I was jealous – I wanted to be a young South African to take to lunch. Not only because it was a great accolade, but also because I like free lunches.

This year I was very fortunate and honoured to be included in the very same insert in the technology category, among much respected colleagues like David and Marc Perel, Vincent Hofmann (who recently joined Cerebra), Matt Buckland, Adii, Heidi Schniegansz and more.

Undoubtedly the highlight of being included in the list was an invitation to a lunch, hosted by M&G, where Prince Mashele of the Institute for Security Studies delivered a brilliant speech that challenged me to my core, and I believe needs to be shared. He kindly offered to let me share it with you here:

Master of Ceremonies, Mr Songezo Zibi;
The Editor-in-chief of the Mail and Guardian, Mr Nic Dawes;
Representative of Xstrata South Africa, Mr Eric Ratshikhopa;
The 300 influential young South Africans;
Invited guests;
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am humbled by the honour to address the cream of South African youth today.

To be selected by the Mail and Guardian amongst 300 Young South Africans people must take to lunch is a confirmation of the prestigious position you occupy individually in our society today.

As a collective, you are the best that our country has in 2009, and what we will have in the foreseeable future. You are to South Africa what an emerging sun represents at dawn.

I need not remind you that you are all youth leaders in different fields of our social, political and economic life. Those who are worried about South Africa’s future look at you for national inspiration and hope.

For that, you all deserve a round of applause!

While I am aware that you are here to celebrate your individual success stories, I would like to take advantage of your collective presence and pose a question I think future generations will ask later on in your lives: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

I raise this worrying question because I agree with the assertion made by Roberto Mangabeira Unger in his book, Democracy Realised, when he says:

The perversion of economic growth and its fruits begins when we attempt to make up for the scarcity of public goods by producing more private ones, and to find in the private consumption a barren solace for social frustration. (1998:7)

Who amongst you would argue that we have not yet reached a perverse stage in the evolution of post-apartheid South Africa, where the public sector is the worst preferred, and the private sector the most preferred?

Should anyone doubt if this is true, imagine how an average young South African would reply to the following questions:

• If you had a choice, would you like your mother to be treated in a public or private hospital?
• If you had the means, would you take your children to a private or public school?
• If you had a private option, would you go to the Department of Home Affairs for services?
• If you lived in a townhouse, would you trust the police or ADT to secure your private property?
• If you had to negotiate an ethical business transaction, would you prefer to talk to a politician or a private entrepreneur?

Those who would choose the private sphere as their answer to these critical questions must immediately be alerted that they are active participants in the construction of a private sub-state in South Africa!

A private sub-state is populated by people who choose to kill their conscience by conveniently turning a blind eye to the ills plaguing society. Yet the wealth and incomes generated by these private citizens owe a great deal to the sweat and toil of the suffering workers and the poor.

In his famous book, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney lamented this situation in post-colonial African states, focusing on the middle class. He said:

They squander the wealth created by the peasants and workers by purchasing cars, whisky, and perfume. (1972:19)

As the South African middle class, I am not sure if you do not, as Walter Rodney observed elsewhere in Africa, “squander the wealth created by the peasants and workers by purchasing cars, whisky, and perfume.”

But I am certain that, if the champions of the private sphere were to succeed, it would essentially mean the hastening of the very social perversion that Roberto Mangabera Unger wrote about.

The tragedy, however, is that at the peak of post-apartheid South Africa’s economic success in 2007, the Bureau of Market Research at the University of South Africa estimated the size of the black middle class – the so-called Black Diamonds – at 9.3 million.

We now know the economic difficulties the black middle class has fallen into, when the Reserve Bank raised interest rates sharply and the global economic crisis began to hit home.

Even if we were to combine the struggling Black Diamonds with the entire white population, we would still have to confront the painful reality that more than half of our country’s population live in poverty and cannot afford the services provided by the most preferred private sector.

It is these objective socio-economic conditions that divide our nation into ‘us’ versus ‘them’. Those who are cushioned by the comfort and opulence of the private sphere continue to withdraw further and further into their private cocoons, while the poor are left to their own devices.

