Marketing guru THEBE IKALAFENG reflects on the current tensions in US-South African relations and suggests that by stopping US aid, President Trump is presenting the continent with a golden opportunity. It's time, Thebe says, for African countries to leverage their resources better and understand their value. The end of western aid should lead to new economic strategies and add urgency to the implementation of measures like the AfCFTA - the agreement that seeks to open borders on the continent and thereby facilitate intra-African trade. Home-grown African brands exist, but Thebe's research as the continent's leading branding authority, has found that there's room for them to improve their reach both in Africa and beyond. As ever, Thebe says, much depends on the quality of African leadership to take full advantage of this moment. As western aid budgets are slashed, Thebe is optimistic that there will be a new emphasis on self-reliance on the continent. There's evidence of this, he says, already and he believes that mood will spread. The end of aid certainly does not spell the end of Africa, says Africa's top marketer