The Tefo Mohapi Show
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 59 ratingsThe Tefo Mohapi Show brings you conversations with interesting people from across the world who have famously or infamously made an impact on the world. Expect unique and interesting insights into some of the people that make our world tick. We will together explore the views of my guests regarding the state of the world currently, the impact of digital technology on culture and how the world works, and what they think needs to be done to make our world better, or at minimum, how we can all get along better and do better.
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Episodes
Craig McLeod on building and scaling tech startups
January 14, 2021 11:27 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MBAccording to Baobab Insights, as of 17th December 2020, the total investment into African startups in 2020 was $1,213 billion. This is some way behind the total recorded in 2019 ($1,987 billion) and slightly behind the 2018 total ($1,328 billion). The total number of unique companies that received investment has only slightly decreased from 429 in 2019 to 426 in 2020. So, perhaps the narrative that African technology startups copy and paste Silicon Valley business models might not be entirel...
Dion Chang talks about trends that are shaping our zeitgeist
October 04, 2020 08:02 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBOver the past half-decade, or even longer, it feels like something has changed drastically across the world. It could be the influence of social media and how it allows trends to scale quickly across the world, or it could be something else. One of those changes is more visibility being given to black people protesting and fighting against centuries of systemic racism. There’s another possible trend I have observed that, for lack of a better word, I call “nationalism." More and more polit...
Denisha Kuhlor on startups, music, and technology
August 30, 2020 13:41 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBA few days after George Floyd was killed by a policeman in the USA, protests erupted. Under the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement, the protests calling for justice for George Floyd and anyone else killed by police in America, soon spread globally. At the same time, a few days later after the fateful day that Floyd passed away, many companies and brands started publishing and broadcasting messages that they stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Some, like several VCs, investors...
Ben Basche on trends that are shaping the future of technology
August 21, 2020 19:01 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBOn 13 August 2020 something interesting happened. Firstly, Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite, decided to allow players to make in-game purchases by paying it directly on iOS devices and not using Apple's in-app payment system. This led to Apple swiftly banning and removing the popular Fortnite game from its App store citing violation of rules. Things then escalated quickly on the same day as Epic Games would then file legal papers against Apple opposing the ban and saying that the company i...
Oresti Patricios on the state of the media industry
August 17, 2020 13:01 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBIt goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 has been devastating for many businesses. Many businesses have announced downsizing measures while others have completely shut down. The media industry has not been spared. However, it has been interesting to observe as some media organizations have gone on to blame the pandemic for their troubles. In some cases, some of them have been slightly more honest in admitting that digitization, and their not being quick enough to underst...
Terry Virts on life space
August 09, 2020 18:01 - 30 minutes - 55.5 MBIn recent decades the topic of humans living in space has slowly become a possibility. With the advent of the International Space Station and various countries looking to explore Mars, other organizations talking about commercial space travel, it is an exciting time to be alive. However, for many of us visiting space in our life might be a longshot given the costs that are associated with it. However, it doesn't hurt to sometimes wonder and explore what living in space would be like. Thing...
Oby Ezekwesili on corruption and politics
August 02, 2020 06:01 - 42 minutes - 23.5 MBCorruption, despite it being one of the frequently occurring topics discussed across the continent, is not unique to Africa. Also, it did not originate in Africa. However, its effects, especially when it comes to the misuse of public funds, is more pronounced on the continent given how it robs citizens from having functional infrastructure and public services. Given corruption's negative effects on public service delivery, is it something we can completely stop? In this episode of The Tefo...
Kamal Moukheiber talks about building an African cigar brand
May 31, 2020 07:46 - 39 minutes - 19.1 MBAfrica produces a lot of tobacco annually. Across the continent, you will find tobacco farms that produce and mostly export their leaves outside the continent to cigarette and cigar makers across the world. More interestingly, one of the finest tobacco leaves grown in Cameroon is responsible for making (a wrapper) some of the world's finest cigars, yet, Africa for a long time never had a cigar brand or maker. Kamal Moukheiber, the founder of Mozambique based Bongani Cigars, a...
