Astrid Ascar has worked in the media industry for more than twenty years. Astrid Ascar – Financial Journalist career spans over the television, radio, print and more recently, the mobile and digital mediums.

She began her career as a journalist on radio, working as a reporter and as a presenter in the current affairs, news, business and entertainment genres. She was a news reader on Highveld and SAFM for more than 10 years and she made the transition to television in 1994, as one of the 6 Chief Anchors who guided viewers through the SABC’s week-long live TV coverage of the country’s historic 1994 elections. She spent the following few years as a current affairs TV anchor and producer and she has executively produced dozens of television series for a range of various audiences.

In 1999, Astrid made the transition into management and financial journalism where she joined the BDFM Group and she has two television channel start-ups: DSTV’s Summit and The Home Channel), as well as the launch of a radio business under her belt.

Apart from BDFM and AVUSA, Astrid Ascar has worked with numerous media brands including Carte Blanche, the SABC, Naspers, Multichoice, MNET, CNBC Africa and DSTV Mobile.

She has an MBA from Henley in the UK and in 2009, she went solo as a consultant with a client base that includes listed and non-listed corporates, SME’s, agencies and tertiary education institutions.

Astrid Ascar | Financial Journalist

She presents talks, facilitates workshops, and she trains consultants in a range of areas including:

• Radio, television and media training
• Strategy, marketing and corporate communication in the mobile, social media and digital landscape
• Presentation Skills
• Business Development

Astrid’s media training clients include FNB (a range of business units), Huawei, Momentum Investments, Stanlib, Premier Foods, Pro Sano, Wits Business School, GIBB, Lonmin and Lafarge.

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Our brilliant South African Female Drum Tribe deliver a fantastic, high energy show that is the perfect choice of South African entertainment for audiences of all types in any location around the world and is a highly enjoyable cultural performance.

The act includes seven extremely talented female drummers who come from a variety of backgrounds that includes individual traditional acts and theatre productions such as Disney’s The Lion King, Africa Umojo, Drumstruck, Bosadi Le Maropa and Revival. Having united their talents together, these female drummers have created an exceptional form of easily accessible South African entertainment.

South African Female Drum Tribe

The South African Female Drum Tribe provide a vibrant show that includes powerful vocal vocal arrangements, traditional drumming, marimba melodies, authentic Zulu dancing and stomping gumboot dance performances. The cultural performance tells a story of growing up in rural South Africa and the happiness that music and dancing brings.

This flexible South African entertainment can be adapted according to the event type or client requirements. The superb female drummers can offer short performances or a full hour-long stage show. The female drum tribe’s show includes interactive audience participation. Guests each receive a traditional Djembe for them to participate in the drumming show.

Based in Soweto, a township of Johannesburg, our South African Female Drum Tribe is available for events all around the world and will bring a taste of Africa to international clients.

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Max du Preez is a veteran journalist and television personality with a strong reputation for his independent thinking,  understanding of the political and social dynamics of South Africa and abilities  to communicate complex issues simply and clearly. He was born in the Free State in 1951 and educated at Stellenbosch University.

His career in journalism includes serving as the political correspondent of the Financial Mail, Sunday Times and Business Day. 

In 1988 he was the founder and editor of the first anti-apartheid Afrikaans newspaper Vrye Weekblad which became famous for its fearless reporting and exposés of the apartheid government’s death squads.

He joined the SABC in 1994 and pioneered and presented such programmes as the Special Report on the Truth Commission and Special Assignment.

He was dismissed by the SABC in 1999 “for disrespecting SABC management”, a charge he could not deny.

Max now works as a syndicated columnist, a documentary film maker, a political  analyst and popular public speaker. 

He has written nine highly acclaimed books on South African history and politics. The updated and revised edition of his memoir, Pale Native – Memories of a Renegade Reporter, as well as its Afrikaans equivalent, Dwars – Mymeringe van ‘n Gebleikte Afrikaan, have just been published.

Among his other published books are Of Warriors, Lovers and Prophets, Of Tricksters, Tyrants and Turncoats, Oranje Blanje Blues, Essence of a Land, The World According to Julius Malema (with Mandy Rossouw) and Oor Krygers, Korrelkoppe en Konkelaars.

He has just been commissioned by Penguin Books (UK) to write The Rough Guide to Nelson Mandela

Max du Preez is a Fellow in Applied Leadership Values at the University of Fort Hare and an honorary research associate at the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town.

Among his many awards are the Pringle Award from the South African Society of Journalists, the Louis M Lyons Award from the Nieman Fellows at Harvard University, the Excellence in Journalism Award from the Southern African Foreign Correspondents Association and an honorary degree from the University of Cape Town.

