria Fortune, Global Manager of Strategic Partnerships; Special Events Producer, Global Citizen:
Victoria is a proud alumna of Howard University, currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. Her love for the community and performing arts has led her to various opportunities in the humanitarian and entertainment space.

Upon graduating, Victoria worked at AEG Live in the marketing and touring department, after which she transitioned to Global Citizen where she leads on partnerships that engage diverse communities. In her producer role, she has led on executive-producing the 2017 Global Citizen Week kick-off event, “Breaking the Silence – Beyond the Dream”, honouring Dr Martin Luther King Jr; as well as the 2018 sold-out events The Spirit of a Movement (honouring global movements of the past and present) and At What Cost?, an event on criminal justice and bail reform.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100?
I remember Madiba once said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that enhances and respects the freedom of others.” It is my hope that through my efforts in producing The Next 100 Summit, and my overall involvement in our Mandela 100 endeavours, I am able to inspire this generation and generations to come to be the change agents they want to see—as Madiba was for us.

What has been your most memorable moment working in South Africa for the Global Citizen campaign?
Visiting the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. I had the opportunity to speak to the scholars about my journey to Global Citizen. After I spoke, they were tasked with reflecting on what they heard. One common thing that was brought up was the importance of sacrifice, and the willpower to keep pushing through, even when things get tough.