Our Team

Board Members

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Natalie Delport Louw

SWIFT Chair

Natalie is a renowned board member with a passion for skills development shown by her extensive experience in developing vocational programs across multiple industries. She has a solid background in life skills, human behaviour, and leadership and management as demonstrated by her successful development initiatives. Her involvement in skills development is underpinned by her commitment to empowerment, equality, and transformation while prioritizing integrity.

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Pearl Munonde

Vice-Chair
FINANACE, SISTERHOOD CINEMA and SKILLS & MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE

Pearl Munonde is an award-winning 26-year experienced Film, TV, and Documentary Producer. Starting as a Script Coordinator and Translator for Soul City, she progressed to being a Line Producer. Pearl has served as an advisory panel member for Development and Production at the NFVF and holds various leadership positions on boards such as Durban Film Mart Institute and SASFED. She is an active contributor to the industry's development and governance.

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Mapitso Ralephata

Treasurer
FINANACE COMMITTEE

Mapitso, a Financial Information Systems graduate, made a breakthrough in media production in 2015 and hasn't looked back. With a corporate background, she is an Executive Producer and Producer at Leburugraphy Pictures with over 15 Made for TV movies and 4 Feature films, a SAFTA Award, and a recent AMVCA Nomination.

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Nerusha Maharaj-Sadapal

SISTERHOOD CINEMA COMMITTEE

Nerusha has 10+ years' experience as a location scout and film fixer for local and international media productions. She founded NPC: Let's Act and runs a one-stop production store for filmmakers in KZN, with 70+ successful productions assisted. She's the head of the Digital Entrepreneur program for the KZN Film Commission and city head of 48 Hour film project in KZN.

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Keshni Rajoo

SISTERHOOD CINEMA and SKILLS & MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE

Since 1990, Keshni Rajoo has worked across various fields of the television industry. She began as an Assistant Producer at Bop Broadcasting Corporation and progressively achieved the position of Producer/Technical Director for Live and Pre-recorded studio/ Outside Broadcast shows along with insert shoots conducted at diverse locations.

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Minenhle Luthuli

HR, SOCIAL & ETHICS COMMITTEE

Minenhle Luthuli is an award-winning filmmaker and television scriptwriter. Her debut short film, Heart Attack, premiered at the Durban International Film Festival and her short film, Get Ready With Me, won the 2022 NEFTI competition. Currently, Minenhle is in pre-production for her next short film, Being You, and is developing her first feature film, Abany'Omama, with Kwa-Zulu Natal Film development funding.

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Roberta Durrant

HR, SOCIAL & ETHICS COMMITTEE

Roberta is an accomplished creative director, producer, and showrunner for film and television. She worked extensively in theatre and film before transitioning behind-the-scenes. Roberta has won numerous national and international awards. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NFVF.

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Rosemary Mangope

AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE

Rosemary has 38 years of experience in arts administration, social and community development, and executive roles in the private and public sectors. She holds a master's degree in social science and is a member of the Institute of Directors of South Africa.

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Rosemary Diaho

AUDIT & RISK, SISTERHOOD CINEMA COMMITTEE

Rosemary is a screenwriter, researcher, and entrepreneur with a passion for visual storytelling. With a background in sociology and forced migration, she has worked in auditing, program coordination, and research. Her interests span sociological and cultural issues, migration, urbanization, and environmental and health issues.

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Minky Schlesinger

SKILLS & MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE

Minky is a Headwriter/Writer/Storyliner/Script Editor and Director known for her work on long-running drama series, documentaries, award-winning dramas. Her work has screened at international festivals, and she has taught and served as a juror on various film industry bodies.

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Mmabatho Montsho

SISTERHOOD CINEMA and SKILLS & MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE

Mmabatho Montsho is a South African award-winning filmmaker, writer, and director with a career spanning over two decades. In addition to her filmmaking work, Montsho has produced and curated two film festivals in 2024: the Constitution Hill Human Rights Film Festival and the Basha Uhuru Visions of Freedom Film Festival - Student Edition. Since 2017, she has shared her expertise by teaching screenwriting and mentoring script development, empowering emerging voices. Montsho is a board member of the Documentary Filmmakers Association of South Africa; a committee member of the SWIFT Sisterhood Cinema and Skills Development Committees; and a member of the Writer’s Guild of South Africa’s Muse Awards 2024 Planning Committee. She was selected by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences as a juror for 2024, recognizing her expertise on a global stage. Montsho is dedicated to telling powerful African stories and promoting social justice through her work.

