Maseru, Lesotho – Busan Mayor, Park Heong-joon and a Korean Delegation that is part of South Korea’s Presidential Special Envoy accompanied by Samsung Africa CEO, Bumsuk Hong – visited Lesotho in an effort to attend an Investment Briefing Session that was planned for 24 February 2023.

The main aim for this Investment Briefing Session that was organised by the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) under the Department of Trade, Industry and Tourism was to strengthen further bonds of economic co-operation of the existing strategic partnerships and bilateral agreements between South Korea and Lesotho. During this briefing session, an invitation was also extended by the Presidential Envoy from South Korea that met with Lesotho’s Honourable Prime Minister Sam Matekane, its foreign affairs and finance ministers to attend South Korea’s special summit with Africa scheduled for 2024.

These kinds of engagements and partnerships are crucial to Lesotho’s socio-economic development aspirations. Lesotho has made great progress in the field of education and has ambitions to build a better future for its youth through education. As a long and reliable partner with a diplomatic relationship since 1996, the government of South Korea is planning to open vocational training centres, improve educational environments, help with the customs modernisation project and launch afforestation projects in Lesotho.

Hlubi Shivanda, Director: Business Operations and Innovation and Corporate Affairs at Samsung South Africa said: “All of this fits perfectly with Samsung’s ethos – the company believes that the future of any country lies in the hands of young people and that education gives them the greatest chance to realise their full potential. As Samsung, we are heavily invested in the development of people and communities and believe that this can only be achieved through working together with others.”

Recently, the company launched a partnership with Lesotho’s Lerotholi Polytechnic for the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) to boost youth employment in the technology sector. Samsung plans to continue seeking opportunities to collaborate with Lesotho government to further grow the country’s economy.

“This visit has provided both Samsung and South Korea an opportunity to re-affirm our commitment to assisting Lesotho achieve its education-related goals. Samsung is committed to empowering the youth of Lesotho with the skills that they will need to drive and effect meaningful change,” added Shivanda.

The visit has also allowed South Korea to yet again seek Lesotho’s support for the World Expo to be staged in Busan in 2030. World Expos focus on creating a better future for all humankind – this is in line with Lesotho’s economic developmental aspirations and Samsung’s vision of Enabling People for the upliftment of humanity through innovation, industrialisation and digitalisation.

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.

MASERU LESOTHO – February 2023 – During a recent tour to Lesotho, the South Korean delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Do-Hun Lee, which comprised of the Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Electronics Africa, Mr. Bumsuk Hong, amongst others, extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Lesotho, Mr. Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, to attend the Korea African Summit, in South Korea in 2024.

Mr Lee’s visit to the region, further strengthened –diplomatic relations between the two nations with economic cooperation being a primary focus.  According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations in Lesotho, Mr. Lejone Mpotjoane, the objective of the meeting was to seek -– Lesotho’s support for South Korea’s bid for the staging of the World Expo 2030 in Busan. The Busan World Expo 2030 would run from 01 May 2030 to the end of October 2030 should South Korea be successful in their bid.

The Busan World 2030 Expo focuses on creating a better future for all humankind and therefore fits perfectly into both government’s aspirations.  Samsung Electronics’ vision has always been the upliftment of humanity through technology and innovation.  Supporting this strategic partnership and the bid for the World Expo to be hosted in Busan, during the 2030 edition, would not only assist in strengthening the two countries’ bilateral agreement but also contribute in the development of Lesotho’s economy.

An equally important agenda item, was South Korea’s pledge to support the development of the Moshoeshoe International Airport and offer guidance and expertise within the Agricultural production sector. This South Korea pledge follows an earlier investment by Samsung though its CSR programs. In December 2022, Samsung launched the Samsung Innovation Campus with Lerotholi Polytechic, an IT education programme designed to provide opportunities to deserving and previously disadvantaged youth to gain skills in coding, programming, artificial intelligence and the internet.  Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Africa, -Mr. Hong, is extremely passionate about the programme given the educational themes that combine future core technology capabilities with soft skills that are essential for job creation.

Samsung strongly believes that Lesotho has an opportunity to further drive local developmental efforts leveraging World Expo.  It is the perfect platform to share technological advancements and act as a catalyst for eco-friendly innovations and a greener future for all, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

As part of a global community, Samsung believes that these ongoing collaborations between these great nations, coupled by its empowerment initiatives, are designed to make a significant difference to all people.

