Ed Richardson
B.Journ (Rhodes)
The managing director and brain behind Siyathetha Communications. He has been described as one of the most effective weapons of mass communication in the Eastern Cape, see for yourself:
Before “emigrating” to the Eastern Cape from Johannesburg, Ed worked on trade publications, radio and television, working his way in each case from reporter up to management level. He also spent three years as a senior account executive for a major public relations company.
He is one of the few communications specialists in the country with an in-depth knowledge of print, radio, television, social media and web-based communication. He has been closely involved with, and has helped champion, the use of the Internet as a business and communication tool since its inception in South Africa.
Ed has edited a number of specialist publications (he is currently editor of Automotive Industries, the world’s oldest motor industry publication), and he consults to a number of organisations on the conception and design of their web sites and the integration of their businesses with the Internet.
With a background in management, marketing, print, video and audio production, Ed has a unique understanding of the potential of the Internet and social media as strategic business and communications tools.
During his career stretching over 40 years, Ed has headed up a television export department within the SABC, was executive producer on Radio Today and was business editor at the Eastern Province Herald and East Cape Weekend.
Christena Cogan – our social media guru
Helping clients communicate in the 21st century.
By making use of modern day communication platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram together with traditional platforms such as print, radio and TV to maximise a client’s image to internal and external stakeholders.
I am the social media personal at Siyathetha communications. I create content, schedule posts and monitor various clients’ social media pages to help maintain a good image of the client to its internal and external publics. Social media is often see as a way to get free publicity / increase sales/ build brand however, social media (amongst other things) for companies should be used to monitor what people are saying about you so you know what you are doing right/ wrong. It is a place for your existing clients to get informed about what is new and what you are up to. It is also a place for potential clients to ask question, get contact details and to find out more about what the companies is doing. That is in a nutshell what I do with regards to social media at Siyathetha communications, I:
Monitor what people are saying about the client
- Post relevant information
- Monitor trends and get on the wagon with the trend if it is applicable to the company
- Do research: Watch when fans are most active on the page and post, post then
Find out what the fans what by asking question (creating two way communications)
- Respond to questions in a timely manner (No answer is worse than a “I will find out”)
At the moment I handle the following company’s social media pages:
- Kirkwood Wildsfees (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
- Mikes Driving School (Facebook)
- Revelations Coffee Shop (Facebook)
- South Africa Library for the Blind (Facebook)
- BOSS Gaming social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
- EC Talent (Facebook)
- Newest client JBC Africanos (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
Christena also assists with research, website copy development and writing for various clients at Siyathetha Communications.
Sibongile Xaluva
BA Communications (Fort Hare)
In 2009, Sibongile brought his great communication skills and sales experience to the Siyathetha Team. He has a passion for the arts in the Eastern Cape headed up one of Siyathetha’s projects, EC Talent.
Being largely office-bound due to a medical condition, Sibongile also conducts telephonic and on-line research for Siyathetha and its clients.
His studies at Fort Hare earned him a BA degree in communication and he enjoys establishing relationships with the local artists and researching the Eastern Cape entertainment industry.
Anathi Magongo
Anathi has a higher certificate in events management and a diploma in public relations.
She is passionate about events and public relations, and has successfully managed a number of projects on behalf of Siyathetha clients.
Anathi brings youthful enthusiasm and a fresh approach to the fast-change world of communication. She is creative, writes well and is fully computer literate.
Anathi is our Twitter specialist.