Baie dinge het die afgelope paar eeue verander. Jy hoef nie meer ’n koninklike te wees om suksesvol te wees nie. En jy kan ondenkbare rykdom in ’n enkele leeftyd versamel. Die meeste mense weet eenvoudig nie hoe nie.”

Jy is waarskynlik reeds ’n entrepreneur. Of jy droom daarvan om een te wees. Jy wil jou eie onderneming besit en jou eie baas wees.

Daniel Strauss, die Strauss in die beleggingsonderneming Stocks & Strauss, is sy eie baas, maar dit was nie altyd die geval nie. Tydens sy grootwordjare was hy daarvan oortuig dat die rykes slimmer is of oor vaardighede of kennis beskik wat gewone mense nie kan bekom nie. Maar op ’n dag het ’n toevallige ontmoeting met ’n miljardêr-entrepreneur hom laat besef dat ‘die rykes’ eintlik ‘normale mense’ is, net soos hy. Die verskil is dat die geldloses wat skatryk word, weet hoe om bó die lyn te dink. Hulle het die ingesteldheid van ’n miljardêr.

In Dink soos ’n miljardêr verduidelik Daniel wat dit beteken om hierdie lewensveranderende nuwe ingesteldheid aan te neem. Hy deel sy geheime tot sukses, insluitend hoe om toegang tot kapitaal te verkry, waar om die regte mense te vind om jou te help om jou doelwitte te bereik, en hoe om jou gedagtes van selfopgelegde beperkings te bevry, sodat jy ook soos ’n miljardêr kan dink – en uiteindelik – een kan word.

This multi-voiced volume offers a deep dive into the history, sociology and politics of the oldest South African university press.

In 2022 Wits University Press marked its centenary, making it the oldest, most established university press in sub-Saharan Africa. While in part modelled on scholarly publishers from the global North, it has had to contend with the constraints of working under global South conditions: marginalisation within the university, budgetary limitations, small local markets, unequal access to international sales channels, and the privileging of English language publishing over indigenous languages. But there were also opportunities, and this volume explores what the Press has achieved, and what its modes of reinvention might look like. In widening and deepening our understanding of the Press as an example of a global South scholarly publisher, this volume asks how publishing can contribute to a broader understanding of Southern knowledge production.

This multi-voiced volume showcases the history of the Press’s publishing activities over 100 years: from documenting its evolution through book covers and giving credence to some of the leading black intellectuals and writers of the early 20th century and the success of those works in spite of their authors suffering significant racial marginalisation, to the role of women both in publishing and the spaces afforded to women’s writing on the Press’s list. The collection concludes with essays by contemporary authors who detail not only their experiences of working with southern publishers, but also the politics and influences governing their decisions to choose the Press over a Northern publisher.

The collection shows the strategies deployed by the Press to professionalise Southern knowledge making, in the process demonstrating how university presses in the global South support the scholarly missions of their universities for both local and global audiences.

CEOs can build up a business from nothing or turn around a company that is on the verge of bankruptcy. Inspiring with their relentless drive, strong leadership and innovation that can turn whole industries on their heads, they are the dynamos of our economy.

What is the X factor that ensures a CEO’s success?

KC Rottok Chesaina seeks to uncover the unique personality traits, business acumen and leadership values that have turned CEOs into captains of industry. Based on extensive research and focused interviews with the leaders of some of South Africa’s top companies, including Vodacom, Bidvest, Capitec Bank, RMB, Dis-Chem, Discovery Health, Nedbank, Sanlam, Momentum, Curro, Exxaro, Harmony Gold and MTN, Chesaina’s book takes you to the heart of corporate South Africa.

With real-life examples, The CEO X factor shows that reaching the top is about much more than money – it requires a very specific kind of character, straightforward strategies, a true focus on people and a value-driven approach.

In this clear and engaging basic guide to managing your finances, Sam Beckbessinger covers topics from compound interest and inflation to “Your brain on money”, negotiating a raise, and particularly local South African phenomena like “black tax”.

The book includes exercises and “how-to’s”, doesn’t shy away from the psychology of money, and is empowering, humorous and helpful.

The book you wish you’d had at 25, but is never too late to read.

Africa remains a mystery-enigma-attraction to investors, entrepreneurs and is growing on all fronts; without enough authoritative guides to the dynamics shaping the continent. Out of the top ten fastest growing economies of the world, no less than four are African – and yet the continent remains misunderstood.

