Meet the Friends of IFAS!

Philip Botha

Philip completed his legal studies in South Africa at the Universities of Stellenbosch and the Witwatersrand. After finishing his articles of clerkship to be admitted as an attorney, he studied in Paris in International Public Law (Université Paris 2 Pantheon-Assas). Prior to establishing his own firm in 2005, Philip J Botha Attorneys, he was a long-time director of Fluxmans Inc. His professional involvement in the organized legal profession and associations is vast, including Councillor of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces, Vice-Chairman and later Chairman of the Johannesburg Attorneys Association, director on the Board of Directors of the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industries and later Vice-president of the FSACCI. Apart from general commercial law his firm focuses on the mining industry with a wide variety of work in Africa, and in particular Francophone Africa since 1989.

Michelle Constant

Michelle Constant stepped down as CEO from Business and Arts South Africa (NPC) after 11 years, in 2019, and completed her MPhil in Strategy at GIBS, UP in 2021. In September 2022 she took up the position of CEO at the American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, driving advocacy, policy-lobbying and multi-sector engagements and partnerships. She hosts the weekend breakfast shows on national radio station SAFM 104-107, and is recognised as a facilitator and speaker at diverse conferences, and events both nationally and internationally. In January 2016 she was awarded the Order of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from the Government of France for her work in culture and the arts. In August 2021 she was awarded the Order of the Chevalier National du Merite by the Government of France, for her work in growing cultural relationships between France and South Africa. Michelle served as a non-executive director on the Board of SA Tourism for three terms, and currently sits on the Board of the National Arts Festival and BUSA (Business Unity South Africa). She is a Trustee for the Indlulamithi Scenarios Trust and chairs the Friends of IFAS Committee.

Sewela Langeni

Sewela Langeni is the owner of Book Circle Capital, an independent bookshop focusing on African literature based at 27 Boxes in Melville, Johannesburg. She is passionate about literacy, especially for children. Her academic background spans from Journalism and Communication Sciences to Marketing.

Makgati Molebatsi

Makgati Molebatsi is the founder and Director of Mak’Dct Art Advisory & Agency, which provides guidance to private individuals and companies as well as early career artists in navigating the contemporary art world. From 2008 – 2019, she served on the board of The Bag Factory Artist Studios and continues her involvement in the organisation’s selection committee for visiting residency artists as well as its awards initiatives. She has participated in the BASA mentorship program as well as the selection committee for the South African Art Bank. She was a juror in the selection of artists participating in ‘Emergence: Contemporary Artists to Watch’ 2014, an exhibition of emerging artists from across the globe presented at Galerie Myrtis based in Baltimore, Maryland, US. She was part of the jury in the selection of galleries participating in The Turbine Artfair 2017, 2018, 2019 editions and curated The Turbine Artfair Talks Program for 2017. She participated in the jury selection for 2019 Sasol Signatures Art Award, Gauteng Region. In 2018 she organised ‘Iconic, Historic, Moments’, an exhibition by photographer Oscar Gutierrez, in celebration of the centenary of late former President Nelson Mandela and in 2019 co-founded LATITUDES Art Fair.

She graduated BA Social Sciences from the then University of the North and holds a Certificate in Art & Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London Campus. She has extensive marketing and communications experience.

Mokgadi Maunatlala

Mokgadi is Partner of sustainability and impact at Adenia Partners, where she advocates for investments that align with sustainable development across Africa. With extensive experience in private equity, real estate, and investment banking, she brings expertise in fostering responsible, impactful investments. Her global perspective is strengthened by work across the US, UK, France, Italy, and South Africa, and she collaborates effectively in English, French, and Italian. Mokgadi holds advanced degrees in international relations, finance, and art history, supporting her strategic approach to investment and sustainability.

Theresho Selesho

Theresho is part of a dynamic service design agency, Boondoggle, where he currently is the Business Development Director. He has held many senior positions in the live music industry and in sponsorship management, most recently as the Experiential Marketing Director of an award winning team at Geometry Global, part of Ogilvy & Mather SA. His entrepreneurial spirit saw him become a managing partner for the Hello Ambassador Creative Festival as well as ventures such as the GoodLuck Bar at the 1 Fox Precinct and the African Beer Emporium in the Pretoria CBD, and a director at Sho-Sho Communications. He studied at the University of Pretoria where he obtained a B.Admin degree in International Relations.

René Smith

Professor René Alicia Smith is a creative, catalyst and changemaker. She has extensive governance and leadership experience, having served on the governing boards of (amongst others) Agenda Feminist Media, Art for Humanity, African Art Centre, and the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS). She is the immediate past – and first woman – President of the South African Humanities Deans’ Association (Sahuda) and Steering Committee Chairperson for the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR), both of which she was elected to serve two terms and is serving her final term as Chair of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) creative outputs and innovations advisory panel. René’s higher education experience includes serving on numerous university structures, from academic programme level to Senior and Executive Management, and University Council. As Arts and Design Executive Dean, she led her faculty’s internationalisation strategy, forging partnerships with (amongst others) Alliance Française Durban, and helped facilitate several French visual and performing arts engagements, including with École Supérieure d’Art de La Réunion. She co-created and was founding director of the Arts and Design Digital Festival, which was selected as a legacy project of the International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA). She has taught at several institutions of higher education in South Africa and is Associate Professor and Head of the Wits School of Arts (WSOA). She has a PhD (UKZN) and Masters cum laude (UND) in Cultural and Media Studies; and a BA Hons (Falmouth, UK).

