
A post World Cup Reputation Institute study reveals a dramatic improvement in South Africa's reputation to 49.11 points from 44.60 in January and 44.27 in 2009.
However, startlingly, the study showed South African's own perception of their country in the last six months had declined even more dramatically as a result of the public sector strike.
The message is clear — government is letting the country down in the eyes of the world, but especially globally. In the global study — and despite the overall improvement — effective government scores 39.72 points (scores range from a low of 0 to a high of 100). However, the business environment is not held in very high esteem, with a score of 38.02 being seen on brands and innovation and 37.47 on technology. The business environment gets just 40.51 and products and services 41.63.
SA's highest score remains for physical beauty at 69.80.
A positive signal, though, is that more G-8 countries are now prepared to invest in SA — the score is 42.88 from 38.63 in January and just 36.92 in 2009.
"As there is a stronger reputation, it is predictable that there is a stronger inclination to invest," according to MD of the Reputation Institute in SA, Dr Dominik Heil.
But he points out that while 10.5 percent of G-8 countries would recommend SA as a country in which to invest, a total of 12.6 percent and 49.9 percent in the countries are "not sure" and "neutral" respectively.
"The high number of not sure and neutral ratings are an opportunity for South Africa to communicate relevant messages in order to sway these respondents," said Heil.
He is also concerned that there is not enough brand recognition, with only 11.1 percent of countries recommending buying SA products and services. A total of 9.2 percent of the 26 000 consumers interviewed were not sure and 56.8 percent neutral.
"This is an opportunity for South African business to effectively communicate the South African brand," said Heil.
The self rating by South Africans, however, cast a negative pall over the good overall foreign reading, with it dropping dramatically to 56 points post World Cup from 67.78 before the tournament. Here, the effective government reading dropped form 60.91 to just 34.33. Social welfare also dropped from 61.73 before the tournament to 36.50 afterwards.
"This is a strong message to foreign affairs and politicians," said Heil.
But his overall message is a positive one as the new overall foreign reading pushed SA up "into a new neighbourhood".
Heil notes that before the August survey SA was languishing in a group of countries that included here were Venezuela and the Ukraine.
But now, at a global score of 49.11, it joins ranks with India, Poland, Taiwan and Thailand.