As we mark Africa Day 2025, we find ourselves not only celebrating a rich tapestry of cultures, histories, and triumphs but also confronting a pressing reality: Africa’s narrative is still told mainly by those who neither know her nor wish her well.
The recent swirl of global headlines is a stark reminder. From the U.S. President Donald Trump’s unfounded allegations of genocide in South Africa to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strategic visit to the Oval Office to meet Trump, Africa is once again in the global spotlight. But whose lens is shaping that spotlight — and to what end?
Trump’s Dangerous Fiction
Trump’s claim that “white South Africans are facing a genocide” is not just factually incorrect — it’s inflammatory and dangerous. Multiple international bodies, including the United Nations and South Africa’s Human Rights Commission, have found no evidence to support this claim. Yet, such narratives persist because Africa remains vulnerable to misrepresentation. They persist because too often, we let others tell our stories for us.
Ramaphosa at the White House: Golf, Optics, and Opportunity
President Ramaphosa’s Oval Office engagement wasn’t just about diplomacy but reputation management. In bringing golfing greats Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, he sent a powerful message:
• South Africa excels beyond politics — in sport, lifestyle, and leadership.
• Golf is a bridge-builder, a quiet force for relationship-building and influence.
• South Africa is open for luxury tourism, leisure investment, and high-value travel. This wasn’t celebrity fanfare. It was soft power strategy — using sport to shift perceptions.
Golf Tourism: Africa’s Untapped Soft Power
Golf is not just about chasing a white ball, it’s a $20+ billion global industry. Africa’s natural beauty, unmatched climate, and top-tier courses make it a sleeping giant for golf tourism.
Here’s how golf can help us reshape the narrative:
• It reframes Africa as sophisticated, safe, and leisure-ready.
• It attracts high-value tourists who stay longer and invest more.
• It creates powerful media moments and global PR opportunities.
• Positions us in elite circles, where decisions, deals, and diplomacy happen.
• It tells a new story — one of luxury, opportunity, and confidence.
Imagine this…A Pan-African Tee-Off Trail, from Nairobi to the Cape, could become a flagship brand project — part tourism campaign, part diplomatic toolkit. Leveraged strategically, golf tourism can fuel our economies, elevate our image, and place Africa firmly on the global luxury map.
Leaders as Brand Managers for Africa – You Can’t Catch Bees With Lemons
Let’s be clear: You can’t catch bees with lemons. And too often, Africa steps onto global stages with defensive narratives. The world is not inspired by grievance — it’s moved by possibility.
African leaders and politicians must realise they are the biggest “brand managers” for Brand Africa. Once the global cameras roll, they have the biggest responsibility to advocate for Africa – to tell a story that excites, not alarms. A story that makes the would-be tourists and investors want to jump on a plane and bring that much-needed foreign direct investment, not pull out. A story that draws tourists, not pity. For charm attracts, stories sell, and optimism converts.
This is not just a job for marketing agencies or tourism boards. It’s a leadership imperative.
South Africa’s G20 Presidency: A Global Platform for Africa
As we commemorate Africa Day, we must also look ahead to a defining moment: South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025 — the first African country to chair the forum in the African continent.
The world will turn to Africa as South Africa hosts the G20 Summit in November 2025. This is more than a diplomatic milestone—it’s a storytelling opportunity for the entire continent.
What does it mean?
• A chance to spotlight Africa’s priorities — climate, trade, youth, and innovation.
• A platform to influence global narratives from the Global South.
• A moment to recast Africa not as a problem to solve, but a partner to court.
The G20 is not just a stage for economic policy — it’s a stage for brand Africa. We must take the mic, not just the minutes.
The Time Is Now
Africa Day is not just a ceremonial date on the calendar. It’s a call to arms for every African, from Accra to Johannesburg to Juba. If ever there was a time to seize the pen and own our narrative, it is now. If we want the world to believe in our continent, we must first believe in the power of our own story. Why?
• Because the world is listening.
• Because silence is expensive.
• Because our children are watching.
Africa, Unapologetically
Our continent is complex. We must confront our flaws – corruption, conflict, crime, inequality – with courage and resolve. But we cannot allow external voices to caricature and divide us. Africa is no longer knocking on the door — we are already in the room – from the Oval Office to the G20 Summit, our leaders are seated at the highest tables. Now is the time to ensure they tell stories that match the moment.
This Africa Day, I urge us to turn the page and write our own headlines. To stand firm in the knowledge that we are not the sum of our scars, but the authors of our future. Let us remember: If we don’t tell our story, someone else will. And we’ve seen how that goes. Let’s sweeten the message because you can’t catch bees with lemons.
#AfricaDay #G20Africa #BrandAfrica #GolfTourism #SweetenTheNarrative #TellOurStory
Ends.
An Opnion by By Nomasonto Ndlovu, CEO Beacon Africa Tourism Consultancy
(www.beaconafricatourism.com )