Carolyn Steyn

Carolyn Steyn is the founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, a global movement that has delivered over 100,000 blankets to vulnerable communities. She is a board member of both the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) and the French Institute of South Africa, contributing to the cultural landscape of South Africa. As a radio presenter on HOT102.7FM, Carolyn continues to engage audiences with her passion for the arts and philanthropy. Her extensive career in media and philanthropy has earned her numerous accolades, including the Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite in 2022 for her work in strengthening cultural ties between South Africa and France.

Ramadan Suleman

Ramadan, director, writer and producer, studied at the School for Research in African Theatre. He was one of the founding members of the Dhlomo Theatre, a first black theatre in Johannesburg. After studying in Paris, followed by the London International Film School, he worked as assistant director with two of Africa’s legendary filmmakers – Med Hondo on Lumière Noire, and Souleymane Cisse on Yeelen. His short film The Devils Children (89) won a certificate of merit at the Chicago film festival. In 1997, he directed his first feature Fools, which won the Leopard d’Argent at the Lorcarno International Film Festival and the European prize at FESPACO in Ouagadougou. His second feature Zulu Love Letter (2004) won several awards internationally. In 2009 Suleman released Zwelidumile, a feature length documentary at the Durban International Film Festival and also launched Zulu Love Letter, the screenplay, published by Wits Press, which he co-authored. His latest project as producer is Noire Ici, Blanche La-Bas, a documentary by Claude Haffner, and Beyond the Picket Line, a first feature by Lentswe Serote. Between 2014 to 2017, Suleman has produced 32 short films by first time directors. In 2019, he directed and produced By All Means Necessary, a documentary co-production with the Algerian Ministry of Culture. He was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by France in 2013.

Nicholas John Tee

Nicholas studied Classics and Law at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. An ardent supporter of the National Union of South African Students he joined the Johannesburg Democratic Action Committee (one of the affiliates of the United Democratic Front) in March 1985 and, in 1989, the National Association of Democratic Lawyers. Tee began learning French at the Alliance Française of Johannesburg in 1990 and has served as its president. In 2005 he received the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques and in 2013 the Médaille de la Fondation Alliance Française. He is an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar, focusing on the protection of personal information, consumer protection, company law and land claims. Currently Nicholas is learning to speak Zulu.

Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala

Jefferson is the founder and owner of the Johannesburg-based live arts production house Kiri Pink Nob Arts. This company produces straight plays, sketch comedy shows, poetry-in-performance productions and slams, stand-up comedy shows, and variety bill performance events. Tshabalala has started to produce game shows for the stage and screen. He also works as a co-operate/corporate facilitator, a performance trainer, a dramatic arts teacher, and a dramaturge.

Mandie van der Spuy

Mandie’s career in the arts spans a period of 45 years. Prior to joining the Standard Bank Group as Head of its Arts and Culture Portfolio, a position she held for 20 years, she worked in theatre management at several of South Africa’s cultural institutions, starting her career at the Market Theatre in 1979 followed by the Natal Playhouse and the State Theatre, Pretoria. She had the privilege of pursuing a master’s degree in literature in Paris, France upon completion of her studies at home. In 2007 the French government bestowed the Chevalier de l’Ordre national du mérite on her for her contribution to the cultural exchange between France and South Africa, in particular the three major exhibitions of Chagall (2000), Miro (2002) and Picasso (2006) hosted at the Standard Bank Gallery and the Iziko National Gallery, Cape Town. In 2019 she received France’s highest honour, the Legion d’Honneur in recognition of her continued efforts in advancing French culture in South Africa. Locally her contribution to the arts was recognised in 2014 with an ACT Lifetime Achievement award for Arts Advocacy. She works as an arts consultant and serves on the boards and committees of several cultural organisations. She was Chair of the Friends of IFAS Committee since its inception in 2014 for a ten year period.

Lesley Donna Williams

Lesley is an international facilitator specialising in leadership and innovation for inclusive, sustainable change. She has over two decades of experience in multi-stakeholder dialogue, innovation hub development, and experiential learning, including founding Africa’s first Impact Hub and serving as CEO of Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct. Lesley holds board roles with several organisations, including the Innovation Foundation for Democracy and Hitachi Energy South Africa, and has facilitated high-profile dialogues, including a 2019 discussion between President Barack Obama and Graça Machel. Recognised for her work, she is a Chevalier de l’Ordre national du mérite and an Aspen Ideas Fellow, and was awarded the InspiringFifty title in 2018 for her impact in South Africa’s STEM industries.