Cabinet appointments: 'If I were President Ramaphosa right now, I'd think like Rassie'

As South Africa waits for President Cyril Ramaphosa's Cabinet announcement, Bruce Whitfield has been challenging listeners and guest to come up with that ONE thing they would do, if they had the power, to turn South Africa's economy around.

On The Money Show, he puts the question to advertising powerhouse Mike Abel, chief executive partner and co-founder of M&C Saatchi Abel.

Abel's answer catches Whitfield somewhat off guard.

'Think like Rassie; that's how you become a winning nation', quips the marketing supremo.

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He is referring of course to Rassie Erasmus, whose famed management style led the Springboks to victory in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Abel cites a quote by Canadian ice hockey coach Jerry Welsh, which sums up his rationale: 'The people with the best people win'.

"If I were President Ramaphosa, that's what I'd would be doing right now, looking at Cabinet."

"I that is what Rassie has practised... and as long as we look at our team running the country and embark on a cadre deployment, we're never going to get anywhere."

Mike Abel, Co-founder - M&C Saatchi Abel

If we do this right, Abel says, we'll able to rebuild our economy, which is the best way to tackle unemployment, which is the country's number one problem.

"We have to ask who are the best possible people for these different multi-billion-dollar portfolios, and assemble a diverse team, against a long term game plan."

"Unless you create a fertile environment for domestic and foreign investment, you simply cannot win. The one thing we need to do is to get our team right in order to win, by having the right people in the right places."

Mike Abel, Co-founder - M&C Saatchi Abel