Good leaders and managers also need to be good communicators and effective public speakers. Some have used it as a tool for business and personal transformation and perfected it enough to be paid millions to talk.
Even in the age of screens and scrolls, nothing stirs the soul quite like a voice that knows what it’s saying.
In an era of constant digital chatter, the art of public speaking is not just surviving—it’s evolving.
“People often feel alienated by technology,” says Arthur Goldstuck, a technology analyst, author, and the immediate past president of PSASA (Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa), which offers a place to grow your voice and build a business. “Speakers restore the human touch to communication.” Goldstuck believes that while artificial intelligence can provide answers, it can’t offer the presence, empathy, or storytelling that only human speakers can. “You can learn facts from a screen,” Goldstuck explains, “but a great speaker takes you on a journey.” For him, the association is more than just a networking hub—it’s a training ground. “You learn the business of speaking, and you learn how to be a better speaker. Both are crucial.”
Goldstuck is also candid about the challenges. “It’s hard to convince people to pay you to talk,” he says. “But once you’ve defined your value, once you’ve honed your expertise—and your delivery—the doors begin to open.” He has seen the profession take off in South Africa, and while he’s optimistic about its growth across the continent, he notes that infrastructure, budgets, and formal recognition of speaking as a profession remain hurdles in many regions.
That said, breaking into the industry is possible—even without credentials—as long as one brings heart, hustle, and the ability to own a room. Just ask Billy Selekane.
“When I was a few seconds old and the doctor smacked the hell out of me to check if I was alive,” Selekane jokes, “that’s when I started speaking.” And he’s never stopped. Today, he speaks around the world and earns millions doing it.
The motivational powerhouse, who grew up in Tembisa on the East Rand in South Africa, turned school MC duties into a globe-spanning career built on grit, charisma, and relentless self-belief. From early on, Selekane knew his voice would take him places. “Even in high school, I believed that speaking was my passport to the world.”
Selekane developed his own framework, ‘From Barefoot to Sneaker Nation’, a blueprint for personal transformation drawn from his own life. With no formal qualifications, he hustled his way into the corporate world, eventually earning himself a doctorate in Leadership and Management from Logos University in the United States, built his brand, and turned stages into strategy. “Speak less, get paid more,” he says. “This isn’t about ego—it’s about knowing your value.” He’s unapologetic about treating speaking as a business. “Too many people want the spotlight without building the structure behind it. But if you treat it like a business, it can pay like one.”
“Your voice isn’t just sound—it’s your signature,” Selekane adds. “That’s what people remember.”
Few understand the transformative power of voice quite like Stef du Plessis. Founder of PSASA, du Plessis has spent his career helping organizations shift culture from the inside out. His ‘Unwritten Ground Rules’ (UGRs) model has been implemented in more than 50 countries and has reshaped how companies and institutions operate. Former President Thabo Mbeki once remarked that du Plessis’s work “has nation-building potential”.
Quietly impactful and focused more on results than recognition, du Plessis helped shape the very DNA of PSASA. The association’s highest honor, launched by Selekane when he was president, the Stef du Plessis Founder’s Award, is named after him—and it’s a fitting tribute. “It’s not about being the star of the show,” du Plessis says. “It’s about leaving people with insights and strategies that enable personal and business transformation. That can also impact a community, and even a country.”
While South Africa has embraced public speaking as a professional pursuit, the rest of the continent is still catching up. Goldstuck believes markets like Nigeria are ripe for expansion. “The appetite is there,” Goldstuck says. “There’s so much talent—it just needs structure.”
For aspiring speakers across Africa, the message from all three is clear: start where you are. Speak for free if you must—especially to gain experience, sharpen your voice, and serve meaningful causes. But once you’ve found your footing, know your worth. Exposure is valuable, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you walk away with. Define your value. Learn the craft. And above all, surround yourself with people who will challenge you to grow.
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