Operational Team
Ayanda Mkanda Finance Manager
Ayanda previously worked as a senior financial accountant at EnviroServ Waste Management, the finance manager of the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society and the temporary finance manager at the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA). She holds a masters degree in business administration (MBA) and a bachelor of commerce (BCom) degree from the Management College of South Africa (MANCOSA), and a higher diploma in cost and management accounting from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Ayanda Msiza Grantmaking Officer
Ayanda was a volunteer at the Other Foundation for several years, supporting the Foundation’s grantmaking administration and assisting in flagship projects such as kopano gatherings. They were previously the media and documentations officer at Iranti and are the co-founder of the LGBTI community organization, Uthingo the rainbow. Ayanda has studied marketing, management, and graduated in film and television production from AFDA Film School, and has worked as a film director at the production company, Black Eye Visuals.
Bokang Maroba Office Manager
Bokang is trained in business management and has been involved in the Matrix Support Group in Lesotho for many years, serving as its youth, arts, and advocacy programme manager and as its treasurer. Most recently, Bokang worked as a finance administrator at Iranti-org.
Caio de Araújo Research Officer
Caio is a post-doctoral research fellow at Wits university’s Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER). He was the lead investigator for the GALA Queer Archive’s oral histories research projects in both Mozambique and Angola between 2019 and 2023, run in partnership with LAMBDA and the Angolan Indentity Archive. Caio holds a PhD in international history from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, and a Masters degree in sociology and social anthropology from the Central European University in Budapest.
Kutlwano Magashula Executive Officer for Programmes
Kutlwano was previously the southern Africa regional programmes coordinator of the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), was a prosecutions counsel in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of Botswana, and was a co-founder and lead researcher of Black Queer DocX. They are formerly the deputy chairperson of Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO). Kutlwano holds a Masters in Law in Sexual and Reproductive Rights from the University of Pretoria (Centre for Human Rights).
Lesego Nchunga Policy Advocacy Officer
Lesego worked as the senior associate for southern Africa at the Human Dignity Trust, a women’s socio-economic rights lawyer at the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA), the managing partner at her law firm Nchunga & Associates, and a partner at the law firm Dow & Associates. She has served as a senior litigation expert for the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree, has been a visiting scholar at the University of Cincinnati, and is studying for a Masters degree in law with a focus on sexual and reproductive rights in Africa.
Matuba Mahlatjie Media & Communications Officer
Matuba worked as a senior producer for MNet’s flagship ‘Carte Blanche’ show, as the communications and media relations manager of OutRight International, as the communications director of Power for All, as the brand and public relationship manager of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). He was a prime time news anchor and sub-editor at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and a news editor and news anchor at e-News Channel Africa (eNCA). He holds a diploma in journalism.
Mmakobatjatji Moraka Senior Finance Officer
Mmakobatjatji was the finance manager of the Empower Southern Africa at Chemonics International, where he managed international donor funding. Prior to that, he worked in financial accounting at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), as the Southern Africa regional finance manager of FEWSNET at Chemonics International, and as the regional accountant for HelpAge International. He holds an honours degree in business administration and a Bachelor of Technology degree in cost and management accounting. He has also been trained in project management.
Neville Gabriel Chief Executive Officer
Neville was the founding executive director of the Southern Africa Trust, an independent regional funding agency that supports policy engagement between governments and non-state actors to overcome poverty in Southern Africa. He is a member of Global Citizen’s global policy committee, a member of the Africa policy advisory board of Bono’s ONE campaign, a senior fellow of the Synergos Institute, and the chairperson of a few community shareholding trusts linked to solar and wind renewable energy plants in South Africa. He was a member of the founding steering committee of the African Grantmakers’ Network (AGN), the chairperson of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), the chairperson of the Open Society Foundations’ Africa advisory committee, a trustee of the International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC), and previously worked at Oxfam in media and advocacy and at the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) coordinating social and economic justice programs.
Nokuthula Madi Programme Officer: Special Projects
Nokuthula was the managing director of Behind the Mask, and worked as the regional grants coordinator of the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), the regional sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy coordinator of the SRHR Africa Trust (SAT), the knowledge management and learning officer of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and the regional SRHR programme officer of the Africa Groups of Sweden. She has also worked as a consultant to the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL), Under the Rainbow, and the 1 in 9 Campaign.
