Leon Louw: “The forgotten history of Africa is that it is a continent of traders and trade, with early evidence of stones, shells, wood carvings and other artefacts found in markets literally thousands of miles from where they were produced. What human beings commonly do when they encounter others of different cultures and races, is to trade. So the history of Africa is not the history of political conflict but a history of cooperation and collaboration between people who want to exchange value.”
Max Marx: “The history of business in Africa has largely been ignored by Western scholars, despite a very rich history of trade, markets and entrepreneurship on the continent. Prof Grietjie Verhoef has recently published a book on the topic: The History of Business in Africa. Besides exploring trade and entrepreneurship across the continent, the book also takes an interesting look at trade in the pre-colonial era in Africa. It explores the history of colonisation on the continent, from the first Arab colonisers in North Africa in the 7th century to the British and European colonisers of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the impact these have had on trade development in Africa. It delves into the complex history of occupation and oppression and looks at Africa’s emergence into the post-colonial era and beyond. Family business and globalisation are two other prominent themes in the book.”
Speaker bio: Grietjie's research specialisation is in economic, business and accounting history of South Africa. Her research spans the development of financial institutions in Africa and South Africa, voluntary savings organisations, colonial economic growth, and the development of the insurance industry. She has published contributions to 16 books and two monographs on business and insurance. Her latest publication is: The History of Business in Africa. Complex Discontinuities to Emerging Markets.