There are many megatrends globally that warrant a special adaptation for the African continent, Africa Bounces Back uses case studies to show how these megatrends apply to the last economic growth frontier. The recent disruptions, including COVID-19, the changes in the US political landscape, human migration (including the surge of Africans moving to Europe), the rise of nationalism in developed countries, etc. all warrant attention in the context of what they mean for Africa as a destination of choice for investors, entrepreneurs and multinationals.

Victor Kgomoeswana has experience in two professional services firms (EY and Deloitte) – and at one of these he was instrumental in creating a knowledge resource centre for multinational clients who either had a presence in Africa and wanted to expand or those with no presence but interested in gaining insights before venturing.

He also has worked in the media since 1996 (all media, namely, print, radio, television and online) as anchor, specialist contributor, reporter, columnist, commentator – to date he still does an average of 3 interviews per week about the African continent, especially business and economic matters.

A must-read for all South African retailers and small businesses! Attract customers! Make sales! Boost profits! All in your own neighbourhood.

Basil O’Hagan’s popular business text, the definitive neighbourhood marketing handbook, is bursting with tips to take your retail business to the next level. It features practical tips that are simple to grasp, easily browsable and relevant to the SA market.

The past three decades have seen a remarkable rise of Afrikaners in business. In light of the government’s comprehensive black economic empowerment programme this has been one of the unexpected features of the South African economy.

Today many of these Afrikaner tycoons are competing internationally. With Koos Bekker at its helm, media group Naspers began dominating the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and was turned into a global consumer internet group. Johann Rupert strongly extended Richemont’s share internationally in the upper-end market of luxury goods, while Christo Wiese and Whitey Basson at Pepkor and Shoprite became Africa’s largest clothing and food retailers.

Fortunes describes how these and other business leaders, such as Jannie Mouton, Michiel le Roux, Douw Steyn, Roelof Botha, Hendrik du Toit and a number of commercial farmers, built their empires. It looks at their life and business philosophies and what makes them such successful entrepreneurs.

Recent years have also seen the sensational collapse of Steinhoff International, the furniture retailer led by Markus Jooste that destroyed some of these fortunes. While Jooste is the topic of one of the chapters, another looks at the philanthropic projects most of these tycoons are involved in.

African Bank is focused on reclaiming the heritage of South Africa through key marketing and strategic consumer moments, and to accomplish this they are partnering with Rockhopper Books to release the first in a series of coffee table books celebrating great figures in South African history.

This first edition entitled Black Pioneers uncovers stories of Black Entrepreneurs in the 1960s; a time when there were little to no opportunities for people of colour to succeed in business. The book pays homage to Black Business Pioneers of the time, who were audacious enough to challenge the system and pave a new path for Black Businesses.

The book serves to tell stories of Black Businesses; highlighting their history, challenges, successes, and contributions to business at large. Featuring high-quality images the book tells the stories of impactful South African figures including:

• Constance Ntshona
• Sally Motlana
• SJJ Lesolang
• An Gadi
• HM Pitje
• PK Seabela
• Lawrence Malindi
• Sam Motsuenyane

Lew Geffen is destined to have an eventful life. Driven by a maverick spirit, he embarks on a wild ride of success, securing the local Sotheby’s International Realty license to become a major player in the property market.

Along the way he's fired by his mother, sells Mandela's house and navigates the fallout of a murder at his company's annual convention. Lew's extraordinary life is told with candour, warmth and laced by his wicked sense of humour.

Geffinitely a business memoir like no other.

The Chaos Precinct presents a compelling, brave – at times, lyrical – narrative of how migrant Ethiopians have shaped a trading post in Johannesburg’s inner city.

On maps it is defined as the eastern edge of the original administrative area of Johannesburg. Those of us who have encountered the area of the city centre roughly bounded by Plein, Troye, Pritchard and von Brandis Streets have coined various names for it. The Ethiopian Quarter, Little Ethiopia and Little Addis are phrases we exchange in animated conversations about this unique entrepreneurial explosion. This exoticises a booming makeshift shopping hub that emerged without any formal planning intention or support. Municipal officials speak informally of the area as the ‘Chaos Precinct’. But the traders in the area call it by the hallmark road – Jeppe. For them it is a place of opportunity and fevered trade – in which the annual revenue generated is twice that of Africa’s wealthiest shopping mall. Jeppe is a dynamic, exuberant nerve centre that fosters entrepreneurship.

Fortunes are made, loved ones back home are supported and commodities flow across Southern Africa – particularly fast fashion. Local and cross border traders arrive on buses and taxis to buy shoes, t-shirts, dresses, underwear, jeans, suits, wallets, belts, nail clippers and cosmetics. Though situated on the dry Highveld, Jeppe is an entrepôt which bears a close resemblance to major port cities.