Obakeng Pholo Executive Assistant
Obakeng was the syndication manager at The South African, an online media agency, and the editor in chief of Opera News in South Africa. Prior to that, he worked at Proctor and Gamble as a media practitioner, where he was an active member of its GABLE LGBTI affinity group. He has a diploma in media practices from Boston Media House, specializing in marketing, and is qualified as a media manager through AAA School of Advertising. Obakeng has a particular passion for media digitalization and tech-driven media solutions.
Rethabile Matsa Finance Officer: Special Projects
Rethabile worked as a sub-grant awards specialist for Sonke Gender Justice and as a senior finance and administration manager for Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Education Trust. He holds certificates in accounting and data analytics.
Samuel Shapiro Programmes Process Officer
Samuel is the former national organizer of Equal Education, the social justice campaign for equitable and good quality education in South Africa. He was previously Equal Education’s senior researcher. Samuel has worked across all parts of South Africa to establish community structures and train activists for campaigning, backed by a strong focus on building a body of data and evidence.
Shekeshe Mokgosi Head of Operations
Shekeshe previously held the position of the Other Foundation’s public engagement manager. He previously worked as executive assistant for special projects and campaigns at the Southern Africa Trust, as an events manager in a project management agency, a training coordinator at the University of the Witwatersrand, and on project management in agencies of the South African government. Shekeshe has completed an advanced management programme at Wits University’s business school and has completed several other programmes in financial management and auditing, event management and change management.
Sheriff Mothopeng Regional Administrator, Global Equality Caucus
Sheriff previously worked as the regional advocacy coordinator of Gender Dynamix, the gender and sexuality officer of Sesotho Media and Development, and the dialogue and advocacy programme manager of the People’s Matrix Association, and has been a consultant to Accountability International.
Sophia Masina Housekeeping Officer
Sophia joins our team from Shamrock Prints in Benoni South Africa, where she worked as a printer for ten years, and previously worked in several informal jobs. Sophia maintains a pleasant and welcoming environment for our team and all visitors to our foundation, and provides support during our events and gatherings.
Tafadzwa Mavhudzi Monitoring, Evaluation, & Reporting Officer
Tafadzwa worked as a specialist on gender equality and social inclusion for Research Methods International, as the M&E officer of International Medical Corps in Zimbabwe, the monitoring, evaluation, and learning consultant for the African Alliance, and as the monitoring, evaluation, and learning officer of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe. She holds a Master of Science degree in child rights, a Bachelor of Social Science degree in development studies, and a graduate diploma in the management of information systems. She is a member of the International Development Evaluation Association.
Teboho Klaas Religion Officer
Teboho is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, working with a congregation in Vosloorus, Johannesburg. He has a long history of involvement in ecumenical church leadership and social justice activism. After working at the Institute for Contextual Theology, he became the national health director of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and also served as the executive assistant to the general secretary of the SACC. Teboho also worked as the national coordinator of the Jubilee 2000 debt cancellation campaign in South Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Theology (Honours) degree.
Teboho Thamae Business & Economic Participation Officer
Teboho worked as an internal project coordinator, product owner, business analyst, written communications specialist, and senior relationship banker at Investec private bank in South Africa, Britain, and globally. They co-founded and led Investec’s employee LGBTI network known as ‘With Pride’. Teboho is also the founder and director of ‘As Founded’, a business development support, event production and management, and event facilitation agency working with artists and LGBTI and other marginalized groups. They hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree from WITS university.
Thandeka Mukuku Programme Support Officer
Thandeka is a social entrepreneur who founded the queer activist group Thanda Afrika which promotes human rights awareness through the performing arts. She previously worked as TrustAfrica’s convenings associate for the Zimbabwe Alliance and as an assistant gender programme officer at Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ). Thandeka has volunteered at several international events and processes including the 2016 International AIDS Conference and as a peer reviewer in the Other Foundation’s grant making process.
Thapelo Sekoma Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
Thapelo has several years’ experience working as an executive assistant in the philanthropy sector. He previously volunteered as an assistant librarian in the Nokeng tsa Taemane Municipal Library before working for several years at a private executive travel company. He has an NQF4 certificate from the Academy of Business and Computer Studies in South Africa, an IT diploma from PC Training and Business College, and speaks seven South African languages.
TK Kimmie Grantmaking Officer
TK worked as the development compliance and administration officer of Right to Care South Africa, a project support officer at Afrikaiz Development, the senior administrator and executive assistant at the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa, and as a programme associate at FHI360. He is trained in project management.