But the two worlds do, in many ways, interface in a manner that reinforces and continues to widen the chasm between the haves and have-nots. Those who have the means feel threatened by those who do not. The propertied class fortify their private spaces to protect themselves against the property-less.

It is against this background that British cultural theorist Terry Eagleton wrote the following in his book entitled After Theory:

It is not hard to imagine affluent communities of the future protected by watchtowers, searchlights and machine guns, while the poor scavenge for food in the waste lands beyond. (2003:22)

When Eagleton made this profound observation in 2003, he probably thought he was a prophet whose words would come to pass like a religious prophesy that waits for centuries to pass before it is proven right.

Little did Terry Eagleton know that, three years down the road (in 2009), a fellow like me would address 300 Young South Africans, among whom there would be those who already live in communities protected by watchtowers, searchlights and machineguns while the poor scavenge for food in the waste lands beyond.

I say all this not because I am bent on spoiling your special day, but as a desperate attempt to point out your historic responsibility towards the broader society.

• If you are a famous young writer, and you do not write about the plight of the poor, history will ask: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

• If you are a prolific young journalist, and you say nothing about corrupt politicians who embezzle public funds, posterity will ask: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

• If you are a flourishing young entrepreneur, and you do not contribute to the improvement of the lives of the destitute, future generations will ask: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

• If you are a singer, and you do not sing in defence of the downtrodden masses, history will also pose a question to you: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

It does not matter what kind of work you do, there is a role you can and must play to stop the perversion of our society. Your success will mean nothing if it is not connected with the general advancement of society!

For those of you who are Black and whose success is connected to the struggles waged by the masses of our people, Frantz Fanon has an important message for you:

… we who are citizens of the under-developed countries, we aught to seek every occasion for contacts with the rural masses. … We aught never to lose contact with the people [who have] battled for [their] independence and for the concrete betterment of [their] existence. (The Wretched of the Earth, 1961:150-1)

If you do not take Fanon’s call seriously, the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ that already exists in our society will deepen its roots even further. You will fortify your private spaces without success. Criminals will not fail to reach wherever you live. ADT will not be enough to prevent the theft of your luxury sedan, the murder of your family members or the rape of your mothers, sisters and daughters.

We should indeed be wary of behaving as if the poor are powerless. When the gap between the poor, the middle class and the rich is allowed to widen its yawn, the poor always – and sometimes brutishly – have a way of outsmarting those who think they are educated and know it all.

Politically, the poor possess the disruptive capacity to disturb the untenable tranquillity of the educated elite. The destitute have it within their power to take over society in ways that leave the middle class kicking and screaming from the margins as if they are little children crying for help. As Roberto Mangabeira Unger reminds us once again:

The excluded … will not wait. They will strike back through politics, especially through the election of populist leaders, threatening to recommence the destructive pendular swing between economic populism and economic orthodoxy. (Ibid: 82)

Once this has happened, the educated class will be dismissed with derision, as if they have nothing to offer society. Society will be forced to celebrate mediocrity, and the slide into hopelessness can only be faster.

When mediocrity prevails, there will be circumstantial heroes whose heroism will be defended even if it means embarrassing society. Indeed, this hastens society’s collective descent into the abyss.

Once the poor have taken over, having been abandoned by the champions of the private sector, the public sector becomes a realm where corruption and inertia reign supreme! African and other countries that have gone down this road have, unfortunately, failed to make substantial reverse.

When the destitute strike back at the indifferent middle class and the rich, abnormality becomes normality; scorn is poured on sensibility; and rationality is subjected to demeaning ridicule.

When politics has reached this stage, the relationship between the authority of the office and the office bearer becomes tenuous. This is precisely what Herbert Marcuse refers to in his seminal book, A Study on Authority, when he says:

The dignity of the office and the worthiness of the officiating person no longer coincide in principle. The office retains its unconditional authority, even if the officiating person does not deserve this authority. (1972:16)

• Who amongst you does not know a youth leader whose authority does not coincide with that of his office?
• Who amongst you does not laugh or get embarrassed when some of our leaders speak on national TV?
• And who amongst you does not wish that some of our leaders were something close to Barack Obama?