Isaac Mophatlane talks about government accountability, the ICT sector, and tech startups
May 24, 2020 05:46 - 51 minutes - 59.1 MBAt 47 years old, Isaac Mophatlane is easily a veteran in South Africa's ICT sector and the broader ICT sector across Africa. It is not because of his age but rather his experience in the industry that qualifies him as such. From starting, together with his late twin brother Benjamin Mophatlane, as consumer and small business software salespeople at a retail software store in the mid-to-late 1990s in Pretoria, right up to selling a company he co-founded with his brother, BCX (...
Thebe Ikalafeng discusses personal branding, narratives, and Africa as a brand
May 17, 2020 15:16 - 28 minutes - 30 MBBy default, when one thinks of Thebe Ikalafeng thoughts of his passion for Africa, marketing, and being an experienced and professional brand strategist come to mind. This is not only by default, but it is also by design. In this episode Thebe joins Tefo to unpack what personal branding is about, especially explaining that it doesn't necessarily mean not being yourself. He further explores how we can continue to tell our stories as Africans. Thebe also explores the topic of marketing Africa...
Alexandre Lazarow on how to build a startup to survive tough times
May 03, 2020 10:03 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBEven before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic happened, the world was already experiencing an economic slowdown. In South Africa for example, many big corporations were already laying off thousands of their staff. Interestingly, technology companies, although some were experiencing some downturn in fortunes, weren't exactly the worst affected. But, how does one ensure that their startup can survive tough times? In this episode of The Tefo Mohapi Show Alexandre Lazarow, a Vent...
Dr. Vukosi Marivate on how Artificial Intelligence can be used to fight fake news
March 28, 2020 09:23 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBOver the past 5 years or so, we have witnessed an exponential growth of what is commonly known as fake news to influence not only political discussions online but every aspect of our lives. Some might say that fake news is a victimless offense but as we have come to experience over the years, there are real-life consequences to the rise in misinformation and disinformation that is circulated on the Internet. There have been several suggestions on how we can stop fake news. Some have pushed f...
Advice for freelancers and small businesses during coronavirus outbreak
March 21, 2020 11:11 - 41 minutes - 22.4 MBNot only is the coronavirus (COVID-19) now a global pandemic as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), it has also disrupted life as we know it globally. As many countries around the world have announced various measures to try and "flatten the curve," some people are faced with uncertainty over where their next income cheque will come from. Freelancers, small businesses, and self-employed people are some of the categories of people around the world who are about to be severely be ...
What you need to know about the coronavirus (COVID-19)
March 14, 2020 08:45 - 17 minutes - 9.18 MBOn 31 December 2019, the first reported outbreak of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) was said to be in Wuhan, China. Since that first reported outbreak in China, the disease has spread rapidly across the world and caused thousands of death and put many people in critical condition. However, it is also important to note that many who contracted the disease have also succesfully recovered from it. In this bonus episode of The Tefo Mohapi Show I spoke to Dr. Mary Stephen, Technical Officer at...
Higinio Ochoa talks about hacker culture and hacktivism
March 01, 2020 09:01 - 1 hour - 50.6 MBHiginio "w0rmer" Ochoa was once upon a time banned from using the Internet by the FBI. This was because as a formerly convicted hacktivist he, as part of the Anonymous movement supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement hacked into some police databases in the USA as well as being involved with shutting down several companies websites and and online services around 2011 and 2012. However, that is some time ago as he is now an Information Security professional in the USA who cares about a sec...
Nothando Migogo
February 22, 2020 14:51 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBNothando Migogo is arguably one of the foremost knowledgeable and experienced people across Africa when it comes to understanding copyright licensing in the creative industries. She has spent the last decade leading copyright licensing organisations, most recently as CEO of the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO). She has made a significant impact on the music royalty collection landscape both in South Africa and the African continent. Naturally, she was the person I sought to...
