Radar Weekly Insights Report
Overview
This report analyses external signals relevant to South Africa's events and media production sector, drawing from local news, social discussions, and market data.
Prioritised Insights
Surge in Major Events Boosting SA's Tourism and Creative Sectors
Supports revenue growth via major pipelines and cross-subsidiary integration. Estimated 15–20% uplift potential in live production.
2026 features a dense calendar of high-profile events including Pakistan women's cricket tour (Feb–Mar), EFC Knox Legacy Series MMA (Feb 26, Cape Town), Cape Town Cycle Tour (Mar 8), LIV Golf SA (Mar 19–22), Ultra SA (Apr 25–26, Johannesburg & Cape Town), Meetings Africa (Feb 23–25, Sandton), and Africa Tech Festival (Nov 17–19, Cape Town), among others. Reports note a R2.5B impact from 2025 events, with "festivalisation" trends continuing to drive job creation and tourism.
Future Large-Scale Events — Pitching Opportunities
Positions STIR for early pitches on high-production events, advancing capability ownership and geographic expansion.
WAFCON 2026 is newly hosted in SA after Morocco's withdrawal. WEF 2027 builds on the 2026 Davos reception and represents a significant global production opportunity.
| Event | Timing | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| WAFCON 2026 | Mar–Apr 2026 | Sports broadcasting, virtual production |
| World Sports SA 2026 | 2026 | Sports governance & investment |
| National Science Month | 2026 (month TBA) | Expanding from Science Week |
| WEF Special Summit | 2027 | Global leaders, high production needs |
Expanding Domestic Funding for Creative Projects
Fuels fundraising, film/virtual expansion, and skills development. Accelerates investor readiness.
SA's creative economy exceeds R100B but faces a R300B+ funding gap — positioning well-structured collectives favourably. Additional support comes from DSAC's 17 CCI Clusters for creative industry growth.
| Fund | Amount | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| NAC Project Funding | R350k (arts) | March 13 |
| SAMPRA Development Fund | R16.5M (music) | March 16 |
| Goethe-Institut GPS | R100k (rural projects) | TBC |
| BASA Grants (Cycle 2) | Various | TBC |
| eThekwini Arts Aid | Various | TBC |
AI Adoption Accelerating Efficiencies in Film and Events
Enhances speed and technical capability. AI can optimise planning and virtual production for an estimated 20–30% efficiency gain, though governance is needed to maintain quality.
Key signals include SACO reports on AI-transformed workflows, digitisation in broadcasting, AI literacy adoption across 78% of organisations surveyed, and Cape Town film productions using AI for analysis (5–10% gains reported). Industry discussion continues around balancing cost reduction with creative authenticity.
Intensified Skills Development in the Creative Sector
Bolsters talent pipelines with accredited programmes, supporting the 20+ apprentice target and BBBEE compliance.
- CDI Making It! 2026 — Skills and access programme
- BASA Producers/Debut — Leadership development
- British Council DICE — Mentoring programme
- DSAC CCI Clusters — Jobs and skills creation
- ILO/AU Workshop — Decent work in creative industries
- Ogilvy Academy — Digital skills training
Competitive Landscape
Opportunities and Threats
Opportunities
Market expansion
Early pitches for WEF 2027 and WAFCON 2026; target 25% of revenue from film/virtual production
Partnerships
Apply for NAC/SAMPRA funding; collaborate with BASA and British Council DICE for skills programmes; integrate AI capabilities via partnerships like Ogilvy
Threats
Funding barriers
R300B+ sector gap; increasing grant competition
Disruptions
AI risks displacing roles if not managed; digital divides may erode live production dominance
Recommended Adjustments
Capability Ownership
Pitch AI-integrated production packages for WEF 2027 and WAFCON 2026. Expand operational footprint into Cape Town and Durban for event proximity.
Talent Pipeline
Partner with BASA for structured development programmes. Prioritise internal career pathways aligned to skills initiatives.
Brand and Fundraising
Incorporate forward-looking events calendar and AI capability narrative into investor prospectus. Accelerate the digital presence overhaul.
Revenue Diversification
Bid for Africa Tech Festival and Ultra SA production. Develop recurring revenue through virtual production streams.
How This Report Was Generated
This Radar weekly insights report was generated through Stratafy's human-AI co-working process. The AI scanned external signals — news, social discussions, market data, and government announcements — then prioritised them by strategic relevance and translated them into actionable intelligence tied to STIR Collective's strategic context.
This is exactly what Part 5 of the Stratafy Methodology describes: continuous environmental scanning that turns external noise into structured signals, competitive intelligence, and recommended strategic adjustments — all without requiring a dedicated research team.