3 Show Notes

02:05 Soweto was established in 1904 as a ‘ghetto’ for black people, moving people away from Johannesburg’s city centre after the bubonic plague had broken out in the town centre, in an area known as Brickfields. Once the brick makers had been removed 25km south, to Klipspruit, the area was fenced and razed to the ground. 

With the creation of Klipspruit, Soweto was born. And it is in Klipspruit where South Africa’s Bill of Rights has its roots. In 1955, several thousand people from around the country gathered to ratify the ANC’s Freedom Charter, a document setting out the ordinary aspirations of black South Africans for equal rights in the land of their birth. Much of what was contained in the Freedom Charter made it into chapter 2 of South Africa’s Constitution, its Bill of Rights, and many other areas of the constitution. In late 1954 and early 1955, roughly 10,000 'Freedom Volunteers' were dispatched across South Africa to collect 'freedom demands' from township residents, villagers, factory workers, and people in rural areas. Submissions were received in various formats, including written documents, letters, scraps of paper, and reports from local meetings detailing the desires of the people. Sub-committees of the ANC's National Action Council gathered these varied demands, sorting them into categories and synthesizing them into a draft charter. On June 25–26, 1955, around 3,000 delegates gathered in Kliptown, Soweto, to approve the final document, which was read aloud, clause by clause, and approved with shouts of "Afrika!" and "Mayibuye!". The resulting Freedom Charter, with its famous opening, "The People Shall Govern!", was not officially adopted by the ANC until 1956, but its legitimacy stemmed directly from the "bottom-up" submission process. (I have never been able to ascertain what happened to those hundreds of pieces of paper. If you know, let me know!)

Today Soweto is a vast neighbourhood, where more than one million people live. It’s an area of 200km², with over 355 000 households. It was only in 1963 that it adopted the name Soweto, an acronym for South Western Townships. Many an extraordinary South African was born here.

02:16 Melusi created two back-to-back Super Bowl commercials, a rare achievement. It’s such a big deal, because the pinnacle of American Football is also the pinnacle of TV ads, with over 100 million people watching the ads before the game even airs.

The first was ‘My Boyfriend has a food problem’ (2019), created for the frozen meals brand Devour. It details the woes of a long-suffering woman addressing her boyfriend’s addiction to ‘frozen food porn’. The ad sought to position the product as an intense and alternative to standard frozen food. A ‘clean’ version needed to be created for the Super Bowl broadcast and a longer ‘uncensored’ online version to generate buzz. The campaign included a "1-83-FOODPORN" hotline. Here’s local coverage of the ad: ‘Melusi Mhlungu wins big with Super Bowl food porn ad’

The second ad was called ‘Typical American’ (2020), and redefined stereotypes by showing ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things, aiming to unify a polarized nation. The 60-second spot featured scenes of heroism and community service - like firefighters and volunteers - to showcase American spirit.

If you want to hear the back story to these two ads, listen to the next episode with Melusi Mhlungu, due mid-April 2026.

02:40 Nando's is a South African-founded international restaurant chain famous for its Afro-Portuguese flame-grilled peri-peri chicken. Originally founded in 1987 as an out-of-the-way Portuguese restaurant called Chickenland in the south of Johannesburg, it specializes in chicken marinated for 24 hours in spicy chilli sauce, served in various heat levels with sides like chips and coleslaw. The name and flavour peri-peri are inspired by the African Bird's Eye Chilli (PERi-PERi (pepper-pepper)), which Portuguese explorers brought to Mozambique in the 16th century. The restaurant was developed further from its Chickenland origins by Robbie Brozin and Mozambique-born Fernando Duarte, who together purchased a 67% stake in the restaurant, where they frequently had lunch. In 1990, they bought Chickenland entirely, rebranded it as Nando’s, and brought in other partners, including the Enthoven family who acquired a 30% stake. Nando's is known for its ‘home away from home’ atmosphere, featuring southern African art and music, and it often brands itself through witty, humorous advertising. It operates over 1,000 restaurants in 35 countries and has a significant presence in the UK and Australia, (obviously) besides its extensive presence in South Africa.

NOTE: In 2025, Melusi’s agency We Are Bizarre, was appointed as the new lead creative agency for Nando’s South Africa. The agency won the pitch to handle the Through-The-Line (TTL) creative business for Nando's South Africa, marking a significant change in the brand's agency lineup. This move follows the departure of M&C Saatchi Abel, which had been the ATL lead agency since 2015, and the end of VML South Africa's ten-year partnership with Nando's in May 2025. We Are Bizarre confirmed the appointment on social media, thanking the Nando's team for ‘choosing to flame-grill your brand with our fire’.

02:41 Robert Brozin, known as ‘Robbie’ to most, is a South African entrepreneur, businessman and co-founder of the Nando's international restaurant chain. Robbie was born in 1959 in Mpumalanga, South Africa. After stepping back from Nando’s in 2020, Robbie’s passion for making a difference grew. He now champions changing lives at Nando’s; co-founded Goodbye Malaria; is a Constitutional Hill trustee; is helping to secure the future of Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital; and is part of the JoziMyJozi team who are working hard to revitalize Johannesburg. Robbie’s philosophy of having fun while making money and changing people’s lives is at the heart of his personal philosophy.