Nothando Migogo on culture, colonization, music and law
February 22, 2020 14:51 - 1 hour - 99.5 MBNothando Migogo is arguably one of the foremost knowledgeable and experienced people across Africa when it comes to understanding copyright licensing in the creative industries. She has spent the last decade leading copyright licensing organisations, most recently as CEO of the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO). She has made a significant impact on the music royalty collection landscape both in South Africa and the African continent. Naturally, she was the person I sought to...
Welcome to Season 2
February 22, 2020 11:11 - 2 minutes - 1.57 MBThe podcast will be bringing you conversations with various people from across the world who have famously or infamously made an impact on our world. This is through the work they do through their businesses or organizations or through some of the technology they have developed. The aim is to try and understand the world we live in a bit better and find solutions to some of the problems we face. I trust you will find the conversations insightful! Kgotso!
Murray Hunter
December 24, 2019 14:49 - 57 minutes - 35.8 MBSouth Africa has one of the world's best laws when it comes to data protection. However, unfortunately, it is only good enough on paper. This is because since the Protection Of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) has been signed into law in South Africa, some of its provisions cannot be fully implemented pending the SA Information Regulator office being fully functional and resourced. As a result, the country has experienced some of the worst abuses of personal data collection, storage, and ...
Murray Hunter explains privacy and South Africa's citizen spying operations
December 24, 2019 14:49 - 57 minutes - 35.8 MBSouth Africa has one of the world's best laws when it comes to data protection. However, unfortunately, it is only good enough on paper. This is because since the Protection Of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) has been signed into law in South Africa, some of its provisions cannot be fully implemented pending the SA Information Regulator office being fully functional and resourced. As a result, the country has experienced some of the worst abuses of personal data collection, storage, and ...
Maged Korga
December 09, 2019 18:46 - 43 minutes - 46.1 MBWhen Maged first told me that he would be cycling and hitch-hiking across Africa I thought to myself this is a weird way to punish oneself considering he could at minimum do the trip using a car. However, having spoken to him during this podcast there are clearly some important lessons one learns on such an excursion. Maged Ahmed Korga is an Egyptian ex-Google software engineer who decided, in between switching jobs from Google in San Francisco to a startup that develops technology for self-...
Maged Korga on cycling across Africa and ICT4D
December 09, 2019 18:46 - 43 minutes - 46.1 MBWhen Maged first told me that he would be cycling and hitch-hiking across Africa I thought to myself this is a weird way to punish oneself considering he could at minimum do the trip using a car. However, having spoken to him during this podcast there are clearly some important lessons one learns on such an excursion. Maged Ahmed Korga is an Egyptian ex-Google software engineer who decided, in between switching jobs from Google in San Francisco to a startup that develops technology for self-...
David Li
November 16, 2019 22:38 - 1 hour - 33.8 MBIf you look back just under 40 years ago, the global Information Technology sector was completely different, from the perspective of the dominant countries and companies, from what it is today. However, it is exactly at that time that China started building a city that plays an extremely important role in the global supply chain of electronic goods and especially mobile phones. In this podcast, David Li, who works in Shenzhen, explains how the Chinese government selected Shenzhen...
David Li talks about Shenzhen's open innovation technology ecosystem
November 16, 2019 22:38 - 1 hour - 33.8 MBIf you look back just under 40 years ago, the global Information Technology sector was completely different, from the perspective of the dominant countries and companies, from what it is today. However, it is exactly at that time that China started building a city that plays an extremely important role in the global supply chain of electronic goods and especially mobile phones. In this podcast, David Li, who works in Shenzhen, explains how the Chinese government selected Shenzhen...
Yoel Kenan
November 10, 2019 14:48 - 56 minutes - 41.5 MBThe digital music business has undergone three phases in Africa, namely: the mobile phone ringtone/ringback phase, the digital downloads phase, and now the online streaming phase. Yoel Kenan, Founder, and CEO of Africori (an Africa-focussed digital music aggregation and distribution business) explains these phases and how, in most parts of Africa, the first phase is still prevalent. This podcast spans the history of the digital music business, the role of distributors, discussion...