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.

Essential to future economic growth

By Hlubi Shivanda, Director: Business Operations and Innovation & Corporate Affairs

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 22 November 2022 – In a connected and smart society, digital transformation has become one of the key strategies governments are adopting to promote inclusive growth. A digital driven revolution has brought with it many opportunities but developing countries continue to lag behind due to various challenges. One of the challenges facing South Africa in adopting The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) for economic growth, inclusive of this, is the country’s ability to bridge its digital divide and the lack of access to technology in various communities.

As a case study, South Africa is one of the few African countries that have embraced the ‘smart’ agenda through promoting the digital transformation of government, business and society among other things. This is according to a study by the Research Gate which explored the opportunities and challenges confronting the South African government in implementing policy reforms aimed at leveraging the benefits of the digital driven 4IR.

Samsung South Africa has long-recognised the philosophy of investing in the country’s technological advancement as this is intrinsically linked to economic growth. This is why Samsung is spearheading large-scale ICT-driven initiatives aimed at empowering previously disadvantaged societies and introducing disruptive innovation that contributes to superior networks that reach remote areas, makes provision of low-cost smartphones, and products that have an increased shelve life.

Both globally and locally, there is clear consensus that Samsung is positioned to contribute to sustainable growth, to devote its human resource and technology to create superior products and services. Samsung is undoubtedly a leader in the global ICT industry, and its advocacy to the United Nations Development Goals (UNDG’s) of “Quality Education” and “Reduced Inequalities” aims to improve access to technology, information and communication services.

To date, there are 380 Samsung Smart Schools around the world. In regions especially in need of help, Samsung is helping find high-level solutions that meet the specific needs of local schoolchildren. For more developed regions, the Smart Schools initiative is helping bring technology to students so that they’re able to access the Internet in the very same way you might be reading this article right now. We hope that these efforts can help bridge the pertinent connectivity gap around the world.

With the challenges facing South Africa when it comes to meeting its objective of using 4IR to promote economic growth, it is important for corporates to collaborate with government in public private partnerships (PPPs) to achieve these goals. Samsung is one of these strategic partners. As a company, we have over the years continued to invest in South Africa. One of our investment goals is to remain an active contributor to the future of the South African economy and a strong supporter of economic transformation in a manner inspired by the transformative impact of economic investment that took South Korea from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most successful economies.

Recently, our Global CEO, Mr. Jong-Hee Han visited South Africa and met with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr. Minister Ebrahim Patel and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor to discuss Samsung’s long-standing partnership and collaboration with the South African government, as well as possible future opportunities for growth and further investment. This includes high-level measurable outcomes such as greater investment that will result in job creation and enhanced production capacity as well as potential for exporting, improved competitiveness and local economic development.

As Samsung, we aim to build on the landmark multimillion-rand Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and sector support from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, which has seen three years of sustained success since May 2019.  Our ten-year plan aims to address key developmental aspects linked to the National Development Plan and the overall transformation of the economy.

Further, our EEIP is aligned to the DTIC’s Black Industrialist Programme through e-waste recycling and beneficiation, which has seen an investment in two black, female-owned entities currently operating in the full value chain of e-waste. Apart from protecting the environment for future generations, the programme aims to create jobs and grow sustainable enterprises. Furthermore, this programme also has a strong focus on enterprise development and capacity building in information and communications technology through scarce skills development. In addition, we are developing 4IR skills in partnership with a number of institutions of higher learning in South Africa.

Well aware of the great importance of education, we work to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to build a better world. Firm in our belief that every young person deserves a quality education regardless of their background, gender, ability, or personal circumstances, we have over the years empowered a countless number of young people to slowly but steadily contribute to positive changes in their societies.

To this effect, we have made sure that South African youth are gaining artisanal and electronics skills through the Samsung Engineering Academy programme, as well as coding, software development, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence skills through our Samsung Innovation Campus programme. We are targeting youth who are at a university going stage and want to develop skills in 4IR that will enable them to be future leaders. The focus for 2022 will be on laying the foundation by offering coding and programming. The Samsung Innovation Campus programme is designed to have educational themes that combine in-demand technology skills with core future technology capabilities as well as soft skills and job preparation.