McLean Sibanda believes that Africa must be deliberate about its economic development and that change requires champions, and importantly, fertile enabling environments.

In Nuts & Bolts you will gain unique perspectives on challenges faced by leaders overseeing a turnaround in any organisation; and the thought processes behind innovation initiatives that yielded value. McLean provides practical insights on innovation and entrepreneurship for Africa’s development through a narrative of his seven years of repositioning Sub-Saharan Africa’s first internationally recognised Science and Technology Park, The Innovation Hub. Included, too, are reflections from entrepreneurs who have all gone on to build successful businesses which will be useful for anyone working on a start-up or innovation, particularly institutions set up to create new products or services. The musings of various successful entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders provide relevant context, inspiration and examples as to how best make use of support programmes provided by incubators and organisations similar to The Innovation Hub.

Nuts & Bolts is a book about hope; it is full of stories about real people and companies who are making a difference, with testimonies of entrepreneurs, experienced ecosystem builders and innovators. It captures deep insights from the considerable time McLean has spent with entrepreneurs and innovators, on the importance of inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship, and provides a mix of global experiences and entrepreneurship narratives that eloquently sketch out the ‘nuts and bolts’ for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Performance coach Tom Dawson-Squibb tells the entertaining and inspiring story of his five years as the head coach of the University of Cape Town’s Ikey Tigers rugby team.

At the heart of Humanball lies the story of a team that is more than just the sum of its parts. It's a story about getting the best out of those around you. It's a story about defying expectations—those imposed by others and the ones we set for ourselves.

Performance coach Tom Dawson-Squibb tells the entertaining and inspiring story of his five years as the head coach of the University of Cape Town Ikey Tigers rugby team. Tom reveals how the most potent teams connect and inspire individuals to give effort far beyond what's expected. He shows us how to find joy, meaning, and connection in our work.

Humanball will move and inspire you to write your own story and transform your sports team, workplace, or home into a cohesive, motivated, and purposeful environment.

Over the past 20 years the global political economy has experienced its most profound shifts since the onset of the industrial revolution. In South Africa and the World, Mills Soko reflects on some of the salient issues that have pervaded public discourse during this time, analysing them within the context of the contemporary South African political economy and of the country’s position in the world.

Arranged thematically, the essays were all written during a defining period in recent history, a period that has witnessed, among others, the accession of China to the WTO, the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US, the invention of the iPad, the birth of Facebook, the 2008/9 global financial crisis, Brexit and the global coronavirus pandemic which began at the end of 2019. The turbulent multipolar world demands visionary political and economic leadership, supported by institutions well attuned to contemporary conditions. Such leadership is in short supply. Nor is the existing institutional architecture sufficiently equipped to deal with a complex array of economic, social, environmental, technological and demographic challenges.

Mills Soko highlights what has not worked in terms of politics, leadership, foreign policy, the economy, the African development trajectory, corporate ethics, international trade, global governance, and the thread which underlies all these issues – the importance of strong, decisive and accountable leadership. He counters his criticism with what has worked and offers views on how some of the problems that have constrained progress in South Africa and the world can be solved.

A central message emerges from his writings: leadership and governance matter, whether in the national or international context. It is a message that permeates all the chapters in the book. And it goes to the heart of what South Africa has gone through over the past two decades and where it is today.

The purpose of the book is to explore and demonstrate how culture and leadership interact with each other.

Contextualised through South African organisations, this exploration ignites a realisation of the power inherent in this interplay. The book further seeks to demonstrate how these interactions can impact the effectiveness and efficiency of leadership. This includes discovering the value of cognisance when measuring these impacts, understanding them both consciously and subconsciously.

This work seeks to contribute towards building effective global leaders who are in touch with reality, demonstrating how their behaviour can improve — or worsen — families, organisations, societies, countries and the world.

Passion, power and purpose: engaging with strategy in your organisation, and your life provides a professional and personal guide to navigating a world of complexity, uncertainty and pandemic-sized shocks. This book offers a comprehensive overview of applied strategy, suited to leaders and executives, graduate students, and all those interested in the power of strategy, igniting passion and enabling purpose.

Passion, power and purpose covers a broad selection of the essential frameworks, models and tools needed to engage effectively in shaping and influencing organisational strategy. It is the ultimate practical guide for leading the strategy conversation. Passion, power and purpose goes further by inviting the reader to reflect personally on these important topics. Every strategy concept that is applied to the organisation is also translated into a personal journey of curiosity, discovery and empowerment through a set of probing reflective questions at the end of each chapter.