03:13 Long-time creative guru Brett Morris is executive creative chair at the Nahana Communications Group. His work in advertising has been recognised numerous times at major award shows including Cannes and by his peers in the industry. In 2014 Brett was appointed Group Chief Executive of Nahana Communications Group and has since been voted by his peers as most admired agency leader in Johannesburg for five years in a row and three times across South Africa. He was a mentor to Melusi in the early days of his career, and is a long time friend.

03:41 Constitution Hill is a former notorious prison complex in Johannesburg, South Africa, that was transformed into a human rights precinct and living museum. It houses the highest court in the country, the Constitutional Court, serving as a powerful symbol of South Africa's journey from apartheid-era oppression to democracy. In 2024, Constitution Hill was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering a living museum experience. Visitors can tour the Old Fort, Number Four (native jail), and the Women's Jail, where leaders like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were held.

03:47 The Flame of Democracy at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg is an eternal flame lit on December 10, 2011, to mark the 15th anniversary of the signing of South Africa's Constitution. It symbolizes freedom from oppression and serves as a reminder of constitutional rights, situated in the stairwell of the former Awaiting Trial Block, a prison section built in 1928 where thousands, including activists like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Robert Sobukwe, were detained. The flame was officially lit by former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on December 10, 2011. It was brought from Qunu in the Eastern Cape (Nelson Mandela's home) to Johannesburg to signify the transition. The flame serves as a focal point on Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and other significant national days to remind citizens of their rights and the responsibility to uphold democracy.

03:51 Preamble to the Constitution of South Africa

We, the people of South Africa,

Recognise the injustices of our past;

Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;

Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and

Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.

We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to ­

• Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;

• Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;

• Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and

• Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

May God protect our people.

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.

God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.

Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.

08:25 Anglo American plc is a major British multinational mining company headquartered in London, recognized as one of the world's largest producers of platinum, diamonds (via De Beers), copper, nickel, iron ore, and metallurgical coal. Founded in 1917 in South Africa, it operates globally, focusing on mining resources essential for modern life and industrial growth. It was founded by Ernest Oppenheimer and historically had deep ties to South African mining, later shifting its headquarters to London in 1999. The company operates in Africa, South America, Australia, North America, and Asia. It is a leading producer of platinum (approx. 40% of global output), diamonds, and holds significant copper, nickel, and iron ore assets. It has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

09:19 JozimyJozi

23:20 Adam Craker is the Chief Executive Officer at IQbusiness, the largest South African management and technology consulting firm and a majority-owned subsidiary of JSE-listed Reunert Group, since July 2023. As an ‘activist CEO’ Adam is an ardent lobbyist for government and business collaboration, though he places the emphasis on education as the key ingredient to drive an inclusive future for all South Africans. Adam has forged strong partnerships between IQbusiness and various NGOs and social enterprises, such as SmartStart, Tomorrow Trust, Harambee, Partners for Possibility and the National Mentorship Movement to act as catalysts for positive trends in education and self advancement. Three social enterprises resulted under Adam’s leadership as CEO – the COBRA Initiative, SAtion and JoziMyJozi.

25:32 The Mandela Bridge is located in the heart of the City of Johannesburg, serving as a bridge between the vibrant student precinct of Braamfontein and downtown Joburg. The area is part of a massive rejuvenation drive, filled with sites of cultural and historical significance, with the bridge being the conduit for all traffic to and from the area. The Mandela Bridge was recognised as being 'an outstanding civil engineering achievement' by the South African Institute of Civil Engineers. It cost R38 million and is the largest cable-stayed bridge in southern Africa. The vast quantities of construction materials that went into its creation underpin what a feat of engineering it is. It took 4,000 cubic meters of concrete, 1,000 tons of structural steel and 500 tons of construction steel to realise the seemingly weightless pinnacle that gleams with the promise of the new. The bridge is 284 meters long, 42 meters high at the north pylon and 27 meters high at the south pylon.

25:53 ABSA originally stood for Amalgamated Banks of South Africa, formed in 1991 through the merger of UBS Holdings, Allied Bank, and Volkskas Group to unify its operations across the continent. While it was formerly known by this acronym, the entity now officially operates simply as Absa Group Limited or Absa Bank Ltd, having rebranded from Barclays Africa Group in 2018. The name reflected the merging of several large financial institutions and is a major South African financial services provider based in Johannesburg that offers retail, business, corporate, and investment banking services. In 2004, Absa was the first of the big four banks to sell a direct stake (10%) to a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) consortium (Batho Bonke). It utilizes data to track the health of the SME sector, providing crucial insights into economic trends. With over 41,000 employees it is one of the largest branch networks in South Africa.

28:00 Bea Swanepoel is the founding CEO and former leader of Jozi My Jozi, beautifully described as ‘the coalition of the willing’. As of early 2026, she transitioned to leading the national expansion of the JoziMyJozi model as CEO of NewCo Trust which will focus on the rollout of the Jozi model to other South African cities. She previously worked as a project manager at Anglo American, where she was involved in managing the company’s move out of the CBD, which sparked her dedication to revitalizing the city centre.

32:42 Despite the hardship, African youths are the most mentally stable in the world. (Significant sub-title: 'Wealth isn’t necessarily a benefit when it comes to mental health, a new report released in February shows, and nowhere is this more evident than in Africa.' If you look at the key factors affecting youth mental health, this finding is not surprising: * Key factors affecting youth mental health include family relationships, spirituality, early smartphone usage, and ultra-processed food consumption.) (Instagram post)