Zero Dropout
Over the past two years, MarkData has partnered with the Zero Dropout Campaign to help reframe one of South Africa’s most persistent and devastating challenges – school dropout. This journey moved deliberately from evidence, to advocacy, to a deeper human understanding of what it really means for children to “hang by a thread” in an […]
Why Updated SMME Data Matters More Than Ever
South Africa’s small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) remain one of the country’s most critical economic engines — yet reliable, up-to-date data on this sector remains surprisingly difficult to access. Constant business creation, closures, mergers, and shifting compliance behaviours all contribute to a landscape that is dynamic, complex, and often misunderstood. For organisations that serve […]
Why Remembering Our Past Is Key to Our Future
I was recently reminded that, as South Africans, we are celebrating three major historic milestones in 2026. One 70, another 50, and another 30 years ago. Upon deeper reflection, these memory moments are important given our present state of affairs. So, I wrote… Come, sit here for a moment and slow down the daily rush. […]
Understanding Africa’s Complex and Expanding Market Landscape
“Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision with action can change the world.” Nelson Mandela The Esomar Global Market Research Report has just landed on our desks. As a proud contributor to the report, we are thrilled to share the insights we’ve added to help markets understand Africa. Since the establishment of […]
Understanding a Nation
This paper describes a study of South Africans’ national perception and alignment to the dimensions of active citizenship, social cohesion and national pride. Understanding a Nation: A Social Segmentation of the Diverse South African Population The study covers the 2017–2018 period and is based on a survey undertaken with a nationally representative sample. It identifies […]
The story of the South African nation finding its brand
Episode 2: Social Cohesion and Social Identities The Brand South Africa (BSA) Domestic Perceptions Research Programme was launched in 2017 and has been tracking behavioural group trends for the past five years. In the first episode of the State of the Nation Brand series, the diverse character of the South African nation was explored […]
The Race: Polling Results 2019
MarkData research shows a representative sample of South African citizens’ political allegiances. This year’s election comes at a time where serious concerns are being raised about the sustainability of South Africa’s economy including the rising unemployment rate and the Eskom debacle. Poll tracks changing political tides National morale is low ahead of the elections and […]
The Nation Brand Forum from Brand South Africa sets the tone of the nation
Hosted at Sandton Convention Centre in October 2022, the nation brand forum is tasked with finding ways of rebuilding the country’s economy, and research is key to help find solutions. Duduzile Ramela speaks to MarkData Managing Director, Jan Wegelin.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQNyCqVBxn8
The MarkData Team
MarkData won a major project towards the end of 2022 which has kept us busy throughout 2023. The esteemed team of young interviewers, supervisors and coordinators that helped complete the study were of incalculable worth. For some of the team members this opportunity has opened doors to their areas of passion such as nursing, […]
State of the Nation Brand Report 2021
MarkData’s Managing Director, Jan Wegelin, joined Brand South Africa as part of a panel, live from the Constitution Hill Women’s Jail, for the release of the inaugural “State of the Nation Brand Report” on 29 March 2022. “This is the story of Brand South Africa’s nation brand monitoring research programme, the Domestic Perceptions Research […]