Inside the South African Podcasters Guild: A Blueprint for Africa’s Audio Creators

The African podcasting scene is expanding rapidly, but South Africa is one of the few countries taking an organized, structured approach to growth. At the forefront is the South African Podcasters Guild (SAPG), an initiative that’s tackling three major industry challenges:

1️⃣ Discovery & Audience Growth – Connecting local creators to listeners across demographics, including older generations who are prime candidates for long-form audio.
2️⃣ Monetization – Moving beyond ads to long-term sponsorships, branded content, and innovative deals (like podcasts on South African Airways flights).
3️⃣ Community Building – Bringing podcasters together under a unified banner to share knowledge, negotiate better deals, and advocate for industry-wide growth.

During our chat, SAPG’s Jonathan Warncke revealed the inside story of how this guild started, the hurdles they've faced, and why podcasting should be a viable career path in Africa.

📢 Key Takeaway: If we want podcasting to thrive in Africa, we need structured communities that bring creators, brands, and media houses together. South Africa is showing us how it’s done.