On 21 November 2024 the following Board was elected by the SOS membership:
Bongani ka Mthembu (R2K)
Bongani is the R2K Gauteng Provincial Coordinator, and member of R2K’s NWG since 2019. He has a passion for community development and social justice. He joined PASO as a Grade 8 student in Sebokeng (1994). He co-founded and chaired the South African Unemployed Youth Forum (2004). He was Organiser for the Sedibeng Social Development Youth Forum and Regional Chair of the Vaal Anti-Privatisation Forum (2006). He facilitated the establishment of Westside Park Community Crisis Committee (2011). In R2K he has a community engagement focus on communication, participatory democracy and the Right2Protest.
Nicky Mokoena (MMA) (Treasurer)
Nicky joined Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) in November 2015 as Finance and Operations Manager. He has a National Diploma in Accounting, and over 10 years’ experience in the finance sector. He also attended the Laser Leadership Academy.
Pearl Munonde (SASFED) (Deputy Chairperson)
Pearl is Co-Chair of the South African Screen Federation (SASFED) and Board member of DFMI. She has been in the TV industry for 21 years. She started as Script Co-ordinator and Translator for Soul City Series 3-5, and moved on to Script Development and Production Co-ordination. She is an accomplished Producer and Line Producer, having produced content for broadcasters including the SABC, Mnet, Mzansi Magic and Etv. Pearl has engaged in training and mentoring young female filmmakers for over 10 years, and owns her own company, NwaChasiya Media.
Samkelo Mokhine (FXI) (Chairperson)
Samkelo is the Executive Director of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI). He studied education and law. He left a senior management role in the legal expenses insurance industry to head Siyakhula Trust and the Siyakhula Education and Training Institute, before moving to FXI. He has served on the boards of the Legal Expenses Insurance Southern Africa pension fund, the Johannesburg Community Legal Centre, the Southern Africa Centre for Torture Survivors, and Amnesty International Southern Africa. He is currently Chair of Amnesty International's global Nominations Committee.
Anton Harber
(CFE)
Anton Harber has been a journalist for 45 years, as a reporter, editor, author, manager, educator/trainer, columnist and free expression activist. Harber was a founder-editor of the Weekly Mail / Mail & Guardian and Editor-in-Chief of the country’s leading TV news station, eNCA. For two decades, he held the Caxton Chair of Journalism at Wits University as an adjunct professor. He runs the Henry Nxumalo Foundation (which supports investigative reporting) and is a board member of the Campaign for Free Expression, Africa Check, the Global Investigative Journalism Network and the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism. His books include So, for the Record: Behind the headlines in an era of state capture (2020, Jonathan Ball), Diepsloot (2011, Jonathan Ball) and Southern African Muckrakers: 300 years of investigative reporting that shaped the region (2019, Jacana).
Ayanda Sibisi
(IPO)
Ayanda is currently serving as the interim General Secretary for the IPO, and she is managing the IPO Get On Set mentorship programme. She is a film maker, researcher, programme coordinator, producer, content director, and visual storyteller. She is particularly dedicated to promoting education and critical thinking in the arts, with a focus on African identity, intersectionality, women, and the transformative power and responsibility of art in effecting social change. She has an Honours Degree in Film and Television Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, and underwent training at the International Filmmaking Academy in Italy.
Thandi Smith (MMA)
Thandi has worked for Media Monitoring Africa for about nine years. Her media studies Master’s dissertation examined issues of universal access in South Africa’s digital migration. She is now Head of Programmes, having previously headed the Policy and Quality, with a focus on issues including media policy, regulation, digital rights, internet governance, and quality journalism. She has a keen interest in research in new media, internet governance and media law.
Uyanda Siyotula (National Coordinator)
Uyanda is the SOS Coalition as National Coordinator. She has a keen interest in media freedom, policy, digital media and media law. She has experience in lecturing media studies and brings to the organisation a dynamic and fresh approach to strategy, policy engagement and organisational operations. Uyanda is committed to joining forces with media personnel, the sector and all institutions governing the public media sector to ensure advancement of public service media and strengthening of the public broadcasters, the SABC.
Unathi Malunga
(Individual member)
Unathi is Executive Officer of the South African Screen Federation (SASFED). She has an LLM from UCLA. Her work as an entertainment lawyer and consultant in the entertainment industry has spanned a range of media platforms, and includes film, television broadcasting, music, visual arts, publishing, theatre, dance, live events and sport. She has been involved in education, sponsorship and funding, rights strategies, trade exchanges, licensing programmes, product placement, drafting, negotiation and project management. Unathi respects the values of others and the importance of diversity.