Max du Preez was the 2006 Yale Globalist International Journalist of the Year  and the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Nat Nakasa Award for integrity and courage in journalism from the SA National Editors Forum.

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Max du Preez | Political Commentator

The Jazz Company Band fronted by vocalist Andrew Massey, Jazz Company is a group of educated jazz musicians who produce a truly distinguished classic sound and style of Jazz Company

Their music ranges from ‘Brazilian Bossa Nova’ and ‘Funk’ to ‘Straightahead’ cool jazz with a strong vocal element.

The ‘loungy’ feel of the music could easily be categorized together with that of vocal legends, Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick Junior.

The Jazz Company – Conference Entertainers is an ideal live musical entertainment solution for banquets, Christmas parties, year-end functions, private parties, corporate launches, weddings and the like.

Jazz Company Band

An atmosphere of intimacy, class and elegance will be a definite!

The group consists of:

Andrew Massey – vocals
Andre Behnke – piano
Cesare Cassarino – bass
Wynand van der Walt – drums

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David Kau grew up in Kroonstad – a small and conservative town in the Free State. His mother was a prison warder. His grandmother wanted him to be a priest.

He doesn’t know where his father is. He was always trying to make people laugh – in between dodging tear gas and going to a local catholic school.

In standard two he wanted to be a doctor. In standard nine a civil engineer. Book through Speakers Inc

After Matric he studied at Pretoria Tech towards a career in electrical engineering, but got bored and went to UCT to be an actor instead.

David Kau | Conference Comedian

He was discovered by accident while doing a corporate gig, and less than a year later took his own solo stand up show – The Rainbow Nation Tour – to the Grahamstown Arts Festival, and nicknamed himself Previous Lee Disadvantaged.

In the year 2000, he took on a second personality, that of the people’s poet, in “Introducing the People’s Poet”, which ran for two weeks at the Baxter Theatre in 2000.
David Kau was picked for the 2001 ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy fest in Montreal and made the Gala Evening “best of the fest” line-up after storming at his regular venues. Follow Speakers Inc on Twitter

Tech requirements: A good PA system with a good quality mic; good lighting and a stage (if necessary) required …

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Zelda la Grange’s journey from a conservative Afrikaner upbringing in apartheid South Africa to becoming the trusted personal aide of Nelson Mandela is a compelling narrative of transformation and reconciliation. Her unique experiences offer profound insights into leadership, diversity, and the power of forgiveness, making her an inspiring figure on the global speaking circuit.​

Born on October 29, 1970, in Boksburg, South Africa, Zelda pursued a National Diploma in Executive Secretarial studies. She began her career in 1992 at the Department of State Expenditure. In 1994, she joined the office of President Nelson Mandela as a senior ministerial typist. Recognizing her dedication and skill, Mandela promoted her in 1997 to one of his three Private Secretaries.

Upon his retirement in 1999, he personally selected Zelda to continue as his aide, a role she fulfilled with unwavering commitment until his passing in 2013. During these years, she played a pivotal role in establishing the Nelson Mandela Foundation, serving in capacities ranging from Private Secretary to Office Manager, Spokesperson, and Aide-de-Camp.

In June 2014, Zelda published her memoir, “Good Morning, Mr. Mandela,” which became an international bestseller. The book provides an intimate account of her 19-year journey alongside one of history’s most revered leaders, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at Mandela’s daily life and the profound lessons she learned from him.

Her dedication and service have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International. In 2022, she established the Zelda la Grange Foundation, aiming to assist children in protective and foster care to realize their potential.​

Event planners seeking a speaker who embodies resilience, transformation, and firsthand insights into leadership will find Zelda la Grange an exceptional choice. Her talks resonate deeply with audiences, drawing from her personal evolution and close association with Nelson Mandela. Zelda’s ability to weave personal anecdotes with universal themes of forgiveness, diversity, and inclusion makes her presentations both relatable and profound.

Her experience navigating complex political and social landscapes equips her to address topics such as ethical leadership, reconciliation, and the importance of embracing change. Her authenticity and eloquence ensure that audiences are not only engaged but also inspired to reflect and act.​

In summary, Zelda la Grange’s remarkable journey from a product of apartheid-era South Africa to the trusted confidante of Nelson Mandela offers unparalleled insights into the human capacity for change and understanding.

Her experiences underscore the transformative power of forgiveness, the importance of embracing diversity, and the enduring impact of compassionate leadership. As a speaker, Zelda captivates audiences with her heartfelt narratives and profound lessons, making her an invaluable addition to any event seeking to inspire and educate.

Hashtags: #ZeldaLaGrange #NelsonMandela #Leadership #DiversityAndInclusion #Transformation #Forgiveness #Inspiration #Speaker #Author #GoodMorningMrMandela

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Zelda la Grange | Motivational