Our Samsung Solve for Tomorrow science, technology, engineering and mathematics competition is also encouraging learners in grades 10 and 11 to solve social issues in their communities by using the STEM disciplines and we have been piloting this in 51 schools across the country.

In addition, Samsung and Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct recently celebrated the graduation of the third cohort of its successful App Factory. The nine-month internship programme launched in 2020 aims to address the issue of skills shortage in software development in South Africa.

While there is a high demand for software developers in South Africa, industry is complaining about the lack of work-ready talent. Even when graduates have the technical skills, they do not know how to work effectively in a team or transfer their knowledge to a real-world context. The App Factory recruits’ high potential graduates from various tertiary institutions and allows them to work on realistic projects under the supervision of a senior developer over a nine-month duration.

As a company, we have invested in all these initiatives because we’ve realised that to achieve our investment goals in this country – that the future will only be bright as long as the young people of today are equipped to lead us into it.

We strongly believe that our young people are the leaders of the future. And while the future will be full of challenges and uncertainties, futuristic education is what allows youths to realise their potential and prepare themselves to keep moving forward with confidence.

These communities and youth-driven initiatives are but one of the ways that we are using to embrace digital transformation in South Africa, by continuing to harness the power of technology and innovation to effect great positive change in the country. We are convinced that investment in South Africa through digital transformation will contribute positively towards sustainable future economic growth.

 Samsung Proudly Supports Busan’s Bid for World Expo 2030

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 5 October 2022 – Samsung and Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct celebrate the graduation of the third cohort of its successful App Factory. The first cohort of the nine-month internship programme launched in 2020 to address the issue of skills shortage in software development in South Africa.

While there is a high demand for software developers in South Africa, industry is complaining about the lack of work-ready talent. Even when graduates have the technical skills, they do not know how to work effectively in a team or transfer their knowledge to a real-world context.

The App Factory recruits high potential graduates from various tertiary institutions and allows them to work on realistic projects under the supervision of a senior developer over a nine-month duration. Errors (bugs) in software development projects come with a high cost to a company when working on real projects in industry. The App Factory therefore creates a safe environment to “fail fast, learn faster” while delivering under pressure on realistic projects. During this time, they learn full-stack development by mastering the theory and tackling realistic projects. Their technical skills are honed and they develop “21^st century” skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking skills, effective communication, presentation skills, collaborative team skills and information literacy.

“South African software development solutions are competing globally for talent so we need to make sure that we are growing a quality talent pipeline locally that can be productive in the workplace fairly quickly. There is still too big a gap in the work readiness of graduates. The App Factory addresses this gap,” says Lesley Donna Williams, CEO of Tshimologong Precinct.

The first cohort in 2020 had eight interns out of 85 applicants, the second one had nine out of 306 applicants and the latest intake had eighteen interns out of from 772 applicants. While there is a high demand of applicants for the programme, the teaching approach is intensive and high-impact, focusing on small groups and individual attention per intern.

Many graduates ended up working at a world-renowned automotive manufacturer and a 2020 graduate, Nomfundo Phororo recently took her first business trip with the company. She says, “I had an amazing opportunity to fly to Germany to meet my colleagues and visit their high-tech manufacturing plants. Being on the App Factory programme opened up opportunities that most people can only dream of.”

One of the latest graduates, Simphiwe Nyandeni, who is the youngest of three orphaned daughters says the support from her sisters steered her in the right direction. She wanted to study travel and tourism but when her sister introduced and encouraged her to go for the apprenticeship at Tshimologong instead, it was an easy decision to make and she’s thankful she joined it. “I’m now ready for the field of work. I’m really grateful to Samsung for making this great opportunity available to young people like me who are ambitious and driven, but with limited opportunities.”

Samsung recognises that South African youth are talented and require skills development beyond tertiary education to gain employment. Unleashing their potential requires exposing talent to how software is developed in industry. “The shortage of adequately skilled software engineers would hamper the country’s ability to ride the wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and risk being left behind. This is what makes such initiatives so much more critical. As Samsung, we want to do our bit to contribute to this developmental agenda and process towards growing the South African economy,” says Hlubi Shivanda, Samsung’s Director: Business Operations and Innovation and Corporate Affairs.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 16 August 2022 – When Samsung entered South Africa at the dawn of democracy; it placed a great focus on harnessing the power of technology and innovation to effect great positive change in the country. Inspired by the transformative power of economic investment that took South Korea from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most successful economies, Samsung South Africa has made incredible strides forward in its long-term vision for the country. This is  reflected in the company’s continued investment in the country coupled with its Level 1 – BBBEE Rating, which is aligned with Samsung’s dedication to remain an active contributor to the future of the South African economy and strong supporter of economic transformation.

