Dr. Solomon Ayele Dersso

Dr. Solomon Ayele Dersso is a Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the African Union's premier human rights body, and Chair of the Working Group on Extractive Industries in Africa. Dr. Dersso is also an Editorial Board member for the International Journal of Transitional Justice. In the area of transitional justice, he serves as focal point of the African Commission on Transitional Justice and Human Rights in Africa and led the drafting of the final draft of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy. He is a non-faculty Assistant Professor of human rights at the School of Law and Governance Studies, Addis Ababa University. Dr. Dersso heads Amani Africa Media and Research Services, a policy research and consulting think tank in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr. Dersso received an LLB from the School of Law, Addis Ababa University; an LLM from the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; and a PhD from the School of Law, University of Witwatersrand.

Simangele Mayisela

Dr. Simangele Mayisela is a registered Educational Psychologist, qualified from University of the Witwatersrand. She previously worked for the Johannesburg Parent and Child Counselling Centre and for CSVR as a trauma practitioner. Currently she is in private practice and is the Director of Elegnams Human Development Services, a life skills development institution.

Nokukhanya (Nox) Ntuli

Nokukhanya (Nox) Ntuli is a South African lawyer, mediator and process facilitator. Prior to joining the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) (part of the World Bank Group), she worked as a Constitutionalism and Rule of Law Expert in the Department of Political Affairs at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa. She has extensive legal experience in corporate, intellection property, labour and public policy law. She also has mediation experience and has mediated commercial, employment, land, community, small claims and electoral disputes. Nox has lived and worked the United States, Britain, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Liberia, Ethiopia and South Africa in the private, public, non-profit and multi-national environment, practicing law and mediation. She has also conducted short-term projects in Malawi, Botswana, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.  

She holds a Post Graduate Fellowship on Peace and Security from Kings College London and the African Leadership Centre, an LLM in Corporate Law from Nottingham Trent University, an LLB Honours from the University of Wolverhampton and a Certificate in Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. She is an ADR Group (UK) Accredited Mediator, has served on the boards of several non-governmental organisations, and is currently a Board Member at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and Friends of Bulungula in South Africa. She also volunteers as a mediator for the District Court of Maryland Alternative Dispute Resolution Office. 

Tefo Raditapole

Tefo Raditapole is the Chairperson of the board of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. He holds an LLB and is a practicing lawyer and Director of Cheadle Thompson & Haysom. He sits on the board of the Ombudsman for Banking Services. He is also Chairperson of the board of the Credit Ombudsman and Commissioner for the 1st Commission of Employment Equity. In the past he has acted on behalf of the ANC and COSATU.

Prudence Malefu Madlokazi

Prudence Malefu Madlokazi is the Founder and Director of Mwanga Fiduciary Services (Pty) Ltd. Malefu has 16 years of experience in financial services, specialising in fiduciary services and employee benefits. She has in-depth knowledge in estate planning, specialising in trusts. Malefu started off as a Trust Accountant at PriceWaterhouse Coopers Inc. and then moved to Alexander Forbes as a Trust Consultant. She then moved to Standard Trust, specialising in trust management with a R1.4 billion portfolio of assets. Malefu's involvement with the industry follows years of study, picking up a variety of qualifications and worthwhile corporate experience. Malefu is a Certified Financial Planner with the FPI and a member of the Fiduciary Institute of South Africa (FISA). She started her own business of Fiduciary Services with the intention to change the game of how settlement trusts are managed and utilised for the rehabilitation of beneficiaries. Her passion is sharing her expertise of estate planning with people from all walks of life, especially the importance of having a will. 

Annah Moyo-Kupeta

Annah Moyo-Kupeta is the Executive Director at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR). Ms. Moyo-Kupeta is a human rights lawyer with extensive experience working in the legal, transitional justice, human rights, peace and security, gender, and violence prevention fields. She has developed a number of soft law instruments for various target audiences from policymakers, peer CSO groups, and victim groups. Her expertise in peace and security, transitional justice, and post-conflict transformation has found expression through her presentations and briefings on high-level platforms involving governments, embassies, academia, policymakers, and CSOs at national, regional, continental, and global levels.

Dr. Khabele Matlosa

Dr. Khabele Matlosa is the author of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which was adopted by the AU on 30 January 2007 and came into force in 2012 following its ratification by 15 Member States of the AU. Working with two other African experts, he researched and co-authored the AU Panel of the Wise report on Election-Related Disputes and Political Violence: Strengthening the Role of the African Union in Preventing, Managing and Resolving Conflict.

