Meet the Isivivana Centre Trustees

Isivivana Centre is owned and managed by the Khayelitsha Youth & Community Centre (KYCC) Trust. The Trust has Trust Registration No. IT021933/2014(C) and is a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) with number 930048392. It operates according to a Trust Deed, and is governed by a board of a maximum of nine trustees. These are our nine current trustees:

Phumeza Mlungwana

Phumeza was born and raised in Khayelitsha. 

humeza Mlungwana was born and raised in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. She occupies the position as Head of Strategy with the International Budget Partnership South Africa. She is one of 25 recipients of the OSFSA Commemorative Scholarships. Phumeza is the former General Secretary of the Social Justice Coalition. In 2019 her Writing Fellowship with the Social Change Initiative yielded a Book called Fragments of Activism. Phumeza’s undergraduate and honours degrees were from the University of the Western Cape majoring in Sociology, Psychology and Gender studies. She is currently pursuing an Mphil in Criminology, Law and Society at the University of Cape Town and continues to serve on the board of trustees at KYCC Trust and Ndifuna Ukwazi. She is most passionate and committed to the advancement of social justice and equality.

Odette Geldenhuys

Odette is a partner in the Pro Bono Practice at Webber Wentzel, one the largest law firms in South Africa.

Odette is a partner in the Pro Bono Practice at Webber Wentzel, one the largest law firms in South Africa. Her expertise is broadly in the field of public interest law with an overarching career interest in access to justice. As a documentary filmmaker and a participant in the independent film industry, she has been involved in award-winning films. She founded ProBono.org the first pro bono clearinghouse in South Africa in 2006. Prior to that she was responsible for implementing the Justice Centre model for Legal Aid South Africa. Odette held a leadership position with the Legal Resources Centre and a project officer position with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She has a Sociology Honours degree from UCT and an LLB degree from Wits University

Thembalihle Sidaki

Thembalihle, known as Lihle, is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa and has been a member of the Cape Bar for 12 years.

Thembalihle, known as Lihle, is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa and has been a member of the Cape Bar for 12 years. He attended Justice College in Pretoria and obtained B.Iuris and LLB degrees from the University of South Africa. For some 10 years he worked in various capacities in the National Prosecuting Authority as Public Prosecutor, and Senior State Advocate. In 2006 he joined the Office of the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance before joining the Bar in 2010. In 2012 Lihle was appointed by the Premier of the Western Cape as Evidence Leader to the Khayelitsha Commission of Enquiry. He held the position of Chairperson of the Governing Board of the Western Cape Liquor Authority between 2018 and 2020. Lihle has been a member of Rotary International for 18 years and has served as President of Pinelands Rotary Club and as District Secretary.

Jill Singer

Jill Singer has been a trustee of KYCC trust since 2015.

Jill Singer has been a trustee of KYCC Trust since 2015. She holds the degrees of BA, LLB, LLM and was a full time practicing lawyer first at Mallinicks Attorneys from 1984 to 2008 (partner from 1990), and then at Webber Wentzel Attorneys from 2008 to 2010 (partner). From 2010 to 2014 she was a consultant at Webber Wentzel Attorneys. From 2014 to present Jill has been in house legal counsel in a hospitality group of companies and also provides legal services to private clients. For the vast majority of her legal career Jill has drafted commercial agreements and provided commercial advice to individuals and corporations. In addition to serving on the board of KYCC Trust, Jill also serves on the board of another non profit organisation—in both cases she is actively involved in decision making and advice. Jill is a director of several companies operating in various sectors, including hospitality, film production and software application, and she is also a trustee of various private trusts

Katlego Motene

Katlego, born in Soweto, is an Architect registered with the South African Council of Professional Architects.

Katlego, born in Soweto, is an Architect registered with the South African Council of Professional Architects. In 2007 he curated Inter(face) Southern Africa: Engaging our Lived Realities at both the Venice Architectural Biennial and the Royal Institute of British Architects. From there he developed his focus on designing vibrant, sustainable and qualitative spatial environments that are responsive to societal needs, market demands and environmental forces. Underpinning this, is the desire to introduce people from all walks of life to the transformative power of design. During his time at GAPP Architects, Katlego was intimately involved with the design of the Isivivana Centre, from inception through to construction. He now runs his own architectural practice, Toro Agency.

Sandiso Gcwabe

Sandiso is a Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)] and is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Wesgro.

Sandiso is a Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)] and is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Wesgro. Prior to that he was the Chief Financial Officer at the Western Cape Liquor Authority. He serves on several forums whose objectives are to improve financial management and reporting in the public sector. He has held various finance leadership roles within the public sector, as well as the Auditor-General of South Africa, which have given him in-depth insights into financial management and governance in the public sector. He is passionate about the public sector and appreciates its importance for the realisation of the South Africa as envisaged in the Constitution. “The career choices I have made were informed by a passion for acquiring skills and utilising them to serve organisations whose objectives are primarily focused on improving lives and livelihoods of others”, he says. He is the 2021 and 2022 Association for Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (ABASA) Public Sector CFO of the Year award winner.

Eric Kwelata

Eric is former Provincial Secretary of the National Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) in the Western Cape

Eric is former Provincial Secretary of the National Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) in the Western Cape, and Chairperson of the Lingelethu West Police Precinct Community Policing Forum (CPF). He spent his Youth in advancing youth development struggles as former chairperson of the Khayelitsha Youth Development Council (KYDC) and the Provincial Manager of the Western Cape Chapter of the National Youth Commission. His experiences have developed his skills in youth development, strategic planning, project management, events management and community organising. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration and is currently enrolled in a Post Graduate Diploma in Labour law at the University of the Western Cape. He is currently serving as a board member on Project Uluvo and Ubuntu Youth Forum respectively.

Nocawe Mankayi

Nocawe is Life President of the highly respected Nonceba Family Counseling Centre in Khayelitsha.

Nocawe is Life President of the highly respected Nonceba Family Counseling Centre in Khayelitsha. She was co-founder of Nonceba. Nocawe is a long-standing and well-known community leader. She is SANCO’s representative on the RDP forum, holding the portfolio for Health and Welfare, is member of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and is Khayelitsha representative to the Western Cape Network on Violence against Women. Recently appointed as the assessor for criminal cases by all Western Cape high courts.

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