If you have experienced this personally, it means that you agree with Unger when he says: “The excluded … will not wait. They will strike back through politics, especially through the election of populist leaders.”

If you find this situation familiar, you should then ask yourself the following question: How do I respond to Frantz Fanon when he says: “… we who are citizens of the under-developed countries, we aught to seek every occasion for contacts with the rural masses”?

If you do not ask yourselves this soul-searching question, you might find yourself unable to respond when future generations ask: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

I know that most of you are by now upset with me, that I have troubled your hearts and souls during an occasion where you were invited to celebrate your success stories.

I did this because I am convinced that the Mail and Guardian selected you to be among 300 influential, young South Africans because of the burden history has placed on your shoulders.

Like the Mail and Guardian, I see no person better than you to rescue our society from the yawning divide between the private and the public spheres of life.

I see no other group of young people better placed to lead me in all facets of South African life in ten, twenty years from now. And I also think you have an immediate responsibility to halt our country’s slide into hopelessness.

There is nothing magical you are expected to do that is beyond your already proven capabilities! All you need to do is to intensify the work that made it possible for you to be selected as part of 300 Young South Africans people must take to lunch.

But when you do it, keep in mind that future generations will one day ask: Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

Congratulations, and thank you very much!

What do you think? Where were you, and what did you do when South Africa began to degenerate?

Fans of stand-up comedy are in for a night to remember when Barry Hilton, Mark Banks, Loyiso Gola, Joey Rasdien and Krijay Govender join forces with John Vlismas to present one of the heaviest comedy line-ups of the year, The Comedy Heavies, taking place at Carnival City on 3rd and 4th July. The ‘adults only’ show will deliver more laughs per minute than an election campaign.
The irreverent Vlismas promises that no punches will be pulled as his hilarious friends shower blows on sacred cows from every angle, “We are a limping democracy, wrestling with a credit crunch and facing a world cup with intermittent electricity – if you don’t laugh, you die…”

The Comedy Heavies isn’t just going to be a stand up feast from the cream of comedy, but the comics have been chosen to represent the wide spectrum of comedy styles, from the legendary deadpan of Barry Hilton, to the barking mad characters of Mark Banks and the righteous anger of recently-circumcised Loyiso Gola and the ever popular Joey Rasdien. Even Krijay Govender has taken time for her crazy television schedule to appear in this remarkable production.

The Comedy Heavies is unique – no punches will be pulled, no sacred cows will be left off the braai and there will definitely be no fussing over cussing. The Comedy Heavies is for people who don’t flinch when the “f” word flies faster than airline crews taking narcotics abroad.

So to qualify for 2 free tickets for either the 3rd or 4th of July you need to be based in Jo’burg, available to collect the tickets and finally need to come up with a cool joke, post it in the comments section below and I’ll decide who wins ‘em. Good luck!

I should be asleep by now, I’ve been exhausted since 5 this afternoon (everything took place around 3PM), but I can’t close my eyes. There’s too much going on in my head. So I thought I’d offload here.

I want to be as non-melodramatic about today’s happenings as possible, but it’s really difficult to tell this story without sounding melodramatic. So I’m going to tell it as honestly as I possibly can. Forgive me if it’s long-winded. This is just something I need to do.

I’ve been wanting to go freebording with my mates Rich Mulholland, Don Packett and Riccardo Webb for some time now. It looked like awesome fun and they haven’t stopped raving about it. This was the first opportunity I got after a few bungled plans, so I was keen as ever to go along and learn how to ’snowboard’ on tar. For the record, it’s a lot of fun – not for the faint-hearted – and I’d strongly recommend you give it a go if you get the chance.

It was an awesome day out with the Pure Rush team (who were teaching us freebording) and we were just getting the hang of things when out of the blue I heard a weird whirry, roaring sound, looked up to see a plane flying a few meters above me, then a bang as it hit the road in front of me, and that horrible dull thud only collisions make when it hit the Pure Rush bakkie a stones throw from where I was lying. I can’t remember if I was on the ground because of the crash or because I had just fallen off the board. Either way I was on the ground.

