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Johannesburg - TV darling Bonang Matheba severed ties with brand and reputation management company DNA Brand Architects after a five-year partnership in a bid to expand her brand Bonang globally.
She has left the company that contributed to growing her brand over the years to join global agency Celebrity Services Africa (CSA).
In a move meant to manage the media and minimise public speculation about the separation, Matheba explained to City Press that this was an "amicable" divorce process and there was "no bad blood" between DNA and her.
"In a sense, I’ve always been part of the CSA family, by way of partnering on numerous campaigns in the past.
"However, the decision to officially partner with CSA is really a matter of expanding brand Bonang globally.
"With headquarters in both Los Angeles and Lagos, they’ve created a network within which growth is possible,” Matheba responded via e-mail this week.
Sylvester Chauke, the founder of DNA Brand Architects, said they have had an incredible five-year run with Bonang as her strategic partner and the entire management team.
"In this time, we delivered game-changing partnerships and projects which we are very proud of.
"It is, however, now time for Bonang to take her brand to the next level of its growth and we are excited about where she will take her brand," Chauke said, adding that they would be cheering for her every step of the way as they believed that Bonang was a South African brand that belonged to the world.
Matheba said she would always have an ongoing relationship with DNA and treasure her time with them. At this point, expanding her brand globally was simply a natural progression.
She also believed that her move would stimulate interest in her brand and grow it and even make her more relevant.
“Following my international tour in Paris, London and Lagos, I am now focused on establishing my brand outside of South Africa.
"CSA is the perfect partner to build my brand. Surely having a presence across the globe will have relevance,” she explained.
She was also hoping to build her philanthropic undertakings.
“Not only is Bonang one of Africa’s most celebrated personalities but one of the most professional and hard-working,” said CSA executive director Davin Phillips.
Matheba said that during her global book tour to London she rubbed shoulders with the American actress Eva Longoria.
“It was an honour to be part of such a magical journey in London and sharing my table with like-minded women and a goal to drastically contribute to changing the lives of others for the better,” she said.
Although the style icon’s career has been on the rise, in August this year her book titled, Bonang: From A-B, was heavily criticised on social media.
Tweeps picked up bad grammar and typos in her book.
She said despite the criticism, the media has been wonderful.
“I’d like to thank them as well as my fans for contributing to my sparkle and shine!”
Asked who was the pillar of strength through difficult times, she said her mother, Charlotte, was “the strongest person” that helped her weather the storms.
She described 2017 as the best year of her life which was filled with milestones to celebrate.
“I turned 30, released my No 1-selling autobiography, launched an app with Cell C, successfully premiered the first season of my show Being Bonang, joined African delegates at the World Economic Forum ... I am the luckiest girl in the world.”
