The recipe for how we should and should not behave has already received input from more than 65 000 South Africans and a further 11 400 have shared with the Department of Arts and Culture the values we should subscribe to as a nation in the South African at Heart campaign.
"We have got opinions from every corner of South African society and we have been quite amazed about the similarity in responses. We share much more compared to what divides us. This process is not about what government does. It's about what we are all going to do. There's a clear path we need to follow to co-create the country we want to be part of," says Miller Motola, CEO of Brand South Africa.
"Formula of a South African is an aspect of Play Your Part, Brand South Africa's nationwide campaign created to inspire, empower and celebrate active citizenship in South Africa. We aim to inspire South Africans to contribute to positive change, become involved and start doing something, whether big or small, to contribute to a better future for all.
Once the final data is collated, a formula will be produced. Then, to make this scientific process come alive, the Department of Arts and Culture will task visual artists to develop a piece of art to illustrate each of the concepts selected. This will be developed into an exhibition and it will be unveiled to the South African public in a national roadshow later this year.
"Through a widely shared art exhibition, developed by various artists, we will be able to engage both the right and left brain thereby effectively instilling these principles at a subconscious level," says Dudu Nchoba, chief director: social cohesion Department of Arts and Culture.
The Department of Arts and Culture will select the artists from universities and art institutions across the country. A framework will be developed together with the art network that will see young, talented artists participating in this project.
Most importantly, the Formula of a South African will be measured regularly to find out to what extent South Africans are aligning with the formula to create a genuine shift towards a more successful society.
Formula SA will be using the tested Bluprints methodology. This approach has been implemented with a great deal of ongoing success in leading South African organisations such as Tsogo Sun and Deloitte Consulting as well as international organisations such as Fedex and Ernst & Young. Bluprints have discovered that all businesses have a blueprint, or a set formula which is a unique and optimum way of functioning to maximise success in a particular environment.
The primary objective of Brand South Africa is to develop and implement a pro-active marketing and communication strategy for South Africa, and to promote South Africa locally and internationally. Domestically, the Department of Arts and Culture aims to build and sustain national pride and patriotism.
No formula of a South African would be complete without public participation. The public is encouraged to select from 21 top line (do more of) and 19 bottom line (do less of) characteristics before 12 July 2012.
Voting can be done online at www.formulasa.co.za, through the Facebook page and via mobile phones at wap.formulasa.co.za.
South Africans without access to the internet, will be approached via various NGOs to complete a paper based questionnaire.
One million South Africans will also be receiving an SMS to vote. They have been selected on the basis of age, race, gender and geography. Formula of a South African is one of the largest research undertakings in South Africa and Brand South Africa is making sure to include every sector of our society so that the final result is truly representative of what we all think.
