The Media Online’s weekly round-up of media business moves.
This week’s BIG move: Inzalo Consulting joins United Partners Network as strategic communications partner for Africa
Johannesburg-based strategic communications and reputation advisory firm Inzalo Consulting has joined the United Partners Network (UPN) as its strategic communications partner for Africa, strengthening the global network’s ability to support organisations expanding across one of the world’s fastest-growing and most strategically important regions.
The appointment positions Inzalo as UPN’s gateway to Africa, combining the network’s international reach with Inzalo’s established Hub & Spoke operating model to provide coordinated communications support across South Africa and the continent through trusted local specialists. The partnership enables multinational organisations to execute communications programmes with global consistency while adapting strategies to the business, cultural, regulatory and media realities of individual African markets.
“Joining United Partners Network represents an important milestone in Inzalo Consulting’s growth and reinforces our vision of helping organisations navigate Africa with confidence,” said Bridget von Holdt, founder of Inzalo Consulting.
“Clients are no longer looking for agencies that simply execute campaigns. They are looking for trusted advisers who understand the commercial, political and cultural realities that shape reputation across African markets. This partnership allows us to combine our pan-African expertise with a truly global network, giving clients the best of both worlds — international strategic alignment supported by experienced professionals on the ground.”
People moves
Bontle Moloi begins a new chapter with Golden Thread African Agency
Award-winning dancer, choreographer, actress, presenter, entrepreneur and creative director Bontle Moloi, affectionately known to many as Bontle Modiselle, has begun a new management chapter with Golden Thread African Agency (GTAA).
While audiences have long known her as Bontle Modiselle, this new chapter also sees her professionally embracing her married surname, Bontle Moloi, reflecting both personal growth and an exciting new season in her career.
“Representing Bontle has been one of the great privileges for our team. Over the years, we’ve witnessed her evolve into one of South Africa’s most respected creative forces while remaining grounded in purpose, family and excellence. We’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve built together and leave this chapter with immense gratitude. We believe Golden Thread African Agency is well positioned to continue the incredible work ahead, and we wish both Bontle and the GTAA team every success as they begin this next chapter.”
Ndabe Zondi takes over 947 Top 40
947 doubles down on music with the appointment of Ndabe Zondi as the new host of the 947 Top 40 powered by Checkers. As music and music content continue to play a central role in 947’s content strategy, 947’s chart show is being refreshed with a digital-first approach designed to help listeners hear, see, share and discover the biggest songs and artists shaping the culture. Music radio has evolved beyond the airwaves and 947 is hoping to lead the way with this appointment.
Already known for creating standout music content, Ndabe Zondi has built a strong following through features like CarPark Karaoke, which has welcomed everyone from rising stars to some of South Africa’s biggest names, including Nasty C and Rowlene. Now, he’ll bring that same energy, creativity and passion for music to one of the station’s flagship shows.
947 Programme Manager, Gregory Aldridge, had this to say about the changes, “Ndabe is a massive part of our vision for the future of 947. He’s passionate about artists, on-the-ground at events and understands digital audiences. We’re excited to see him reimagine the Top 40 experience for a new generation of listeners.”
Ndabe will continue to host The Night Shift from 22:00 to 00:00, Monday to Thursday, while taking the reins of the 947 Top 40 powered by Checkers.
Business moves
Castle Double Malt is title partner of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
Castle Double Malt has become the title partner of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, marking the most significant chapter yet in the brand’s journey into South African rugby.
The partnership will bring supporters closer to Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry through one of the biggest fan engagement programmes associated with the series, including nationwide watch parties and a host of experiences to celebrate one of rugby’s greatest contests.
The partnership was launched at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium before rugby legends, current Springboks, representatives from SA Rugby and New Zealand Rugby, media and invited guests. Since first meeting in 1921, the Springboks and All Blacks have contested more than 100 Test matches and have won seven men’s Rugby World Cup titles between them.
“Becoming the title partner of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry marks a defining milestone for Castle Double Malt,” said Vaughan Croeser, vice president of marketing at South African Breweries.
From content creators to digital entrepreneurs: Inside Johannesburg’s ‘One Big Week’
The Dentsu School of Influence Johannesburg cohort, powered by CSA.global and FoneYam, celebrated graduation after an intensive One Big Week programme designed to transform local creators into boardroom-ready digital entrepreneurs.
