Andile Mbeki has been appointed as the CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC).
Andile Mbeki (45) is an entrepreneur, youth activist and a community leader who has a strong passion for youth development, entrepreneurship and innovation. He has worked for government for 14 years and has been involved in business for ten years. He has also worked extensively in the field of training and development ranging from teaching; lecturing and management of Human Resource Development Processes.
He has served, and continues to serve in various executive and advisory capacities in a number of statutory bodies, NGO’s, public and private sector including two terms as an active member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board. He has also recently been invited by the Minister of Communications to serve in the National Task Team to assist in content generation and broadcasting matters.
MEC for Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Molebatsi Bopape said that with Mbeki’s appointment, it will not be business as usual for the GFC – a change of mindset and change of culture is on the cards. He further indicated that the Gauteng Film Commission will now be more effective, more productive and competitive with Mbeki at the helm.
Mbeki comes with a wealth of experience from the creative sector. Some of his former colleagues shared a few words about him:
Marc Nekaitar, Founder of Agoralumiere International, Founder of Creative Africa, FEPACI Regional Office Project Manager says:
“I met Andile Mbeki during the African Film Summit held in Tswhane in April 2006. I observed his passion for the film and television Industries in particular but I could also feel his understanding of the creative sector generally, in those early years before it was officially identified and acknowledged as the ‘Mzanzi Golden Economy’ in South Africa.
“I really believe that Andile Mbeki can contribute to revitalise the GFC and also to provide a stronger enabling environment for the younger stakeholders of the film and TV industry in particular and the creative sector in general in Gauteng as a whole.’
Mbeki is a teacher by profession, hence his handling of his programme at Radio Xhosa, now SABC Umhlobo Wenene, was educative, sensitive and pointed. He was also a stage actor, who worked with Reverend Mzwandile Maqhina. He was concerned about the education, training and development of the city’s young people; hence he and others found it easy to establish the Mankind Projects (Pty) Ltd, and was appointed as its first chief executive officer.
A congratulatory message from Top Crew Home Brew Movies (Pty) Ltd:
“We wish to congratulate Mr Andile Mbeki on his appointment as the new CEO for Gauteng Film Commission. To some of us who had lost confidence in the Commission, his appointment is a breath of fresh air to the future of the film industry as he comes from the very sector and with relevant knowledge. This is the approach we have been yearning for in particular for key appointments in our country. We have confidence in him and his consultative approach towards resolving matters than imposing type of leadership we have witnessed before.”