In order to explain what happened next I need to try help you understand the location we were at. We were on a narrow, twisty road that wound steadily down a rocky hill, the particular run we were on consisting of three or four straights with big corners in between them. Us learner-borders had just graduated from the first major corner, and were ambling down the second straight, when it happened.

Most of the team was at the bottom of the second straight. Craig Rodney of Emerging Media and I were a bit behind – about midway up the straight – because I kept seeing my ass. While I was getting acquainted with the tar Monica and Anna, both employees of Craig’s who hard been street luging earlier in the morning and were kindly helping fetch us all from the bottom of the hill and bring us back to the top, were at the first corner. Anna told us afterward that they watched they plane dip in the sky, recover, dip again (when it whizzed over my head), bounce off the road and plough into their bonnet. One meter higher, and it would’ve been the windscreen. Monica and Anna had the presence of mind to bail out the car and get to safety, dragging along with them Tony van Aswegen, another chap who joined us for freebording who was thrown out the back of the bakkie at impact. Quite miraculously all three were unscathed, albeit severely shocked.

Rewind a bit. My first thoughts were horrible – I thought only of Mon and Anna in the car and the occupants of the plane. I am a realist, and my head told me what I was going to see once I got to the accident would be ugly. I heard screaming and shouting as the guys rushed up from behind me. I heard someone asking for an ambulance. Then I think I remember seeing Monica and Anna scramble out the car – and a bit of relief set in. But the flames were flaring up around both vehicles, both of which looked to be leaking fuel, and I knew we were running out of time fast. Jono Herbst of Pure Rush and Nic Haralambous (who should both get medals) threw themselves selflessly into the cockpit, which was already on fire, and began dislodging the badly injured pilot and passenger. The passenger’s leg got stuck and Rich Mulholland jumped in to help pull him out.

Once both were out we dragged them, three or four of us at a time, trying to get them as far away from the scene as possible in case either the plane or bakkie exploded. It was really hard – I thought adrenaline was supposed to strengthen you – but we were all exhausted and completely out of breath from smoke inhalation, not to mention concerned about how much damage we were doing to the two men as we carried them. Still, we managed to get them a safe distance clear, and that’s when people from the airport first arrived. They were understandably in a panic too.

Suddenly there was a new wave of panic though – our cars, parked at the top of the hill above the location of the crash were now in danger of catching fire because of the swiftly spreading bushfire resulting from the crash. Nick Jackson (who did a brilliant job looking after the worse of the two injured men) took my keys to fetch my first aid kit and move the car. I was later to find out that everyone found it near impossible to start my car, which was nearly also engulfed in flames. Now that would’ve been interesting. The ambulance and fire engine arrived not long after, allowing us to take a back seat.

The next hour or so was largely filled with all of us taking photos, hugging, comparing war wounds, smoking, drinking Coke, lifting Citi Golfs (a story within a story), smoking some more, and talking to police and Civil Aviation Authority officials.

Today I watched people who I regard (whether they realise it or not) as some of my best friends REALLY put their lives on the line for complete strangers. I watched a bunch of guys and girls pull together as a team to SAVE other lives. Look, I don’t know about everyone else, but I was scared. I’m pleased to report that I did not run away screaming, or faint on the spot. But I was afraid. I watched guys like Jono and Rich and Nic (and some I may not remember because of the madness of the situation) be real heroes today, and I’m proud to say I know them.

All in all, I’m grateful tonight – for many things. For great friends. For miraculous outcomes to freakish accidents. For lessons learned. And that it’s Monday now (my Mac’s clock just ticked over to 12:01) and I didn’t have to watch someone lose their life unnecessarily yesterday.

Watch Ricc’s videos of just after the crash (the pilot and passenger had been removed by the time they were taken) here and here. All my photos can be found at my posterous site.

Net Prophet 2009, an initiative by the RAMP Foundation, blew all of that out the water with a really world-class first attempt today at the Old Mutual Business School in Pinelands, Cape Town. Quite simply Net Prophet brought together some chaps (we lacked girls, must be said) who have at some point in time or another experienced a degree of success building online or mobile businesses, apps, platforms or publications to share insights with tech startups, geeks, entrepreneurs and whoever else wanted to hear.