Sixteen emerging creators entered the incubator as content makers and have now officially entered the commercial market as media businesses equipped to compete in Africa’s multi-billion-rand digital economy.
Rather than focusing on aesthetic curation, the curriculum treated mobile content as media inventory. Participants developed skills in data literacy, income structuring, invoicing and financial compliance to build sustainable digital enterprises.
Industry masterclasses included sessions by Grace Mondlana on value propositions, commercial rate cards and hyper-local content, while dentsu X South Africa managing director Marcel Swain introduced the Creator Catalyst partnership model designed to position creators as long-term growth partners for brands.
TikTok is fighting AI content because it doesn’t perform
TikTok has announced a new detection system to identify AI-generated spam that it says is “crowding out original creators”. The platform is also introducing an in-app guide to help users identify AI-generated content.
According to Donatas Smailys, CEO of UGC creator marketing platform Billo, the move is driven less by ethics than by performance.
“It would be naive to read this as TikTok taking a moral stance. The platforms can see in their own data what audiences respond to, and they’re quietly rebuilding their rules around real people.”
He added that advertisers relying heavily on synthetic influencers should take note, arguing that platforms “don’t spend money fighting content that works. They fight content that makes people scroll past.”
World Out of Home Organisation signs up another 21 members
The World Out of Home Organisation (WOO) has added another 21 members from across the globe, capping a surge in new memberships this year.
WOO also hosted its most successful annual congress to date in London, attracting more than 800 delegates and making 2026 its strongest year yet.
The new members come from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. They include 13 national media owners, four OOH service providers and suppliers, two national OOH associations and two international media agencies. Serbian media owner Grifon becomes WOO’s first member from Serbia.
The countries represented include the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, the United States, the UAE, Oman, Israel, Nigeria, Jordan and the Republic of Korea.
Acer Africa and ACGL team up to power R150,000 African Gaming Championship 2026
Acer Africa has renewed its strategic partnership with the African Cyber Gaming League (ACGL) as the official hardware provider for the African Gaming Championship (AGC) 2026, taking place at GrandWest in Cape Town from 16 to 19 July.
The partnership will see Acer’s gaming technology power the tournament infrastructure, supporting a R150,000 prize pool across major titles while continuing to develop grassroots talent through the Nitro African Schools League.
Campaign moves
How Pick n Pay turned rugby’s biggest joke into its latest campaign
“What are they feeding the Springboks?” has echoed around the rugby world for years, asked by commentators, rival fans and former players whenever South Africa’s giants dominate another opponent.
Pick n Pay is answering that question with Eat Like a Champion, a new Springbok campaign that puts food at the heart of the game while reminding South Africans that eating like champions isn’t reserved for elite athletes.
Developed by Halo, the television commercial is the centrepiece of an integrated campaign that transforms a familiar rugby joke into a celebration of South African pride.
“We didn’t invent the insight – culture did,” said Katherine Madley, chief marketing officer at Pick n Pay. “It became part of rugby culture, and for us, the answer was obvious. Pick n Pay exists to make fresh, nutritious food accessible to every South African family, and Eat Like a Champion became the perfect platform to bring together our passion for fresh food, our commitment to the Springboks and our belief that every family should be able to eat like a champion.”
France and Africa: Building the future of creative collaboration
France’s participation as the Destination Focus at FAME Week Africa reflects its commitment to strengthening creative dialogue and professional collaboration with partners across the African continent.
It also highlights the growing connections between French and African cultural and creative industries, including audiovisual production, music, fashion, digital creation and cultural entrepreneurship.
The French delegation will bring together professionals from mainland France, Réunion Island and initiatives supported through Création Africa, now in its second year of supporting cultural entrepreneurs through mentorship, incubation and investment.
Through screenings, roundtable discussions, professional meetings, showcases and fashion presentations, FAME Week Africa will provide a platform for knowledge-sharing and the development of new partnerships between French and African creatives.
Tropika celebrates South African creativity with Dr Esther Mahlangu-inspired murals and branded taxis
Following the launch of its limited-edition ginger beer-flavoured dairy fruit mix, Tropika has taken its celebration of South African heritage to the streets with 15 public murals and 115 branded taxis across Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Inspired by the signature geometric style of Dr Esther Mahlangu, the campaign celebrates local creativity, encourages artistic expression and brings public art into everyday community spaces.