Mike Sharman invites you to share in the hustle, in this business book The Best Dick. From the enthusiastic, entrepreneurial beginnings of a bootstrapped startup founder - a relatively inexperienced 26 year old - to a seasoned, professional, storyteller, who has built a boutique social media advertising agency that has made more brands go viral, globally, than any other studio in Africa.

Mike seamlessly and hypnotically entwines business insights and universal premises of first hires, cash flow challenges, brand building, networking and pitches, with his humorous storyselling approach to deliver a page-turner complete with armed robberies, fancy-dress competitions and partnering with some of the planet’s most coveted brands.

The Best Dick is the catalyst you’ve been waiting for, your entire life, to encourage your emancipation from the payroll hamster wheel, in order to just start your own business. And, for the existing entrepreneur to find solace in the fact that founding your own company is the best, damn decision you ever made.

Life is short. Play naked!

This timely book sets out how ordinary citizens can reform our broken economy.

Politicians curry favour with interest groups such as trade unions, public service workers, teachers and the unemployed, instead of serving the general public. Trade unions exploit labour laws to get benefits for their members without increasing productivity. Teachers enjoy sheltered employment without producing properly qualified learners. Formal employees abuse the bargaining-council system to push up labour costs imposed on employers and employees outside the system. Notoriously unproductive “public servants” enjoy above-market salaries in a growing sector that creates little to no economic value. Unemployed people, of whom there are 11 million, form the bedrock of our community of 18 million recipients of welfare grants. They produce nothing in return. The glue holding together all these forms of rent-seeking, is centralised government power, undergirded by laws and government spending.

The author highlights that the system of rent-seeking has damaged moral fabric in this country, eating at it like a virus. It does not let go, because it contains the seed of destruction of any argument deployed towards dismantling it. Rent-seeking is embarked upon – invariably almost – in the name of some noble cause or other. And noble causes demand that we be on the right side of them, or risk being tainted as unfair, oppressive, right-wing or simply bad.

Who in their right mind doesn’t want to protect workers against unemployment or exploitation, advance previously disadvantaged black citizens, improve the matric pass rate, help the poor with housing and money, build a strong public service?

Are you happy?

Are you fulfilled in your relationships?

Are you growing your business?

Are you inspired?

Are you passionate about your life?

Are you passionate about your business?

Are you radiating success?

Are you making a difference?

No? Then business coach, entrepreneur and motivator Jamal Sahib has the antidote.

In Start with the End in Mind, Jamal will lead you on a journey of self-discovery into you, the people around you, the mindset you bring to life and business, and how your preconceived ideas about leadership, fulfilment, expectation and responsibility can derail your dreams.

Using real-life coaching examples, coupled with the latest coaching techniques and insights, Start with the End in Mind will help you strip out imposed ways of thinking, enable you to crystallise your ambitions, deepen your understanding and appreciation of the people around you and guide you to a better, healthier, more fulfilling and impactful future.

What can ancient wisdom teach us about thriving in today’s world? Why do some people achieve far more than others? Is it luck, or something deeper? What if you could combine the insight of Joseph and the foresight of Noah with a deep understanding of financial markets?

Joseph and Noah: What Ancient Wisdom can Teach us About Thriving in Today’s World explores the lives of ordinary individuals who achieved extraordinary success, fame, or wealth by thinking and acting differently. From ancient biblical figures like Joseph and Noah to modern-day icons—including a basketball legend, an award-winning actor, and a renowned constitutional judge—the pursuit of success transcends generations. This book also highlights lesser-known individuals who quietly built legacies of wealth, global brands, and landmark tourist destinations.

Each story reveals a common thread—a guiding model—similar to the principles drawn from Joseph and Noah, which helped these individuals navigate challenges. Ultimately, Joseph and Noah uncovers the truth behind success, debunking its often-romanticized portrayal and instead revealing a reality shaped by perseverance, resilience, and strategic decision-making.

South Africa is a rapidly urbanising society. Over 60% of the population lives in urban areas and this will rise to more than 70% by 2030. However, it is also a society with a long history of labour migration, rural home-making and urban economic and residential insecurity. Thus, while the formal institutional systems of migrant labour and the hated pass laws were dismantled after apartheid, a large portion of the South African population remains double-rooted in the sense that they have an urban place of residence and access to a rural homestead to which they periodically return and often eventually retire. This reality, which continues to have profound impacts on social cohesion, family life, gender relations, household investment, settlement dynamic and political identity formation, is the main focus of this book.