The conference was free to attend, funded entirely by sponsors (another differentiator), and I have no doubt that based on the overwhelming success of today’s event (must have been nigh on 400 people in attendance) the brand will grow to new strengths and entice bigger and better sponsorship in years to come. As a speaker, I was highly impressed with the organisation leading up to the event, and I gather attendees had just as positive an experience. Talks kept to time, generally, and we finished on time. Unprecedented. Perhaps the only downside was one or two minor technical glitches (really minor) and a shortage in snacks, but that was a testimony to the brilliant turnout.

A brilliant, personal touch was ‘custom’ intro tunes that the organisers played for each speaker as they went up to talk. They actually researched my favourite music to play the right stuff – I was blown away. The presentations will be going up on the Net Prophet website (videos and slides), I will link to them once they’re up. Once again, a huge thank you and congratulations to all involved.

Gatorpeeps is a micro-blogging platform, not unlike Twitter or Pownce (which died), that makes it really easy for existing Afrigator users to connect with other Afrigator users in 140 characters or less, and with all the other cool functionality you’ve come to expect from a micro-blogging platform.

I can say a few things with absolute confidence. Firstly please understand that I can take absolutely no credit whatsoever for this new extension to ‘Gator – this is purely a product of the amazing energy and efficiency being produced by the dream team of Hartman, Pretorius and Hein in tour Cape Town offices. I’m very much the silent partner

Secondly I can guarantee that Gatorpeeps will either be a huge success or a bit of a flop. And that depends entirely on you, who have supported us so faithfully until now as we evolve this little beast of ours into something really useful, valuable and meaningful to you and the rest of Africa’s digital citizens. Help us make it a success by giving it a go and sending us feedback like you always do.

Awesomeness!

Here’s a vid of one of the campaign ads:

The really interesting part is that Checkers have just launched a nationwide campaign with the tagline, “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket”. Little too close for comfort in my humble opinion.

Listen to it here: Checkers “Don’t change your lifestyle” radio spot.

Update:

I received a response via email from Andrew Brand this afternoon (05/05/09) – it reads as follows:

Hi Mike

I saw your blog regarding the “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket” tagline, and would like to respond.

The new Checkers advertising campaign, which started flighting in April, showcases the brand as one that’s ideally suited to answering to consumer’s needs, particularly during the current financial situation. The campaign sets up the proposition of “Better Living” solutions, showcasing various product and category offerings in which Checkers offers exceptional quality and value.

The commercials end with the logical tactical proposition of “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket” which succinctly implies that the consumer still has a choice in these current tough economic times – that they can still afford great products at an affordable price at Checkers.

After the idea was pitched we researched the “Better Living” and “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket” propositions and found that both phrases were already being extensively used internationally with the “Don’t change your supermarket…” phrase being used by Aldi Supermarket Group in the United Kingdom.

After discussions with our clients, it was agreed that although the line had already been used by Aldi, it was still the most succinct way to express the desired sentiment and met the tactical requirements of the campaign. It’s not unusual for certain phrases to enter the lexicon at similar times for similar brands or categories – over the years many brands across the world have positioned themselves similarly.

The television campaign bears absolutely no creative similarity to that of Aldi’s (bar the tagline in question) nor any other local or international supermarket chain, and the response to the advertisements in the marketplace has been fantastic thus far, with Checkers demonstrating their positioning of being “better and better” to an ever-growing, and increasingly loyal, customer base.

I appreciate the opportunity to give perspective on our position, and wish you and your blog all the success in the future.

Kind regards

Andrew Brand

Managing Director, NINETY9CENTS

I guess that’s fair enough – kudos to Andrew for the transparent response.

More impressive than Simon’s titles is his published material:

He was the winner of WPP’s top Atticus Grand Prix in 2002 for ‘You’re Getting Old’, his study on ageing societies in Europe. He also won the 2006 Atticus Grand Prix for ‘My Brain Hurts: how the digital revolution is leaving the consumer behind’ and the 2007 Atticus Grand Prix for ‘How To Think Digital’

All of Simon’s stuff can be downloaded here.

