Cape Cultural Collective Board Chairperson

Siviwe Minyi is currently a manager for student recruitment at the University of the Western Cape. He has worked for a few NGOs including Idasa, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and Getnet. He also has a passion for community media, particularly community radio. He also enjoys working within the field men and masculinities. He strives for a world that is free from all forms of discrimination and oppression. Another of his passions is working with young people in the area of mathematics and physical sciences.

He is completing an MPhil in Development at UWC.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Ncebakazi is a lecturer in Music Education at the University of Stellenbosch where she teaches Ethnomusicology and World Music.

Currently she is reading for her PhD at the University of Cape Town with a special focus on umngqokolo, the overtone singing of Xhosa-speaking adolescent girls.

She has been an active member of the Cape Cultural Collective since 2012. She was the indigenous instrumental soundscaper for uHadi (2013), a poetry and musical stage production commissioned for the French South Africa Season in Paris.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Imam Dr. Rashied is a Research Scholar of Islamic Studies and Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, USA. Omar’s research and teaching focuses on the roots of religious violence and the potential of religion for constructive social engagement and interreligious peacebuilding. He has published extensively.

In addition to being a university-based researcher and teacher, Omar serves as Imam at the Claremont Main Road Masjid in Cape Town, South Africa; a trustee of the Healing of Memories Institute in South Africa; a member of the Interfaith Council for Ethics Education; Arigatou International in Japan; and an advisory board member for Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Brenda is a Special Needs teacher and a driven social entrepreneur, currently providing learning support services using art, creativity and innovation in various communities.

She is the founder of Leaps Development and Advocacy NPO; She is also a Microsoft Global Training Partner and has developed a holistic educational support hub that facilitates training, support and transformation for youth and communities.

Brenda has placed education, creativity and technology at the centre of community development. Under Brenda’s leadership, Trending Khalture opened and she ran Moholo LiveHouse which became a beacon of arts; hosting live music, book launches, artistic exhibitions and powerful creative discussions. These collaborations birthed Khayelitsha’s first ever free “pop-up” arts school, The Harare Academy of Inspiration. In recognition of her role, Brenda received an award from the Department of Arts and Culture in 2016.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Zenariah Barends is a freelance consultant in communications and project management. Previously Zenariah was the Chief of Staff at Independent Media, a subsidiary of the Sekunjalo Investment Group. She has also served as head of investigations at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in the Western Cape, and as a researcher at the Education Policy Unit (EPU) at the University of the Western Cape where she conducted research into post-Apartheid higher education policy. Zenariah served as the Chief Secretariat of the BRICS Business Council in South Africa for two years while at Sekunjalo. She has a passion for arts development and was a founder member of the Cape Cultural Collective in 2007. She has served on both corporate and non-profit boards including The South African Institute for Advancement (Inyathelo) and the Cape Cultural Collective. Zenariah has a BA (Honours) from the University of the Western Cape and most recently completed her MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at the UCT Graduate School of Business, which focused on the Kensington-based Wilvan School of Dance during the Apartheid years.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Jill is an actress, singer, writer and songwriter. She did a BA Honours with English and drama majors at UCT and did a TEFL course at the Academy of English in Cape Town. Jill became renowned for her role as Mymoena in the TV drama Suidooster.

Jill was a founder member of the Rosa choir and sang in the choir for at least a year after its formation in 2012. She has continued to support the work of the CCC and participated in our 11-year anniversary production at the Artscape called Just Our Journey.

Cape Cultural Collective Board member

Luvuyo Kakaza is a journalist with more than 20 years of experience. He has worked for various publications, including the Mail and Guardian, Sowetan, and City Press in Johannesburg.

He later joined the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra as PR and Marketing Manager, a position he held for 13 years. He co-founded the Jazz in the Native Yards, a township-based jazz performance space that promotes jazz performances in Cape Town townships.

He is currently a Projects Director for the Cape Town Music Academy - CTMA, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to create performance spaces and opportunities for musicians across genres.