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The newly elected Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa president, Malesela Maubane, has vowed to drive the organisation back to its former glory and usher in a new dawn.
Speaking to City Press shortly after his election, Malesela – who was the organisation’s vice-president since 2016 but took over as interim president after Kavitha Kalicharan resigned last November – said there are already a number of interventions in the pipeline to ensure the organisation once again flourished.
Last November, along with Kalicharan, six other directors also resigned, almost crippling the then broke organisation.
But Maubane said the new leadership was determined to turn the ship around.
Maubane was elected alongside the chief executive of Ditshego Media, Tebogo Ditshego, Bombela Group’s Kesagee Nayager, Sibanye group’s Thabisile Phumo, Great North Transport’s Patrick Monkoe, Petra Diamonds’ Gert Klopper and University of Johannesburg’s Rene Benecke as the new board of directors.
Maubane, who is a chartered public relations practitioner, said the organisation decided to introduce independent directors in order to strengthen corporate governance and also brought in a legal specialist, Molatelo Mathikithela, and a professional accountant, Gabriel Mokwatlo.
“We have roped in the two specialists and experts in order to bring an independent view on how to take Prisa forward in a sustainable way,” he said.
Maubane alluded that the organisation’s membership numbers had dwindled and that had affected it coffers, but plans were in place to increase its revenue base through alternative income streams.
“We also want to regain our position as a thought leader and voice of public relations and communications management as well as ensure transformation of the industry,” he said.
Delivering his acceptance speech during the inauguration ceremony at Randburg recently, Maubane said the institute would strengthen relations and partnerships it already had with organisations such as the African Public Relations Association, International Communications Consultancy Organisation and Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
“Continued endorsement of the Independent Institute of Education colleges’ programmes will be used as a stepping stone in terms of creating a complete value chain where Prisa will draw membership. Closer collaboration with like-minded associations like the International Association for Business Communicators and Marketing Association of South Africa remains a priority,” he said.
