By Ogova Ondego
Published August 7, 2015
A former top diplomat to Kenya has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Brand South Africa.
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Kingsley Makhubela, who served in Nairobi as South Africa’s High Commissioner between 2001 and 2005 where he held highly publicised tourism promotion campaigns to South Africa, shall preside over the official marketing agency of Africa’s most sophisticated economy for five years, i.e. 2015-2020.
Makhubela is a career diplomat who holds a Master’s degree in Diplomacy from South Africa’s University of Pretoria and is completing Doctoral studies at the School of Political Science at the same institution.
Makhubela has served as Director-General of the Department of Tourism and Chief of State Protocol at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
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As Chief of State Protocol, South Africa’s reputation management agency says, “Makhubela was responsible for coordinating all incoming and outgoing international visits by the President, Deputy President, Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, all visiting Head of State and Government and a host of other dignitaries.”
Brand South Africa, that describes Makhubela as being “very familiar with the African developmental agenda,” says it hopes he “will bring this wealth of experience to the portfolio as CEO of Brand South Africa, particularly as South Africa looks at how it is perceived within the continent in particular and the global community of nations, in general.”
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Meanwhile, South Africa has reduced Visa fees for Kenyans from Sh6800 to Sh4700. Kenyans studying in South Africa will now renew their visas from the country without necessarily having to travel back to Kenya during their studies.
