Executive Leadership

Chairman

Strategic Oversight & Governance

Vukile Ntsele provides strategic leadership and oversight of SADGF’s operations, ensuring alignment with the Forum’s mission, values, and public-interest mandate while maintaining independence and political neutrality. His leadership is informed by a strong Computer Science foundation and active engagement with key professional bodies, including ISACA, IITPSA, and IEEE. He has also led youth-driven technology initiatives through the Geekulcha Student Society and is progressing into an Honours degree in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) at the University of Johannesburg, with a focus on AI governance and accountability.

Governance Strategic Leadership Board Management

President

Executive Leadership & Operations

Nhlamulo Sambo serves as President of SADGF, providing strategic direction and leadership in advancing the Forum’s public-interest mandate across law, policy, and digital governance. With an academic foundation in Law and Politics at the University of Johannesburg, he brings a strong governance and constitutional perspective to SADGF’s work. He is the Lead Director of The Sambo Foundation, an organisation focused on amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, and has been recognised as a UJenius Club member and Mpumalanga Top 50 (2024) honouree. His leadership strengthens SADGF’s commitment to ethical governance, social impact, and inclusive digital transformation.

Executive Management Stakeholder Relations Program Delivery

Operations Lead

Corporate Governance & Compliance

Vangile Ndlebe serves as Operations Lead of SADGF, managing corporate governance, legal compliance, and organisational documentation to ensure strong institutional integrity and regulatory adherence. With an academic background in Human Resource Management from the University of Johannesburg, she brings a people-centred and analytical approach to organisational development, governance processes, and record-keeping. Her broader engagement in diplomacy and advocacy including work with Amnesty International, SAIIA, and participation in Model UN and climate leadership forums strengthens SADGF’s commitment to ethical leadership, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. She is particularly driven by advancing empowerment and building resilient, well-governed institutions rooted in African perspectives.

Corporate Governance Legal Compliance Documentation

Policy Lead

Research & Policy Development

Thato Mazwe Madibo serves as Policy Lead of SADGF, leading the Forum’s policy research and development agenda and coordinating the production of policy briefs, discussion papers, and thought leadership on digital governance. A political economist and political technologist, his work operates at the intersection of computation, finance, and governance. He is Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the African Minds for Applied Research Institute (AMARI), a pan-African think tank, and is building Imvula Group, a computation-first advisory focused on political intelligence and strategic modelling. Thato is a published academic researcher, having presented his debut paper at the 21st International Conference on Sustainable Development hosted by the University of Ottawa, with further research under review in international journals. His work brings rigorous analytical depth, foresight, and systems-level thinking to SADGF’s policy and governance outputs.

Policy Research AI Governance Data Policy

Digital Lead

Technology & Digital Infrastructure

Khanyisa Faith Mokgolobotho serves as Digital Lead of SADGF, overseeing digital governance, technology insight, and strategic thinking across AI, data, and cybersecurity. An Masters candidate with an Honours degree in Computer Science at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, she is a six-time hackathon winner and a G20 Tourism Hackathon champion. Khanyisa is the Director of TechMed Connect and a Multi Award-winning student entrepreneur. She has served as a Technical Advisor at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, mentoring data science teams on model design, evaluation, and responsible use of analytics. Her work brings rigorous technical understanding into governance-focused digital leadership, ensuring SADGF’s positions are informed, future-oriented, and grounded in real-world systems.

Digital Infrastructure Cybersecurity Platform Management

Communications Officer

Public Relations & Media

Otsile Shuma serves as Communications Officer of SADGF, managing the Forum’s communications strategy, public relations, and media engagement to ensure clear, consistent, and credible public messaging. An early-career urban policy and development professional, Otsile holds an Honours degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria, with a strong focus on spatial equity, urban integration, and place-based policy. Her experience includes stakeholder engagement and youth policy processes, having served as Y20 South Africa Co-Chair under the G20 South African Presidency and as a Youth Policy Committee Member at the South African Institute of International Affairs. She brings a systems-oriented approach to shaping SADGF’s public voice and engagement across policy, media, and digital platforms.

Communications Strategy Media Relations Content Creation