With this long-term vision in mind, Samsung’s Global CEO, Jong-Hee Han, was in South Africa at the end of last week to access the company’s South Africa and Africa business operations. Although this was Mr. Han’s fifth visit to the country, it was the first one since he became Samsung’s global CEO. During Mr. Han’s visit, he also met  with  the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr. Ebrahim Patel as well as the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Dr Naledi Pandor to discuss Samsung’s long-standing partnership and collaboration with the South African government as well as possible future opportunities for growth and further investment.

The company has embarked on many empowerment, entrepreneurial and skills-based projects in the ICT sector in which it operates in. Samsung’s aim is to build on the landmark multimillionaire Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), which is already celebrating over three years of sustained success. Launched in May 2019 in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and sector support from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), the programme is expected to have a measurable impact on job creation with a projected contribution of over a billion rands to the South African economy at large. Samsung’s 10-year plan aims to address key developmental aspects linked to the National Development Plan and the overall transformation of the economy.

Samsung’s EEIP programme is aligned to the DTIC’s Black Industrialisation programme through e-Waste recycling & beneficiation, which has seen an investment in two black, female-owned entities who now operate in the full value chain of e-Waste. It also has a strong focus on enterprise development and capacity building in ICT through scarce skills development. In addition, Samsung is developing 4IR skills in partnership with a number of institutions of higher learning in South Africa.

South African youth are gaining artisanal and electronics skills through the Samsung Engineering Academy programme as well as coding, software development, IOT and artificial intelligence skills through the Samsung Innovation Campus programme. Additionally, learners in grades 10 & 11 will be encouraged to solve social issues in their communities though Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition, which is being piloted in 51 schools across the country.

Mr. Han also discussed South Korea’s Busan World Expo 2030 bid  with both Ministers with the view of getting support locally for the bid. Importantly, World Expo’s are focused on creating a better future for all humankind and therefore fit perfectly into Samsung’s vision for the upliftment of humanity through technology and innovation. Samsung believes the World Expo being hosted in Busan during the 2030 edition would be the perfect platform to share its technological advancements and how it views technology as the main catalyst for an eco-friendly and green future in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Ultimately, as part of a global community, these ongoing collaborations are designed to make a difference to all people.

The influencers were challenged to surprise their moms as well as the women who take on the role, with everything she secretly wants or loves, after the sun goes down. This included movie nights, yoga, ice cream trips and even Samsung photoshoots to reveal the real stars on this night. Tributes were also created for those who have lost their mums. Watch the mix of touching, hilarious and completely captivating #MothersNight influencer posts below.

Clearly still mamma’s “baby girl”, Linda Mtoba enjoyed a cosy night in with many, many helpings of ice-cream

Linda made full use of her Galaxy S22 Ultra’s Night Mode. She captured this heartwarming moment with crystal-clear, bright pics and vivid videos – which she then adjusted to the lighting that best reflected the intimate feel of the moment. Using her device’s pro-grade editing suite was then a breeze, with the help of A.I, so she could return to mamma before the ice-cream melted.

Watch Kera Ramz and his mum strike all the right cords in perfect (and hilarious) harmony

The two companies have successfully integrated Samsung’s visual display technologies with HARMAN’s audio, lighting and control solutions to create an engaging, multi-sensory experience in entertainment, transportation, retail, hospitality, corporate, education and government environments, among others.

Integrated Technology

Highlights of this synergetic partnership include the incorporation of motion sensors, drape controls and thermostats, and HARMAN’s voice-enabled cognitive room solution, which transforms a hotel room into a fully-connected environment that offers guests an upgraded in-room experience.

Entertainment Technology

Likewise, a theatre that utilises a combination of Samsung’s cinema screen and HARMAN’s JBL speakers and Lexicon immersion processor allows moviegoers to enjoy the latest blockbusters in an exciting new way. As the world’s first High Dynamic Range LED theatre display, the cinema screen delivers unprecedented picture quality and brings movies and other on-screen contents to life with higher vibrancy and accuracy.