This report was adopted by the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU in Kampala, Uganda, in 2009. He provided technical leadership to the AUC's Department of Political Affairs during the development of the AUTJP, which was adopted in 2019. He holds a PhD in political economy from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, and a post-graduate diploma in conflict resolution from the University of Uppsala, Sweden.

He is the former Governance Advisor at the United Nations Development Programme, Regional Service Centre for Africa, Addis Ababa, and a former Director, Department of Political Affairs, AU Commission, Addis Ababa. He is the Visiting Professor at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership, University of Johannesburg.

Annah Moyo-Kupeta

Annah Moyo-Kupeta is the Executive Director at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR). Ms. Moyo-Kupeta is a human rights lawyer with extensive experience working in the legal, transitional justice, human rights, peace and security, gender, and violence prevention fields. She has developed a number of soft law instruments for various target audiences from policymakers, peer CSO groups, and victim groups. Her expertise in peace and security, transitional justice, and post-conflict transformation has found expression through her presentations and briefings on high-level platforms involving governments, embassies, academia, policymakers, and CSOs at national, regional, continental, and global levels.

Gugu Shabalala

Gugu Shabalala is the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She is a trained social worker and mental health and psychosocial professional with 15 years' experience working in the mental health sector. She has a particular focus on rehabilitation and redress for those affected by human rights violations through war, conflict and torture and their impact on the overall mental well-being of individuals, families, groups and communities.

Nomancotsho Pakade

Nomancotsho Pakade is a South African-based researcher published in theoretical and experimental work on gender and sexuality, education and governance with extensive experience in community mobilisation and advocacy. She has acumen skills in qualitative and statistical analysis, including policy analysis, in-depth ethnography, and institutional studies. She is highly experienced in project and team management, strategic planning and budget management, and design and construction of methodologies. She is a confident presenter able to impart complex information to audiences of all levels, including academics, students, bureaucrats, activists and broader community stakeholders. Nomancotsho holds an MA in Research Psychology from the University of Witwatersrand and is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria. 

Gerard Adema

Gerard Adema is the Operations Manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. He has extensive work experience in the international aid sector, public finance in the UK, and commercial financial management in Europe. Gerard holds an MSc in Development Management from the Open University in England, along with being a Certified Management Accountant.

Karen Pillay

Karen is the Business Continuity Department Manager at CSVR, where she spearheads efforts to foster sustainable relationships in fundraising and communications.  In her career history she actively facilitated and managed Domestic Violence programs in rural KwaZulu Natal as part of crime prevention initiatives, co-authored essential SAQA accredited training material for Community Health Care Workers, is a certified trainer and facilitator, developed a number of training manuals and materials for both the health and social justice sectors and contributed to critical publications and authored opinion pieces published in independent newspaper on Gender Based Violence, and Children's Rights.    

Notably her collection of short stories "Angels with Broken Wings" was featured in POWA's 10th-anniverary journal, showcasing her commitment to shedding light on sensitive issues.  Karen also appeared on national television channels such as Channel 404 in South Africa, Ghana TV, Cape TV and featured on radio stations including Cape Talk, Radio Veritas, and Lotus FM on topics related to Gender Justice and Children's Rights.   

With a robust academic background, Karen holds a Mini MBA (Management Advancement Programme – MAP53) from Wits University in South Africa, where she was honoured as the Top Student in 2002.  Additionally, she is a certified Company Secretary and Governance Practitioner at board level with the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa and recognised as member of CGSA internationally in the UK, Canada and Ireland.  Her educational achievements also include a degree in Advanced Project Manager, diploma's in Financial Accounting and Bookkeeping and certification in counselling, a certificate in hypnotherapy for healing mind, body and soul and as alternative therapy practitioner.  In pursuing perfection Karen has skills and certification in quality assurance.  She also managed the Training and Quality Assurance department as under her portfolio as the Corporate Affairs and Resource Mobilisation Director at Population Services International in South Africa.  Amassing over 15 years of experience in fundraising, communications and marketing her track record speaks volumes having successfully raised over USD30million in funding for development work.  Karen's professional history in the NGO sector includes working at INGO's such as Oxfam Australia, Population Services International, Operation Smile, and as a Consultant for Norwegian Church Aid, Oxfam International and M2M.  Karen's relentless dedication to her work, coupled with her diverse skills set an unwavering commitment to social justice.   