The campaign focuses on regions closely connected to Dr Mahlangu’s heritage, paying tribute to one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists while introducing consumers to Tropika’s newest limited-edition flavour.
The Street Store winter campaign that moved South Africa
The Street Store, the world’s first rent-free, premises-free pop-up clothing store for people in need, has been spreading goodwill since 2014 through M+C Saatchi Abel, part of The Up&Up Group.
This year’s Clothes for Closure winter campaign reframed clothing donations as personal closure under the tagline, “Letting it go looks good on you.” The campaign reached more than 30 million people, generated R1.4 million in media value and achieved 100% positive sentiment through outdoor, radio and digital activations.
The campaign culminated in pop-up stores across South Africa in May, hosted by M+C Saatchi Abel in Cape Town and Johannesburg with longstanding partners The Haven Night Shelter and The Salvation Army.
Across the three-month campaign, 54 media placements generated R1.48 million in advertising value equivalent (AVE), reached more than 30.9 million people and delivered more than R2.2 million in pro bono media support.
Making moves
Disney Jr. launches isiZulu dubbing for Spidey and Sofia the First
Disney Jr. (DStv channel 309) is expanding its local-language offering with new isiZulu dubs of Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends from 13 July and Sofia the First from 17 August.
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends will air weekdays at 08:10 CAT with a daily repeat at 15:05 CAT. The preschool series follows Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales as they team up with fellow Marvel heroes including Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther.
The move forms part of Disney’s ongoing commitment to making its children’s programming more accessible to South African audiences through local-language content.
Protecting information integrity and those who defend it – a dialogue
The Thomson Reuters Foundation will host a dialogue on press freedom, electoral integrity and public trust ahead of South Africa’s 2026 local government elections.
The event will launch new research into attacks against journalists, introduce the PIIE collaborative initiative and showcase MARS, a platform designed to monitor attacks on journalists during the election period. It will also highlight the work of organisations strengthening South Africa’s democratic information ecosystem.
Date: 30 July 2026
Time: 09:00–13:30
Venue: TBC
5FM activates Mandela Day squad
5FM is joining Rise Against Hunger Africa’s Mandela Month campaign on 17 July with a full-day meal-packing activation at the Sandton Convention Centre, aimed at supporting children in early childhood development (ECD).
As part of the Feed the Future – 3 Million Meals in 31 Days campaign, the station will broadcast live from 09:00 to 18:00 while presenters, Youngblood 5 contributors, celebrities and listeners help pack thousands of meals for vulnerable children.
“5FM has always been powered by young South Africans who get up and show up, especially when it matters most,” said Masi Mdingane, business manager for 5FM and Good Hope FM. “Mandela Day is our chance to take that energy off air and into real impact.”
The activation follows Good Hope FM’s Mandela Month event earlier this month, where more than 700 volunteers packed 129 600 meals. The station will continue its support on 17 July at Morgenhof Wine Estate.
TRUfm and Nelson Mandela University launch long-term Mandela Month partnership
trufm, Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the Zwide Development Forum (ZDF) have launched a long-term partnership aimed at tackling three of the Eastern Cape’s most pressing social challenges: substance abuse and poverty, food insecurity, and gender-based violence.
The initiative will culminate in Mandela Week, from 14 to 17 July, with each day dedicated to one of the campaign’s focus areas. Activities include community sports tournaments, food garden projects, and marches and dialogues to raise awareness of gender-based violence.
Rather than focusing on a single day of service, the partnership aims to create lasting impact through practical interventions and sustained community engagement.
Making a difference that matters this Mandela Day
According to Statistics South Africa’s latest Volunteer Activities Survey, South Africans contributed volunteer work worth an estimated R17.5 billion in 2024, equivalent to more than 216 000 full-time jobs.
For Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB), Mandela Day is part of a broader commitment to long-term community partnerships rather than a once-off annual activation. The company continues to invest in organisations already making a difference in the communities they serve.
“We are incredibly grateful to the team at Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages for their powerful partnership,” said Danny Diliberto, founder and CEO of Ladles of Love. “They have walked a journey with us through thick and thin, from supporting us during Covid to investing in our nutrition programmes for preschool children. The impact of this kindness is immense.”
This year’s Mandela Day activities will see CCPB once again partnering with organisations including Ladles of Love, FoodForward SA, Community Chest and the Salesian Institute’s Soul Kitchen initiative to support communities across the Western Cape.