So, not wanting to waste the man’s time, we had a quick conversation about Africa, social media, the recession, London and Andy Flower. Though Simon’s not a big cricket fan so that part of the conversation was dominated by me Simon was down to earth, smart, insightful and interested in what I had to say. I really appreciated the opportunity to connect with him, and by the time I’d got back to the office he’d added me on Facebook, Twitter and the rest. Very cool.

A big thank you to Michelle from Y&R Brands for organising – I look forward to doing more work with Y&R as they seek to push the envelope in the new digital age.

Since getting back life has been all about catching up on emails, running ridiculous errands and shaking some nasty jetlag. But I want to take 5 minutes to relay the highlights of the trip to encourage you (referring specifically to the more South African, social media-oriented among you) to find ways to get to events of the quality and calibre of SXSW, if at all you can. If you work for an agency or company like Allan does, convince them of the benefits of the trip, like Allan did. Contact him for persuasive tips

Probably the biggest thing that came out of the trip (for me) was the importance of being seen. That as opposed to seeing all the “big names” in social media, which I guess I expected in advance would be the major benefit of being there. Sure, meeting Guy Kawasaki, Jeremiah Owyang, Hugh MacLeod, Peter Kim, Maggie Fox et al was downright cool, but I felt the bigger benefit was being able to tell them about what was happening in South Africa and Africa. I was proud to share examples of the mobile growth, social media developments and entrepreneurial efforts springing up across our continent.

The other thing I committed to doing, especially considering I’ve been really bad at this at the past 3 international tech conferences I attended, was networking properly. Ok, let me rephrase. I networked unashamedly. I did the groupie thing, but only because I knew once I’d made the intro and started the conversation I was worth speaking to. And 9 times out of 10 the person on the other end of the conversation was humble, kind, accomodating and generous in their conversation.

Part of the allure of SXSW, I’m convinced, is the fact that it happens with a film and music festival, in the so-called home of live music in the US, Austin. Austin is a bizarre little (little relative to New York or LA that is, pretty darn large by SA standards) city, and believe me, when SXSW rolls around, the festivals own the city and the freaks come out. Big time. Whether it’s the dodgy nerds of social media, the musos of the music festival or the arrogant film buffs, not to mention assorted freaks who rock up simply to be a part of the vibe (read: 65-year old tranny, joint in hand, on street corner), you’re guaranteed to meet some very interesting people.

I’ve collected a few videos from the last few days that might give you a small sense of the magic surrounding the conference. To get a sense of the content check out www.sxsw.com and download a few of the podcasts and videos. Next year Allan and I will definitely be going back and hope to take an SA contingent with us. Please let me or him know if you’re serious about attending and we’ll start doing some investigations into group discounts

In the short time Allan Kent and I have been here we’ve met some amazing people, seen some rather entertaining things and absorbed some incredible content. The value I’ve extracted from half a day’s worth of SXSW trumps all the networking and conferencing I’ve done at home in a year. We simply HAVE to find a way to get more Saffas to conferences like these – it’s humbling, challenging and downright inspiring.

The first day was really about navigating my way around the monstrosity that is SXSW – thousands of people and hundreds of panels and talks mean that you have to plan (not my strong point) to take full advantage. Popular sessions and parties have have queues building up long before the doors open meaning you have to get there really early – last night Allan and I traipsed across town to attend a Techset blogger party at the Belmont, got there an hour early and so grabbed an awesome meal at Sandra Bullock’s Bess Bistro around the corner. By the time we’d finished the substantial line of people waiting to get into the Belmont tracked around the corner. Not funny. Such is SXSW.

The people in the South are awesome – I have never experienced a service ethic or level of hospitality like this anywhere in the world. From the hotel staff at the Radisson to the Pepsi delivery guy who insisted on paying for our parking ticket yesterday, we have been overwhelmed by the kindness and accessibility of the Texas state. Nevermind local pride – Texans truly love Texas.

I’ve already met Chris Brogan, Jackie Huba and Brian Solis, albeit briefly – social media thoughtleaders I really admire and respect. Each one of them has made time to find out what I do and shown genuine interest in it.

I’ll keep publishing video clips and photos, and hopefully the odd blog post. Follow the play by play on Twitter, check out pics here and my videos on Zoopy.