“By bringing the leading technologies of Samsung and HARMAN together, we strive to build a more synergistic future to redefine what’s possible in the enterprise environment, by elevating user experiences and offering more powerful and integrated solutions to our partners as the needs of the market evolve,” says Mike van Lier, Director: Consumer Electronics, Samsung South Africa.

Signage Technology

He further explains that Samsung’s next-generation signage technologies, including two that were deployed in collaboration with HARMAN, aim to improve efficiency in customer engagement and operation across all verticals.

Conferencing Technology

HARMAN’s AMX Acendo Core and Acendo Vibe work well with its touch-screen displays to create a boardroom  space solution that allows for highly efficient remote video conferencing, demonstrating how corporate interactions in the boardroom can be enhanced through Samsung’s SMART LED Signage equipped with HARMAN’s AV Control System.

“Our collaborations with Samsung position us well in an economy where businesses are increasing spend to create more memorable experiences for their customers and to increase productivity from their employees,” said Mohit Parasher, EVP of HARMAN and President of HARMAN Professional Solutions. “Combining audio, video, lighting and controllers into one solution is where the combined synergies of HARMAN and Samsung become very compelling as together, we define the next generation experience.”

Samsung has mandated PR Worx to provide strategic PR counsel and communication efforts, including driving master brand and product awareness, managing stakeholder engagement, thought leadership, media relations and crisis communication.

“The appointment of PR Worx was an obvious choice for Samsung South Africa. We wanted to work with a PR agency that understands our company’s proposition and the industry we’re in, but is also as agile and innovative as our brand in the conception of creative ideas. We believe we found in PR Worx a communications partner who will be able to tactically influence consumer’s mindsets in the region,” said Justin Hume, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung South Africa. “Visibility is key to us and the strength of the PR Worx team’s credentials, their approach to innovation and challenging the industry norm make them ideal to carry Samsung’s vision forward and reach our business goals of increased market penetration and revenue growth.”

Samsung is a respected global brand known for its innovative technology which has seen it claim several world firsts such as the CDMA phone, the first MP3 player phone and the first digital TV and Blu-ray player to the first 3D vertical NAND memory chip. Samsung was also ranked as the World’s 7^th Best Brand 2016, ahead of its competitor brands, by Interbrand. Locally, Samsung took top honours at the Sunday Times Top Brands Awards in the consumer category, at the Generation Next Awards, at the Product of The Year Awards as well as at Ask Africa 2016/2017 Icon Brands.

Madelain Roscher, Founder and Managing Director of PR Worx, added, “Samsung’s technological advancements are seeing the world move into what’s coined as the fourth industrial revolution and for obvious reasons the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) becomes top of mind. With all of that comes a great story that’s unknown to many consumers which needs to be mined within the PR space. Samsung is making bold and sustained investments in research and development, pushing the boundaries of science and technology and exploring innovative lifestyle trends, based on a deep understanding of what people need and want. This approach to innovation and an intense understanding of stakeholder mapping, are but some of the similarities PR Worx shares with Samsung. By putting the relevant consumers at the centre of our targeted communications efforts, we believe we will be winning hearts, building strong brand communities and encouraging deep and meaningful conversations and relationships with Samsung’s customers.”

Boasting some of the best content and creative talent in the PR industry, which recently saw the firm claim no less than 12 PRISA Prisms at the recent 2017 awards, PR Worx is delighted to partner with the magnanimous Samsung brand to disrupt the status quo with innovative PR.

“We are confident in the award-winning agency’s unparalleled expertise, creativity and ability to expand our media presence in South Africa among our target audiences,” concluded Hume.

The Samsung-based PR Worx team includes:

Karen Cooper / Account Director                                                          karen@prworx.co.za / +27 (0) 82 563 5774

Thami Mthembu / Media Director                                                                               thami@prworx.co.za / +27 (0) 82 961 0441

Noma Mbatha / PR Account Manager: Mobile                                    noma@prworx.co.za / +27 (0) 61 258 2723

Michelle Barnes / PR Account Manager: Consumer Division             michelle@prworx.co.za / +27 (0) 82 331 7373

Khosi Ximba / PR Account Executive                                                                   khosi@prworx.co.za / +27 (0) 61 052 4125