Mary Izobo

Mary Izobo is an International Human Rights Lawyer, Gender Equality Advocate and Governance Expert. She is the Advocacy Programme Manager for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) where she leads the Advocacy strategy implementation, manages all projects within advocacy and the organization and creates synergy and collaboration between advocacy programmes and the work of other programmes at local, regional, and global levels.  She coordinates stakeholder management across the organization and uses her expertise in the field to profile the organization's work nationally, regionally and globally.  

Ms Izobo is also currently studying for a Doctor of Laws (LLD) with a focus on international law and governance. Before that, she obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) in Rule of Law for Development from Loyola University Chicago, United States of America, and another Master of Laws (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom; a Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Nigeria, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) in French Language from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.  

She was the Legal Advisor for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an organ of the African Union (AU), and has worked for the United Nations (UN), the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Institute for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA). She has consulted for various multi-national corporations and governments inter alia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she supported the establishment of Nigeria's National Governing Council and the development of Nigeria's Country Review Self-Assessment Report. She possesses vast knowledge in practical and diplomatic legal experience in statute drafting and electoral observation having provided legal and technical expertise to several countries such as Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Cote d'Ivoire. 

Ms Izobo is a 2023 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow and a 2023 Alumnae of the International Visitors Leadership Programme of the United States of America Department of State. She is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is the recipient of various academic awards and won various accolades in recognition of her work. Notably, Africa's Top Legal Millennial – The Amazon of Women's Rights, Kaduna State Honours Award for public service in Nigeria, SPE Top Pathfinder and Futurist Activist. 

Liezelle Kumalo

Liezelle Kumalo is the Gender Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She is working on understanding the drivers and root causes of gender-based violence within communities in South Africa to prevent future occurrences of violence. She previously conducted research on the women, peace and security agenda in 14 African countries at different levels of the peace continuum. Central to her work is showcasing women's perspectives to policymakers and support work to identify, empower and build resiliencies of women. Liezelle has a Master's degree in International Relations from the University of Witwatersrand. She holds a bachelor's degree in Politics and Economics from the University of Johannesburg.

Amina Mwaikambo

Amina Mwaikambo is a Psychosocial Trauma Professional at the CSVR Trauma Clinic. She holds a Master's degree in Community-based Counselling Psychology and is pursuing a PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her areas of focus include working with survivors of violence-related trauma, continuous- and post-traumatic stress, and mood- and personality-related impairments. She has a particular interest in research around the intersections of inequality, identity and violence, and is an enthusiast for raising awareness of mental health services and promoting psychosocial wellbeing.

Aneesa Hassen

Aneesa Hassan is a Senior Administrator within the Operations Department. She provides administrative and logistical support to the projects and programmes in the organisation.

Athini Magodla

Athini Magodla is a Gender Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and a Gender Studies Master's candidate at the University of Cape. His research interests include Black masculinity, violence, deconstruction and decoloniality, as well as gender mainstreaming and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Bobuin Jr Valery

Bobuin Jr Valery is an advocacy specialist. His work spans across influencing policy makers at regional, continental and global level to incorporate of transitional justice tools at the expense of overly militaristic/securitised approaches in the global response to  addressing radicalism and violent extremism. He also  looks to build relationships and develop the capacity of states, regional and continental organisations on exploiting the enormous potential of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy not only for conflicts but also as an effective tool for dealing with governance deficits and developmental challenges.

Before joining CSVR, Bobuin was research assistant to the Chair of the UN Working Group on People of African Descent. He also served in various positions at the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA).

Bobuin possesses two Masters Degrees in Law, and is currently awaiting graduation for a PhD in Constitutional Law from the University of the Free State, South Africa. In 2023 he was appointed joint AU/UN Migration Youth Ambassador to Central Africa, participating in high level discussions globally, while pushing an agenda of transitional justice in migration governance. He has managed projects in the Sahel Region, relating to violent extremism in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, engaging with multiple stakeholders including states, regional bodies, civil society and traditional authorities. He has also been involved in advocacy work in Sudan, Cameroon, Somalia, The Gambia, South Sudan, amongst others. On the issues of transitional justice and constitutionalism, Bobuin has amassed a substantial body of written works. Bobuin has research and advocacy interests in the areas of transitional justice, transformative constitutionalism, constitutional democracy, and the rule of law.

Cathy-Ann

Cathy-Ann is the Legal Officer in the Advocacy Team at CSVR. She had previously worked at CSVR as a Research Fellow in 2022. She is an admitted attorney and holds an MPhil in Justice and Transformation. Her thesis looked at the capacity of the law to effect transformation in the South African mining industry through the lens of the Nkala class action. Her fields of interest include corporate accountability for human rights violations, corporate social responsibility and policy change, human rights, gender rights, and transitional justice.

