Speakers

Passionate about education and influencing systemic change, Nomsa Muthaphuli heads up the ECD and Youth Development portfolio at Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. Her role as fund manager as well as her past role as an executive at SmartStart, a large scale early learning social enterprise, has allowed her to have both a deep and wide understanding of the sector, including programmes that lead to positive child outcomes.
With an engineering background, she combines the precision of engineering with business process enablement, strategic alignment of operational processes and capability in a variety of sectors. Despite the challenges in the ECD sector, Nomsa is excited about the possibility of systems change that enables universal access to quality early learning programmes, shaping children’s cognitive and learning abilities, and their future.

Palesa Ramolefo is a Campaigner at amandla.mobi and the lead on Health, GBV & Food Justice campaigns.

A feminist thinker who moves by the belief that if the lives of black women in Africa are improved, then everyone else’s life is improved. She is a journalism graduate and believes in the power of storytelling and art as tools for social change. Palesa is a 2022 Sowetan Unsung Hero and 2019 amandla.mobi fellow.

Clémence Pène is a citizen engagement expert at Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency). Formerly in charge of the Open Governement action plan for the French administration and the city of Paris, she has designed innovative tools and participatory policies for governments, at the local and national level. She is also very active within the civic tech community in Paris.

Geci is an Associate Professor of Digital Governance at the Wits School of Governance, and has worked with the CTIN as National Organiser since 2018 during its incubation at the Wits School of Journalism.
Geci is an Associate Professor of Digital Governance at the Wits School of Governance, and has worked with the CTIN as National Organiser since 2018 during its incubation at the Wits School of Journalism. She has a background in using tech and innovation to work with communities, and is a thought-leader in anticipatory governance. Her research interests span a range of development foresight, policy, planning and practice topics, particularly relating to urban governance, socio-technical systems, and innovation systems.

Her previous roles include being the Executive Manager for Programmes at South African Cities Network, a public think tank; developing knowledge and evaluation systems for National Treasury’s Neighbourhood Development Programme; managing research programmes at the CSIR and HSRC, and working as a technology associate at the UCLA Advanced Policy Institute.

Geci holds a PhD in Planning and Innovation Studies (Wits), Masters degrees in Architecture and in Urban Planning (UCLA), and Bachelors degrees in Computer Science and Sociology (Iowa). She is a co-editor of the Innovation Africa book series (2016, 2023) and an associate editor on several journals on futures and development.

Former Member of Parliament; Founding Superintendent-General of Gauteng Dept of Education; Former Director General of Depts of Public Works, Public Service and Administration and former Government Spokesperson and CEO of Government Communications; Former Managing Director of Damelin Education Group.

Professor Lynn Morris is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. She obtained her PhD from the University of Oxford in 1988. She is the founding Director of the Antibody Immunity Research Unit based at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) where she also served as the interim Executive Director. Over the last 30 years she has made significant contributions to the understanding of the antibody response to HIV infection and vaccination. Lynn is an NRF A-rated scientist, has published over 270 papers holding an H-Index of 66 and has featured in the Web of Science list of highly cited researchers. She is a member of Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), member of the Council for the National Advisory Council on Innovation(NACi), the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the Royal Society of South Africa (FRSSA) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Rachel is Director of Programmes at the International Civil Society Centre. She has more than 15 years of experience working for civil society organisations on a national and international level, working for various International Civil Society Organisations (ICSOs) in international development and human rights in both London and Berlin. Rachel has an interest in digital technology and its impacts on civil society, futures thinking, and finding innovative participatory ways of working for CSOs.

I am the Chairperson of the South African Early Child Development InterSectoral Forum (ISF) and the National Early Childhood Development Alliance (NECDA) and a specialist in advocacy and lobbying with more than 30 years experience in the ECD Sector with intensive knowledge and expertise on Qualification development, design and development of aligned NQF learning materials. I assisted the Education, Training and Development Practice Sector Education Training Authority (ETDP.SETA) and Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) with regard to the development of Occupational Qualifications in Early Childhood Development and I am still playing that role with QCTO and ETDPSETA.

Richard Gevers founded Open Cities Lab, a civic technology organisation focusing on digital and data governance and implementation to address participation, inclusion, and other urban challenges within African cities. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Tenji, a data science startup that builds data products and tools that aid socio-economic development and planning.

Open Cities Lab is a non-profit civic technology lab that uses open data and civic technology in initiatives to build inclusive and responsive cities, put citizens at the centre, and enable participative democracy. It implements and advocates for active citizens, open data-driven decision-making, future inclusive cities, open government, digital public infrastructure, and digital and data governance. Open Cities Lab believes in co-design that is centred around people and lets those in the centre of the issue set the frame, context, measurement, and verification of the results.

Shannon is a strategist specialising in digital democracy and governance innovation. She currently serves as Afrobarometer’s Digital Portfolio Manager. She holds an undergraduate degree in Film and Media and a postgraduate degree in Strategic Communications. Shannon is currently completing a Master of Philosophy in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, focusing on the impact of digital innovation on governance processes. She was awarded the Bertha Scholarship by The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2020 and graduated from Futurelect’s Southern Africa Public Leadership Programme in 2021.

Sheena Adams has worked in news journalism, publishing and communications in diverse roles for the past 2 decades. In her current role, she leads communication and advocacy at Accountability Lab with a key focus on impactful narrative framing. She works across strategic themes including civic tech, climate justice and active citizenship. Sheena is passionate about mentoring young writers and volunteers for the City of Johannesburg’s Jozi My Jozi urban upliftment project.

Sifiso Gumbi is a former waste picker turned Recycling and waste management entrepreneur, I have been in the recycling space for over a decade and have a deeply rooted passion for advocating and speaking up for the empowerment and recognition of waste pickers, which I was once myself.

Siwe Ntombela is an urban researcher and environmentalist currently working in the NGO sector. She has experience in the private sector as a development economist and more recently, working with cities on spatial transformation, stakeholder engagement and inclusive climate action. She is passionate about sustainable community development in the urban context and elevating the voices of young people development.

Tammy Langtry, works as an independent curator, cultural producer and researcher in South Africa. Graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand (2011), Langtry’s curatorial work and research negotiates creole theories and realities and South African Art History through urban, spatial and familial histories. She is interested in curatorial practice as cultural synthesis and the bridges between historicized artistic practice to contemporary art necessities. Langtry has worked across a range of industry and institutional spaces to produce exhibitions, programming and arts infrastructure.

Art Meets is led by Michaela Limberis, Precious Mhone and Tammy Langtry. Art Meets began in 2013 as a gathering space for artists and other art professionals, as a bridge from university to industry; a space to discuss shared challenges and find ways to address them. The Art Meets app is in its beta stage, developed as an inclusive digital platform to promote and connect artists, art spaces and art events to a broad and diverse market.

Tebalo is a seasoned technology professional with a proven track record in telecommunications, information technology, and digital innovation. Over the years, he has held various roles, ranging from Billing Systems Coordinator to Digital and Innovation Fellow, demonstrating a strong aptitude for technical leadership, solution architecture, and strategic thinking.

Tebalo's career journey began at Vodacom Lesotho, where he held multiple positions focused on billing systems, network infrastructure, and product development. His expertise in these areas led to their promotion to Senior Solutions Architect, where he was responsible for designing and delivering innovative technology solutions to address customer needs.

In subsequent roles at Serumula Business Solutions and the African Union Commission as a Cohort 1 fellow of the AU Digital and Innovation fellowship, Tebalo continued to leverage his technical skills to drive digital transformation and innovation. As a Solutions Architect, he played a pivotal role in designing and implementing cloud-based solutions for clients across various industries. As a Digital and Innovation Fellow, he contributed to the development of innovative products and processes to improve the delivery of the African Union's mandate.

Currently, Tebalo is a Platforms Developer at PSG Financial Services, where he is leading the adoption of modern software engineering practices and driving innovation within the organization. His responsibilities include technical leadership, coaching, and mentoring, as well as managing project teams and ensuring optimal delivery of IT solutions.

Key Skills and Achievements:

Technical Expertise: Proficient in cloud technologies (AWS, GCP, OCI, Azure), telecommunications infrastructure, software development, and digital innovation.
Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor teams, drive innovation, and foster a collaborative work environment.
Problem-Solving: Proven track record of identifying and solving complex technical challenges.
Strategic Thinking: Capable of developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve organizational goals.
Tebalo's diverse experience and strong technical skills make him an asset to any organization seeking to leverage technology to drive innovation and achieve business objectives.

Thabang Ledwaba is a senior software engineer and executive at BBD. His main motto is passion and creativity through everything you take on. He firmly believes in creating avenues for accessible and affordable technology through education and vice versa. This has placed him into roles where he used his knowledge within the sectors of software and technology for skills development but ultimately also changing people's lives.

The future belongs to those who create it is the firm mantra that has shaped his journey being actively involved in the leadership, and entrepreneurship training of emerging leaders. Thabani is an African Iconoclast, Author, and Speaker with a mandate to change the narrative shaping the continent through his work. He is the Co-Founder of UbuntuLab, Africa’s first and only Personal Growth Hub that deals with the holistic development of emerging market entrepreneurs, creative influencers, and institutions. He has toured several African countries delivering training on leadership and entrepreneurship programs implemented across the continent in countries.