Operations Team

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Lindi Ndebele-Koka

Acting Executive Officer

After many years in the Cultural and Creative industries including her role in government: playing a pivotal role in the South African film industry. Lindi has over 23 years’ experience of driving and implementing numerous industry initiatives, policies and strategies towards the development and promotion of the South African Film industry nationally and internationally.

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Lindi Ndebele-Koka

“The Industry Champion”

Lindi is currently the Acting Executive Officer and a former Board member at Sisters Working in Film & Television (SWIFT). She is a former government official of the National Department of Sport Arts and Culture (DSAC), acknowledged for her contribution and pivotal role in the development and promotion of the film industry to what it has become. She has driven policies, implemented many-a industry strategies and represented the SA Film industry on various national and international platforms. Amongst many achievements is: the establishment of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) preceded by the Film Development Strategy and the management of the Film Interim Fund; the negotiation and conclusion of several Co-production Treaties currently active, the joint Film Content Strategy that led to the Film Incentives, hosting of the SA-UK Film Summit and the African Film Summit; driving of numerous major national and international cultural programs in collaboration with key industry stakeholders within the four cultural creative sectors (Fashion, Visual Arts, Film & Crafts) with a focus on the Film industry. The implementation of the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) strategy amongst others -a strategy meant to respond to the demand and supply towards contributing to the economic and social growth of the Creative & Cultural Industries (CCI). She has directed numerous nationwide cultural programs, amongst them: the inaugural Africa Month, presentation of the first BRICS Film Festival. She has driven and participated in several forums and policy development processes: as part of the Department of Communications Advisory Board, chaired the Ministerial Audio-visual/Film Reference Group; establishment of the CCI Venture Capital, Ministerial and Presidential Task Teams, the CCI Master Plan, the establishment of the Art Bank of South Africa, the first South African Film Summit and many other industry initiatives.

Lindi exited government to continue her role and interest within the creative industries in various capacities at her own pace. Founded a company called NDEKO to provide advisory and executive services. Lindi is passionate about collaborative work, initiatives that unite the industry and creating an enabling environment for creatives to thrive. “I believe that the creative industries have the ability to attain a balance amongst the social, educational, commercial imperative and support the artistic expression as a voice for both the creative and the community at large”. Contact: mobile: +27 82322 6543/Mashadilindi5@gmail.com

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Zanele Mthembu

Acting Programme Manager

Zanele is a broadcast and media executive and owner of Brown Panther Films an independent audio-visual company specialising in sports, arts, culture and music content. Zanele boasts over 25 years of experience in media and offers diverse expertise, gained through her work in local, regional, and international markets.

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Zanele Mthembu

She brings a robust understanding of the business of broadcasting, production, and distribution. Zanele has served as the first Executive Head of Channel of Newzroom Afrika, a premier South African Black Owned 24-hour TV news channel and as Group Head of Content at Sabido Investments (now eMedia Group)

Zanele is the current Board Chair of Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT), a non-profit advocacy organisation committed to creating equal opportunities for women in audiovisual sector. She has also served as a Council member of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) an agency of government responsible for developing and promoting the South African audiovisual sector. She has served as a juror for the International Emmy Awards, Wildscreen Panda Awards, Guangzhou International Documentary Festival Awards, and the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs). She is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative and the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

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Noluthando Mnguni

Marketing and Communications Officer

With over 10 years in Marketing and Brand Communications, Noluthando is passionate about the dynamic landscape of her chosen career. She brings diverse experience from NPOs, Education, and corporate sectors.

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Noluthando Mnguni

Amid the digital era, she focuses on human behaviour, philosophies, and storytelling through business sales and marketing, emphasising her love for brand, strategy, and thought leadership.

Complementing her skills is a Motion Picture Medium degree in screenwriting and creative directing from AFDA, and she is currently completing her honours degree at Vega School of Advertising. Her professional development includes a certificate in Brand Management and Copywriting for Online Marketing from UCT.

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Lerato Mathole

Administrator & Accounts

Lerato is an accomplished professional with over 15 years’ experience in Administration, Accounts, Operations and Recruitment. She is proficient in handling commercial operations, client and vendor billing & payments.

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Lerato Mathole

Lerato has expertise in the implementation of systems for improvement of accounting and financial processes, stock monitoring, procurement and controlling costs and expenses. She has appraised existing systems/processes, identified loopholes and suggested preventive measures and contributed to the efficient functioning of various organizations throughout her work tenure. She has developed effective employee documentation, and management systems for staff.

She has excellent leadership skills with an ability to motivate staff and management to attain organizational goals.