Charlotte Motsoari

Charlotte Motsoari is a qualified and registered social worker with an Honours degree (BSW) in Social Work from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She is currently working as a Mental Health and Psychosocial Practitioner within the clinical programme at CSVR. She provides psychosocial support and therapeutic services to victims of war trauma and torture, SGBV and other gross human rights violations. Part of her work involves advocating for clients' access to social and legal services with the aim of promoting holistic wellbeing. Her professional interests are focused on providing trauma-informed MHPSS to individuals, groups and communities, as well as the integration of contextually relevant MHPSS interventions within processes of rehabilitation from human rights violations. She also has an interest in child and youth trauma-informed interventions that seek to address issues of transgenerational transmission of trauma. In her work at CSVR, she has had the opportunity to provide training, debriefing and supervision support to students and partner organisations on trauma-informed interventions and self-care.

Gaudence Uwizeye

Gaudence Uwizeye is a Mental Health and Psychosocial Practitioner at CSVR, with 20 years' experience. She has been working with refugees and migrants in the mental health sector, providing rehabilitation and redress to those impacted by human rights violations through war, conflict and torture at the individual, family, group and community levels in South Africa and around Africa. She has provided capacity building, debriefing, group interventions, supervision and mentorship to mental health psychosocial support workers and human rights activists. She has also enhanced coalitions among citizens and non-nationals, and facilitated integration among communities. She advocates for the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of marginalised communities.

Gugu Nonjinge

Gugu Nonjinge is an external communications and advocacy professional with extensive experience in the social policy sector. Her areas of interest are gender justice and climate justice. As an NDP2030 ambassador, her personal work through her foundation is focused on the holistic development of the African girl child and active inclusion of the youth demographic at all levels of governance. She also works to shine a gendered lens on climate change mitigation policies on the African continent. Gugu has been recognised by the British High Commission in South Africa as a woman leading on climate change activism ahead of COP26. She has also received awards such as the Social Cohesion and Civil Society Main Award by the National Youth Development Agency, and recognition as a MaSisulu Woman of Fortitude by the Department of Energy for her work on gender justice.

Jasmina Brankovic

Dr. Jasmina Brankovic is the Senior Research Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. With a focus on participatory methods, she conducts research on inequality and socioeconomic transformation, climate justice, gender in conflict, and civil society strategies for social change in transitional contexts. Jasmina is co-author of Violence, Inequality and Transformation: Apartheid Survivors on South Africa's Ongoing Transition (2020) and The Global Climate Regime and Transitional Justice (2018) and co-editor of Advocating Transitional Justice in Africa: The Role of Civil Society (2018). She has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Marburg.

Lesego Sekhu

Lesego Sekhu is a Research Assistant at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Her research interests include transitional justice with the particular focus in Africa, conflict and violence, conflict resolution, transnational feminism(s), and gender studies.

Lindokuhle Malambe

Lindokuhle Malambe is a dynamic young South African professional with a Master's degree in Health Promotion in Psychology. Currently serving as a Gender Assistant at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), she channels her expertise and fervour into advocating for human rights, healthcare, women's empowerment, and peace and security, with a special focus on marginalized communities. Lindokuhle has been instrumental in violence prevention efforts at various levels, from the community to the continental stage, utilizing diverse platforms to share African expertise. Through her research and advocacy work addressing gender-based violence (GBV), she has cultivated networks and partnerships to combat this pervasive issue. Lindokuhle's dedication to addressing societal challenges has garnered recognition, including her participation in the Young African Leadership Initiative Training (YALI), where she collaborates with other young experts from the SADC region. Additionally, she has been recognized for her involvement in the African Youth for Transitional Justice Training and currently part of the Youth Organisation for Research and Advocacy (YORJA), promoting social and sustainable change through research and engaging youth in post-conflict reconstruction and transitional justice endeavours.

Mandisa Tindleni

Mandisa Tindleni is the Office Assistant at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.

Modiegi Merafe

Modiegi Merafe is a Senior Community Practitioner at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. He has worked mainly with South African ex-combatants, victims of violence and youth at risk. He has collaborated with communities on preventing violence and addressing its consequences, focusing on gender-based violence, state-sponsored violence, youth violence, collective violence and peacebuilding.

