South Africa delivered the World Cup on time – but, more than that, presented it with style. This proved that the country’s talent was capable of creating and producing first-class products. Indeed, in 2010, there was a significant increase in the coordination between inspiration and application, between design and manufacture. The results were often spectacular.

It’s clear that design should be on the national agenda. Instead of competing, South Africans should collaborate. Instead of outsourcing (and compromising) to save costs, the potential exists to add real value to what is created.