Yoel Kenan discusses the digital music business in Africa
November 10, 2019 14:48 - 56 minutes - 41.5 MBThe digital music business has undergone three phases in Africa, namely: the mobile phone ringtone/ringback phase, the digital downloads phase, and now the online streaming phase. Yoel Kenan, Founder, and CEO of Africori (an Africa-focussed digital music aggregation and distribution business) explains these phases and how, in most parts of Africa, the first phase is still prevalent. This podcast spans the history of the digital music business, the role of distributors, discussion...
Kamran Elahian
November 08, 2019 13:47 - 50 minutes - 43.4 MBIt's not often one gets to sit down with a person who has built as well as invested in some tech unicorns (a company with a $1 billion-plus valuation). It is also not often that such a person would be humble enough to admit their failures in business and celebrate them as lessons despite the temptation to paint themselves as a flawless hero. Kamran Elahian is both these things and much more. Kamran is also an innovator. One of his innovations, the Momenta tablet computer which wa...
Kamran Elahian on how Africa can take advantage of the innovation economy
November 08, 2019 13:47 - 50 minutes - 43.4 MBIt's not often one gets to sit down with a person who has built as well as invested in some tech unicorns (a company with a $1 billion-plus valuation). It is also not often that such a person would be humble enough to admit their failures in business and celebrate them as lessons despite the temptation to paint themselves as a flawless hero. Kamran Elahian is both these things and much more. Kamran is also an innovator. One of his innovations, the Momenta tablet computer which wa...
Bankole Oluwafemi
November 03, 2019 06:47 - 45 minutes - 32.8 MBIf you had to think back a decade or even 6 or 7 years back, the digital technology media landscape across most parts of Africa was considerably different to what it is today. Most online publications, if any, that covered technology innovation were doing so from a developmental and social impact point of view. If not that, they were covering mostly enterprise technology. The era of personal digital technology blogs gained popularity somewhere around a decade ago and around 6 or ...
Bankole Oluwafemi looks back at the evolution of Africa's tech innovation and startup ecosystem
November 03, 2019 06:47 - 45 minutes - 32.8 MBIf you had to think back a decade or even 6 or 7 years back, the digital technology media landscape across most parts of Africa was considerably different to what it is today. Most online publications, if any, that covered technology innovation were doing so from a developmental and social impact point of view. If not that, they were covering mostly enterprise technology. The era of personal digital technology blogs gained popularity somewhere around a decade ago and around 6 or ...
Emmanuel Banda
October 15, 2019 13:17 - 1 hour - 29.1 MBWith the recent passing of Zimbabwe's former President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the southern African country once again came under the spotlight. Questions about how good (or how bad) Mugabe's legacy was have been asked, and depending who you ask, Zimbabwe is or was a great country or a horrible country. The same mixed sentiment applies especially if you ask South Africans about Robert Mugabe. As such, I thought it best to catch up and talk to someone who I think has a better expe...
Emmanuel Banda discusses how Zimbabwe deteriorated under Robert Mugabe
October 15, 2019 13:17 - 1 hour - 29.1 MBWith the recent passing of Zimbabwe's former President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the southern African country once again came under the spotlight. Questions about how good (or how bad) Mugabe's legacy was have been asked, and depending who you ask, Zimbabwe is or was a great country or a horrible country. The same mixed sentiment applies especially if you ask South Africans about Robert Mugabe. As such, I thought it best to catch up and talk to someone who I think has a better expe...
Gwen Ngwenya
September 29, 2019 21:48 - 1 hour - 102 MBIf you have been following South African politics for the past few years, especially on Twitter, you would probably have come across the name Gwen Ngwenya. She is a former Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition in South Africa. More interesting, is how, despite the insults that have been hurled at her on social media and some times in Main Stream Media (MSM), Gwen has kept her cool and argued her points with little emotion. As such...
Gwen Ngwenya on South African politics and tech policy
September 29, 2019 21:48 - 1 hour - 102 MBIf you have been following South African politics for the past few years, especially on Twitter, you would probably have come across the name Gwen Ngwenya. She is a former Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition in South Africa. More interesting, is how, despite the insults that have been hurled at her on social media and some times in Main Stream Media (MSM), Gwen has kept her cool and argued her points with little emotion. As such...
Mteto Nyati talks about his career in South Africa's ICT industry
September 27, 2019 16:18 - 1 hour - 149 MBMteto Nyati is one of those leaders in South Africa's society whose career path is nothing short of excellence. From starting as an engineer during South Africa's much darker Apartheid days, to changing industries into the Information Technology field and then later Telecommunications. He has proven that he has a knack for taking on challenges and finding solutions. In this episode of "The Tefo Mohapi Show" I got to speak with Mteto about his younger days as detailed in his book ...
Mteto Nyati
September 27, 2019 16:18 - 1 hour - 149 MBMteto Nyati is one of those leaders in South Africa's society whose career path is nothing short of excellence. From starting as an engineer during South Africa's much darker Apartheid days, to changing industries into the Information Technology field and then later Telecommunications. He has proven that he has a knack for taking on challenges and finding solutions. In this episode of "The Tefo Mohapi Show" I got to speak with Mteto about his younger days as detailed in his book ...
Marek Zmyslowski
September 26, 2019 19:58 - 1 hour - 149 MBIn this episode of The Tefo Mohapi Show, I speak to Marek Zmyslowski, a Polish entrepreneur who packed up his bags in 2013 to go to Nigeria to start an online travel startup. Having met with the Samwer brothers, founders of Rocket Internet, Marek was recruited to be the co-founder and Managing Director of Jovago in Nigeria. Jovago initially focussed on servicing customers in Nigeria with a vision to expand across Africa. However, things didn't go as Marek planned. Africa Internet...
Marek Zmyslowski on doing business in Nigeria
September 26, 2019 19:58 - 1 hour - 149 MBIn this episode of The Tefo Mohapi Show, I speak to Marek Zmyslowski, a Polish entrepreneur who packed up his bags in 2013 to go to Nigeria to start an online travel startup. Having met with the Samwer brothers, founders of Rocket Internet, Marek was recruited to be the co-founder and Managing Director of Jovago in Nigeria. Jovago initially focussed on servicing customers in Nigeria with a vision to expand across Africa. However, things didn't go as Marek planned. Africa Internet...
Intro
September 26, 2019 06:00 - 2 minutes - 5.4 MBI, Tefo Mohapi, will be your host for this podcast show. Having previously founded iAfrikan.com and other technology and media businesses and having now worked in the Information Technology sector across Africa for now just under 20 years. I hope to bring you unique and interesting insights into some of the people that make our world tick. We will together explore the views of my guests regarding the state of the world currently, the impact of digital technology on culture and ho...
Introduction to The Tefo Mohapi Show
September 26, 2019 06:00 - 2 minutes - 5.4 MBI, Tefo Mohapi, will be your host for this podcast show. Having previously founded iAfrikan.com and other technology and media businesses and having now worked in the Information Technology sector across Africa for now just under 20 years. I hope to bring you unique and interesting insights into some of the people that make our world tick. We will together explore the views of my guests regarding the state of the world currently, the impact of digital technology on culture and ho...
Trailer
September 25, 2019 23:46 - 2 minutes - 5.4 MBI, Tefo Mohapi, will be your for this podcast show. Having previously founded iAfrikan.com and other technology and media businesses and having now worked in the Information Technology sector across Africa for now just under 20 years. I hope to bring you unique and interesting insights into some of the people that make our world tick. We will together explore the views of my guests regarding the state of the world currently, the impact of digital technology on culture and how the world works...