Naledi Joyi

Naledi is a gender officer at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Her work focuses on gender dynamics within communities affected by violence. Her research interests include Gender studies, diversity equity and inclusion, human security, women peace and security, and the effects of hegemonic masculinity in African communities. Naledi is responsible for organisational collaboration, gender mainstreaming, and support for all programs at CSVR. Her responsibilities include participating in developing and implementing CSVR's gender strategy at national, continental, and international levels. Supporting the implementation of the gender strategy through policy making and implementation, capacity building and technical support, and raising public awareness. Contributing to maintaining partnerships and network building/social mobilisation. Providing capacity building for gender mainstreaming at national, continental, and international levels.

Naledi holds a master's degree in Critical Diversity Studies. She holds an Honors in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts double major in Psychology and Media Studies. Before joining the civil society, Naledi worked as a research assistant at Wits Psychology Department, Wits Health Consortium, and the Chicago School of Psychology.

Nyaradzo Pariola

Nyaradzo Machingambi-Pariola is an Advocacy Specialist at CSVR. She is a human rights lawyer and a peace and security scholar. She has considerable transitional justice and peacebuilding, conflict and development research experience gained from a Post-Graduate Peace and Security Research Fellowship at Kings College, London and subsequent research consultancies that she has undertaken. She worked as a Research Consultant for The UNHCR Regional Liaison Office for Africa in Addis Ababa, for UN Women, Mozambique and for The ICJ. She has undertaken extensive research on gender justice in post-conflict Africa.

She was the Head of Office for Lawyers for Human Rights, Durban and the Director of the Refugee Rights Project at the UCT Law Clinic. She lectured Administrative Law and Interpretation of Statutes at NMMU. She was an EXCO member of the National Consortium on Refugee Affairs in South Africa and was an Expert Participant at the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Hearings of the Global Commission on International Migration. She has a BA in Sociology, LLB and an LLM in International Human Rights and Refugee Law from UCT. She is a Fellow of the prestigious Tutu Leadership Program run by the African Leadership Institute (AfLI), Oxford University.

Patience Mazwi

Patience is the Senior Human Resources Officer at the Centre for the Study of Violence & Reconciliation. She holds a BCom Honours degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a registered member of the South African Board For People Practices (SABPP). She has ten years multidisciplinary human resources experience with emphasis on recruitment, remuneration and benefits, learning and development, performance management, policy development, compliance and wellness.

Sinqobile Makhathini

Sinqobile Makhathini is a research assistant at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She has an honours degree in International Relations and Development Studies and is currently pursuing her master's degree in Anthropology at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her achievements include being a Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellow (2020). Her research interests concern urban violence and alternative social orders; gendered nationalisms; and quotidian feminist productions within the African context.

Stacy Norman-Hector

Sumaiya Mohamed

Sumaiya Mohamed is a Mental Health and Psychosocial Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She holds a Master's degree in Community Based Counselling Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Sumaiya has 13 years' experience working in the field of mental health and trauma. She provides psychotherapeutic services to trauma and torture survivors (individuals, groups and families) as well as mental health and psychosocial support workshops in communities nationally and regionally. She provides supervision support to mental health practitioners who provide trauma counselling. An advocate for mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, her research interests include exploring the systematic impact of trauma and understanding expressions of mental health and rehabilitation in relation to social contexts.

Tsamme Mfundisi

Tsamme Mmammone Mfundisi is a Community Practitioner at CSVR. She has a diploma in Community Development and Leadership from the University of Johannesburg and completed the short course on Project Management through UNISA. She works on issues of sexual and gender-based violence and advocating for a better system in that regard, and has also being part of the Gender Focal Points at CSVR. She has 13 years' experience in the community development field and working closely with different community stakeholders and networks in South Africa, as well as the region, particularly Zimbabwe. Tsamme is currently working in the Marikana Wonderkop community in North West Province, South Africa. Above all, in her work with CSVR, she has had the opportunity to provide training, debriefing and supervision support to community partners and organisations on trauma-informed interventions and self-care. She has also presented at different symposia and conferences, including the PSYSSA conference.

Tsholofelo Nakedi

Tsholofelo Nakedi is the Community Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, with more than a decade of experience working in communities. She is passionate about working with the grassroots in violence prevention interventions and reconciliation efforts. She works with individuals and groups affected by violence and conflict, including victims and survivors of torture and other forms of trauma, organised violence, youth and school violence, and domestic and gender-based violence, as well as internally displaced people, forced migrants and military veterans. As a human rights and peacebuilding practitioner, a large component of Tsholofelo's daily work is dedicated to understanding the root causes and various manifestations of collective and urban violence and designing interventions to address these within communities. She holds a BA in psychological counselling from Commonwealth Open University. She is also an alumna of the US State Department's International Visitors Leadership Program and of the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation.