Show Notes:

In this episode of SA Tech Marketers, we sit down with Khanyisa Melwa, SABC’s Marketing Manager for Digital, to unpack what it takes to lead digital transformation inside one of South Africa’s most iconic media institutions.

From a “mixed masala” career spanning tech, agencies, and FMCG to reimagining public broadcast strategy in a streaming-first world, Khanyisa offers hard-earned insights into digital growth, brand building, and leadership inside legacy systems.

What We Cover:

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  Growing SABC+, a local streaming platform competing for audience and revenue in a Meta/Google-dominated landscape

  
  


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  How to balance commercial growth with public service mandate

  
  


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  Tactics for driving focus and strategic alignment inside large organisations

  
  


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  The critical role of writing and storytelling in modern marketing

  
  


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  Why marketers must look upstream to Exco-level priorities to guide their day-to-day work

  
  


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  Khanyisa’s favorite use of AI (spoiler: it's not copywriting)

  
  


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  Why authentic content beats polished perfection in 2025

  
  


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  Career lessons from a real mistake that cost R7,000—and what it taught him about detail and ownership

  
  

Tactical Takeaways:

• Align marketing work with top-level strategy conversations


• Use AI tools like ChatGPT to support thinking, not replace human craft


• Legacy institutions can still grow fast—SABC+ hit 1 million users in under a year


• TikTok shows us: people want authentic, relatable content, not overproduced gloss


• Learn to say “What’s the priority?”—not just “What’s next?”


• Nonlinear careers (he calls his a “mixed masala”) are an asset in modern marketing

About the Guest:

Khanyisa Melwa is the Marketing Manager: Digital at SABC, responsible for building and scaling SABC+ and leading digital growth across the corporation. His past experience includes senior marketing and brand roles at PepsiCo, EPPF, Media24, and digital analytics platform Narratiive.

He’s also a seasoned writer, newsletter creator, and community builder, passionate about using storytelling to move people and brands.

Resources:

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  Khanyisa’s Newsletter: www.globaltalent.co

  
  


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  SA Tech Marketers Slack: Khanyisa Melwa

  
  


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  Instagram/Twitter: @khanyisamelwa

  
  


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  Substack: kanisamelwa.substack.com