Tiyani Nghonyama is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Geekulcha and Strategy Leader for the Northern Cape Developer Ecosystem, a Computer Engineer by background and a social development activist. In 2019, he was named as the 41st IT Personality of the Year by the Institute for Information Technology Professionals of South Africa (IITPSA). In his career, he has developed over 300 tech solutions, used by thousands of people including for Presidential and International programmes. He has led and facilitated a number of hackathons in South Africa, Lesotho and other countries. As an IT professional, he has given a number talks at conferences and a TED Talk, earlier in his career.

Tusi Fokane is an experienced tech and public policy advisor, working with nonprofits and private organisations to navigate regulatory challenges and ensure effective policy-making.
She periodically undertakes research on tech and AI policy, elections tech, access to information, and data and privacy regulation. She holds a Masters in Management degree in Public Policy from Wits University. Tusi has a particular interest in the intersection between freedom of expression, technology, and human rights.

Uta Staschewski has led Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) projects in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Namibia. Notable achievements under her leadership include developing an award-winning program for young women politicians in Kenya and creating the Ushirikiano Space co-working concept. She specializes in designing multidimensional change processes focused on democratic governance, sustainability, and digital technologies. A qualified lawyer and coach, Uta integrates digital technologies to enhance governance and sustainability. She emphasizes practical solutions for systemic global challenges while fostering emotional resilience, aiming to create collaborative environments that empower leaders and communities for meaningful, tech-enabled change.

Varaidzo is a Pan-African feminist lawyer, decolonial philanthropy advocate and the curator of the inaugural Afrofeminist Data Museum. Her expertise is in program design at the intersection of feminist technology policy, data governance, and pan-African digital inclusion. She sits on the Art+ Feminism Board of Directors and chairs the UN Women East and Southern Africa Region Youth Steering Committee. Her experience spans across West, Southern and Eastern Africa in feminist movement building, strategy, governance, compliance, and resource mobilisation for non-profits and social enterprises.

Innovation and gamebox officer Sub-Saharan Africa: Goethe-Institut e.V.creative. Technologist, artist multi-hyphenate. Open-data and worker-cooperative.advocate.

Wanjiru Nguhi heads the Fumbua program at Baraza Media Lab.

Fumbua is a collaborative journalism project to tackle mis/dis-information launched during the 2022 general election. As the manager, she scripted and oversaw the online campaign against mid/dis-information, training of journalists, content creators and bloggers on fact checking and how to verify information before sharing. She continues to lead the Fumbua program which is now focused on media and digital literacy, mis/dis-information and gender disinformation.
She is a Lawyer & host of the “Mine is a comment” podcast. She uses her platform to inspire African women to get involved in their communities and challenge misconceptions about leadership, power and women’s contribution to society.

Yasmin Shapurjee is a multi-passionate urban planner and social researcher. Yasmin holds a Master’s in Urban Studies, specialising in Housing and Human Settlements, from Wits University, Johannesburg. Her research interests include low-income housing policy; community engagement; informal economies; urban renewal; and urban agriculture. She also has a keen interest in the role of technology's influence on innovative governance processes to improve residents’ lives, especially in rapidly growing African cities.

In her current role as Project Lead at CTIN, Yasmin drives the research agenda and strategy and is instrumental in nurturing, sustaining and building networks amongst CTIN members, partners and potential collaborators. She also manages and curates the updates to the African Civic Tech Atlas – a database of emerging civic tech initiatives and case study profiles across the African continent; and the Civic Tech in Africa Evidence Map - a research database and tool that illustrates the size, nature and scope of civic tech research across the continent.

Yolan Govindarajulu is a master’s student and part-time lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, as well as a full-time digital designer specializing in virtual reality (VR) applications for education. His part-time work focuses on developing 3rd Year Multimedia students, with a primary focus set within the Faculty of Engineering, specifically Mining Engineering, where he develops VR solutions to enhance the teaching and learning experiences for both students and faculty.

Yosr Jouini is an interdisciplinary researcher studying emerging technologies and their social implications in the global South. She leads work at Technoloxia, a North African-based collective with a mission to provide community-centered perspectives on the region from the region. Yosr is the founder of Accessibility ABCs, an initiative promoting accessibility across digital platforms. She also hosts the ‘Digitally Yours podcast‘, which specialises in digital rights. In 2020, Yosr was awarded the "Lina Ben Mhenni Prize for freedom of expression" for her writings on Global Voices.

Zukiswa Kota is currently the South Africa Programme Head at the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) which works across five countries in Africa. Interested in contributing to deepening open government and social accountability work, Zukiswa serves on the global Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), on the Civic Tech Innovation Network’s Reference Group and on various organisational boards including the Equal Education Law Centre, My Vote Counts and Corruption Watch. She has contributed to various budget and social justice initiatives including the Budget Justice Coalition and Imali Yethu Coalition for Open Budgets.