Migrant Labour after Apartheid focuses on internal migrants and migration, rather than cross border migration into South Africa. It cautions against a linear narrative of change and urban transition.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half investigates urbanisation processes from the perspective of internal migration. Several of the chapters make use of recently available survey data collected in a national longitudinal study to describe patterns and trends in labour migration, the economic returns to migration, and the links between the migration of adults and the often-ignored migration of children. The last three chapters of this section shine a spotlight on conditions of migrant workers in destination areas by focusing on Marikana and mining on the platinum belt. The second half of the book explores the double rootedness of migrants through the lens of the rural hinterland from which migration often occurs. The chapters here focus on the Eastern Cape as a case study of a region from which (particularly longer-distance) labour migration has been very common.

The contributions describe the limited opportunities for livelihood strategies in the countryside, which encourage outmigration, but also note the accelerated rates of household investment, especially in the built environment in the former homelands.

‘My hope is that people can grow to appreciate this sector – its challenges and opportunities, but most importantly, the role agriculture can play in improving South Africa’s rural economy, creating jobs and bringing about much-needed transformation (or inclusive growth).’
Wandile Sihlobo is perfectly positioned to provide a well-rounded, accessible view of agriculture in South Africa. He spent his school holidays in the rural Eastern Cape, studied agricultural economics at university, has worked in private-sector agriculture, consulting with farmers across the country, and has been an adviser to government as part of South African policymaking bodies.

Finding Common Ground is a selection of key articles from Sihlobo’s regular Business Day column, framed with insightful commentary and context. The book covers the broad themes that have marked current discussions and outlines the challenges and opportunities faced by South Africa’s agricultural sector, including:

• The contentious and complex issue of land reform;
• The potential for new leadership to revive the sector;
• How agriculture can drive development and job creation;
• Cannabis as an exportable commodity;
• The urgent need for agricultural policy to address gender equity and youth involvement;
• Technological developments and megatrends that are underpinning agricultural development;
• The importance of trade in growing South Africa’s agriculture; and Key lessons that South Africa and other African countries can learn from one another.

In 2020 the world found itself in a state of flux. A global pandemic disrupted the world order while the digital transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), with its challenges and huge potential benefits, presented a fundamental paradigm shift. How are Africa’s leaders to respond, today?

In a crisis, decisive leadership is imperative for the public good, but as we move beyond the pandemic and confront the changes of the 4IR, we must determine how we will adapt. What is clear is that leadership will have to be grounded in scientific and mathematical thinking and in good governance. It follows, then, that for South Africa to succeed as a nation in the 21st century we must be able to provide our people with an all-embracing education – not just science and technology but human and social sciences as well.

Leading in the 21st Century presents a comprehensive overview of how the world is changing and lessons we can draw from leaders, particularly in the African context. From Charlotte Maxeke and the Rain Queen Modjadji, to Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe, Eric Molobi and Richard Maponya, there is much to learn from great leaders. The challenges of the 21st century are immense – from climate change to social media and the digital divide that deepens our understanding of inequality, particularly in the ‘new normal’. South Africa faces not only a shifting global context but a fraught local context of stagnant growth, rising unemployment and deep-seated inequality, worsened in 2020 by the national lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic. The 4IR offers solutions to many of our most pressing problems and we cannot afford to be left behind.

The certainty is that the 4IR has arrived. The debates lie in how we respond to it. Tshilidzi Marwala deciphers it all, while providing a framework for navigating these shifts.

Join Nyimpini Mabunda on his journey from his childhood in an apartheid-era homeland to the CEO’s office at one of the world’s leading businesses.

In a career spanning Procter & Gamble, Nando’s, Diageo and Vodacom in South Africa, the UK and Uganda, Mabunda actively sets out to always improve his business acumen and leadership skills. Constantly in learning mode and infused with positive energy, Mabunda’s path offers insightful lessons and practical advice for anyone who wants to succeed in their career, build and lead a business.

This is your toolkit to take you the top!

In the past few years, so many scandals have rocked corporate South Africa that crises seem to be the norm rather than the exception. In the glare of the public eye, with cameras, microphones and cellphones in their face, many leaders who excel in organisations suddenly become scared, confused and can even appear shady.

When Crisis Strikes looks at a variety of crises in the age of social media in South Africa and abroad, with examples of who got it right, who got it wrong and how they could have done better. The organisations range from schools to local companies to multinationals caught up in state capture claims and giants such as Boeing and BP.

The book provides ten simple and effective rules to help manage crisis situations. The practical advice in each rule is backed up by academic research that draws from public relations, marketing, management, leadership and psychology. It combines insights from a seasoned journalist and an accomplished academic to give you the advice and tools to ward off a crisis before it strikes and, if it’s too late, to resolve a situation quickly and with integrity.