Simphiwe Mtetwa Weekly Podcast: Driving Change, Sharing Stories, Shaping CSI

Welcome back to Simphiwe Mtetwa Weekly, your trusted source for the latest news, conversations, and reflections shaping the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) sector. It’s wonderful to reconnect with you. It’s been a while since our last update, and there’s plenty happening behind the scenes at Simphiwe Mtetwa that we’re excited to share.

Firstly, we recently marked one year since our name change from CSR News to Simphiwe Mtetwa. This rebranding signified a deeper commitment to shaping the future of CSI in South Africa, and as always, we remain grateful for your support through this journey.

This week, we’re celebrating the launch of a new feature we’re proud of: the Changemakers Library. Every month, I personally select and review around four books that are insightful for anyone working in the CSI or broader development sector. The idea came about after I realised I was reading large volumes of books — sometimes 16 in a single month — yet not sharing the knowledge that came with them. Inspired by the well-known idea that the average CEO reads 60 books a year, I committed to doing the same and curating the best of those for our audience.

Our most recent review focuses on Napoleon Hill’s The Science of Personal Achievement — a book that, unlike his more widely known Think and Grow Rich, struck a powerful chord. I encourage you to read it if you haven’t, or at least visit the review now published on our website: www.simphiwemtetwa.africa.

Another major highlight this week is a feature article titled South Africa’s CSI Sector: Doing Everything Right and Still Getting It Wrong. It’s a deep dive into the contradictions we often face in this space — where great efforts don’t always translate into great impact. This piece challenges practitioners to ask themselves whether their metrics and margins are reaching the most marginalised. It’s thought-provoking and essential reading for anyone working to create real change.

Also worth revisiting is a related piece we published previously: When the Margins Don’t Meet the Marginalised – Who is CSI Really For? These articles form part of a larger conversation we are facilitating around meaningful impact and accountability in social investment.

In terms of upcoming content, the next edition of Matter Magazine is in the final stages of production. We’ve been wrapping up collaborations with a number of inspiring organisations — including FirstRand Foundation, KFC, and Afrika Tikkun. Following their recent win as Best NGO at the CSI Legacy Awards, Afrika Tikkun’s CEO, Marc Lubner, has been in touch to form a strategic partnership around the awards programme. We’re excited about what’s to come from that collaboration.

Speaking of the CSI Legacy Awards, we are now seeking a new panel of adjudicators. Every two years, we refresh our judging panel to ensure the awards remain transparent and fair, led by the very peers who work alongside you in the sector. If you’re interested in becoming a judge or nominating someone, keep an eye on our announcements in the coming weeks.

On our social platforms, you’ll see the launch of a powerful new project: Driven. This initiative is dedicated to uncovering grassroots organisations doing impactful CSI work without ever having received funding. Many of these change agents don’t have the resources or the structure to access traditional funding — and that’s where we come in. We will travel across South Africa to spotlight these initiatives, write about them, and connect them with potential funders.

Supporting this effort is our Given Foundation, a structure we’ve launched to help such organisations with registration, compliance, and capacity. It’s our way of ensuring that no important initiative goes unsupported simply due to administrative barriers.

As Mandela Day approaches, we’re also sharing Mandela Day Activation Ideas across our platforms. Whether you’re a CSI professional or simply someone who wants to contribute meaningfully, these ideas are designed to help you activate your 67 minutes in a way that is powerful, innovative, and impactful. If you have a great idea you’re already working on, please share it with us!

To close off, don’t forget that the deadline for ad space and content submissions for the next Matter Magazine is this Friday. If you’ve already secured a space, please ensure everything is submitted on time to ensure proper representation in the publication.

That’s all from us for this week. Stay inspired, stay impactful, and keep doing the meaningful work that keeps the CSI sector thriving. You can follow our work and updates via www.simphiwemtetwa.africa, or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Until next time — thank you for being part of this journey.