The Team & Board
The DNTF Board brings together senior leaders from community media, digital publishing, and product and audience strategy. It provides strategic direction, governance oversight, and sector insight so the Fund remains grounded in the realities of independent publishers. With experience spanning newsroom leadership, grassroots publishing, media ethics, and innovation, the Board blends editorial, commercial, and technology expertise to steward the Fund’s mission.
Board Members
Vincent Maher
Board Co-Chair
A veteran digital media and product leader, the current CEO of Broadband has held senior roles at Kagiso Media and MXit (Chief Product Officer), co-founded the social networking start-up Motribe (acquired by MXit), and champions responsible, innovation-led digital transformation across South African media.
Anetta Mangxaba
Board Co-Chair
Co-Founder/CEO of Dizindaba Media and Chair of the Association of Independent Publishers, Anetta has grown Dizindaba Iphephandaba lesiXhosa and, as a 2023 Ohio University alumna, co-chairs the Fund to drive transparent, practical digital growth for independent publishers.
Styli Charalambous
Board Member
Co-founder and long-time CEO–publisher of Daily Maverick, Styli scaled the newsroom from a five-person start-up to 100 staff, pioneering revenue, product and membership innovation and earning a national award for courage and integrity in 2021.
Marietta Lombard
Board Member
Marietta leads community newsrooms through digital transition, champions ethics and audience engagement, and serves on the Board as a Press Council representative. She is also a Deputy Executive Director of the Forum of Community Journalists.
Mbali Dhlomo
Board Member
A veteran community media entrepreneur, Mbali founded the rural Intuthuko Newspaper after launching the family lifestyle magazine GENUINE, served as AIP Board Chair (2014–2017; 2021–2024), and mentors publishers nationwide.
Sebenzile Nkambule
Board Member
Regional Director for Africa & Middle East at the Media Development Investment Fund, Sebenzile is a journalist and media development leader – a Fulbright Humphrey Fellow who specialised in digital media at ASU’s Cronkite School –supporting high-impact, public-interest media across the region.
Collin Mashile
Board Member
Collin has expertise in media diversity and pluralism, ownership and control, international public policy and strategies, digital media and information literacy, community media, and regulatory policy development, research, and analysis. He holds a Master of Communications (Management Science).
Advisors
Izak Minnaar
Media Consultant
Dr Kate Skinner
Executive Director, AIP
The Adjudication Commitee operates independently from
the Board to ensure impartiality and fairness. Selected for their expertise and industry knowledge, the committee understands the unique challenges faced by independent publishers. Their role is to oversee the application process and ensure that the awarding of funds is transparent, unbiased, and aligned with the Fund’s mission.
The Adjudication Committee
Makhosazana 'Khosi" Zwane-Siguqa
A multi-award-winning journalist, editor-in-chief, and content director with 20 years of experience in the media industry.
Nomshado Lubisi
An experienced media and technology communications strategist with a decade of expertise in driving innovation and sectoral transformation.
Paul Crankshaw
A journalist, publisher, and mentor with decades of experience supporting small media organisations. He has launched and edited leading titles, consulted for the MDDA and Wits Radio Academy, and lectured in entrepreneurship and development studies.
Sisanda Nkoala
Multi-award-winning researcher and NRF-rated associate professor in the University of the Western Cape's Linguistics Department. She is a joint holder of the UWC Media Inclusion and Diversity Chair. She holds a PhD in Rhetoric Studies.
Siphumelele Zondi
Has moderated and facilitated a number of live panel discussions that include The Ministerial Session at the Africa Tech Festival, various Red Bull Basement Technology discussions, BCX Summit, The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) Awards, and more. He holds a Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies from Sussex University in England.
Tshikululu Social Investments serves as the independent administrator of the Fund, ensuring resources are managed with transparency, accountability, and strategic diligence. With deep expertise in social investment and development, they oversee governance, due diligence, and impact reporting to steward the Fund responsibly.
Leanne Kunz
Head of Fund
Head of Fund at Tshikululu Social Investments, Leanne is a media executive and former Head of Editorial at IG Group and Station Manager at Tuks FM; she holds a Master’s in Business Management and is a winner of 18 SA Radio Awards, leading strategy, governance, and impact for South Africa’s digital news ecosystem.