South African innovators and entrepreneurs could win R1 million in prize money thanks toHangman – Cell C’s online reality show which aims to uncover South Africa’s greatest innovator.
Hangman is a show unlike anything on any screen anywhere! A global first in interactive, immersive entertainment, it puts viewers in the driver’s seat. By “investing” in a virtual Stock Exchange, they can help determine the outcome of the show, while standing in line to win great prizes including a car.
This new 10-part reality show also gives wings to the aspirations of entrepreneurs who have identified a gap in the market and have come up with an innovation that fills that space and want to bring it to the market.
Hangman consists of two different content streams. The first is the actual reality online series – hosted by Maps Maponyane – which would traditionally be consumed on prime-time TV but will be streamed live online from October.
Innovators who are selected to be on the show will be put through a series of gruelling challenges, but their fate will be determined by more than performance alone. They will have to win the approval of ‘Backers’, captains of industry and investment with keen business acumen and ruthless standards. These include businesswoman Phuti Mahanyele, celebrity economist Iraj Abedian, self-made billionaire Quinton van der Burgh and Bonang Mohale, chairman of Shell South Africa Energy Limited.
The innovator who succeeds in garnering the support of the Backers, while rallying viewer/‘investor’ sentiment, could walk away with a R1 million cash prize and everything needed to succeed in a 21st century market.
Entries are now open to anyone residing or working in South Africa who wants to participate in the competition or just view the series. Simply download the Cell C Reality App on Android or iOS to access the shows and to register for the competition. Access within the App will be zero rated for Cell C customers. Any breakout from the App will be charged as per current data depletion.
The Cell C Reality App is designed with a built-in point’s programme where points are awarded when customers download and interact within the App.
Points are awarded for every week customers are active in the App, every time a video is viewed, when they create a profile, and more.
The closing date for entries is July 21 with the show streaming online from October 9 to December 11. Contestants and viewers do not need to be a Cell C customer to play or download the App but Cell C customers will receive bonuses for participation and viewing the show.
Meet the HANGMAN backers
Bonang Mohale
Meet Bonang Mohale, one of our #CellCHangman Backers! He believes that “others have gone before me to prepare the way”. pic.twitter.com/NSFhqo98CM
— Cell C South Africa (@CellC) June 28, 2017
Growing up in a township on the East Rand during the apartheid years, Bonang Mohale is defined by a need to take responsibility – and when his father died in his teens he stepped into the breach to help his mother raise his younger siblings.
Despite the challenges of his home life Mohale looked to the black business leaders of the day for inspiration. To emulate their success he forged ahead with his studies during a period of volatile, political turmoil.
Determination, hard work, boundless energy and a larger than life personality has seen him make it to the top in the business world. Today he is widely viewed as one of the most respected leaders in corporate South Africa having been at the helm of a string of multinational giants including Shell South Africa and Upstream.
Iraj Abedian
Meet #CellCHangman Backer, Iraj Abedian! He believes “Success is about how quickly I can convert the idea into a business”. pic.twitter.com/y6ejlKGC5F
— Cell C South Africa (@CellC) June 29, 2017
Born in a rural village in Iran with no running water and no electricity to a family of subsistence farmers, Iraj Abedian learnt from a young age that only way to escape that life was to apply himself to his books. He scored top marks at school and won scholarships which eventually led him to South Africa after the fall of the Shah of Iran.
Abedian spent months on horseback travelling through remote Transkei villages to collect data for his master programme on the economics of rural farmers in the 1980s. He quickly ascended the academic ranks, culminating in an appointment as Professor of Economics at UCT. Sought after by the Mandela cabinet he was called on to serve in an advisory capacity on the RDP White paper, GEAR and as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission.
His corporate life saw him serve as the chief economist for Standard Bank and he later founded the Pan African Capital Holdings. Today Abedian is a celebrity economist sought after for his integrity, his frankness and his unwavering honesty.
Phuti Mahanyele
Meet Phuti Mahanyele, one of our #CellCHangman Backers! She believes “each and every one of us is here for a purpose”. pic.twitter.com/TytKoe5xuL
— Cell C South Africa (@CellC) June 26, 2017
Phuti Mahanyele learnt from an early age to dream and look for opportunities where others see obstacles. As a little girl she dreamt of being a ballerina and although that dream never materialised her success in the boardroom as a leading businesswoman has made an inspiration to hundreds of young African woman who aspire to be like her.
Today Phuti is the executive chairperson of Sigma Capital and former CEO of the Shanduka Group and was included in the Wall Street Journal’s list of Top 50 Women in the World to watch in 2008. In 2012 she was recognised by Africa Investors as a Leading African Woman in Business and in 2014 she was chosen as Forbes Woman Africa Business Woman of the Year.
Quinton van der Burgh
Meet Quinton van der Burgh, one of our #CellCHangman Backers! He believes that “when you win, you win big”. pic.twitter.com/NcAfOkzuRD
— Cell C South Africa (@CellC) June 27, 2017
Quinton van der Burgh always knew he wanted to be a businessman and he started pursuing that dream while at school where he quickly proved his mettle as a salesman.
The self-confessed ADHD sufferer quit in grade 11 to give flight to those dreams. He hit the ground running selling cell phones out of the boot of his car. His business grew quickly but just as he started tasting success one of his clients disappeared with R12 million worth of goods overnight bringing his world crashing down around him. But Quinton doesn’t give up; he took it on the chin and moved on to bigger and better business deals.
Today the billionaire is the founder and CEO of Burgh Group Holdings – his business interests extends to coal mining, marketing, media and mining equipment.
Social media:
- Internet: https://www.cellc.co.za/cellc/hangman
- Twitter: @cellc
- Hashtag:#cellchangman