General News

ALI SA Chairman and Fellow, Raymond Ndlovu This past year has been one of consolidation and renewed growth. ALI SA has moved from guarding its very existence to rediscovering its momentum, energy and voice. There has been a significant rise in interest, engagement and enthusiasm among Fellows, including some who have returned after a long absence. Many stepped back during the period when ALI SA...

ALI SA Executive Director and Fellow, Lynette Chen Looking back on 2025, I’m struck by how much we have experienced together—as a fellowship, as a community, and as leaders committed to Africa’s future. Hosting the Africa Impact Forum once again here in South Africa was a highlight, reminding me of the powerful connections that bind us across the continent. It was inspiring to see our ALI...

ALI SA Fellow, Andy Kawa with her daughter, Celi. Fifteen years ago, Andy Kawa (Class VIII: Mahube) survived a brutal attack on King’s Beach in Port Elizabeth. What began as a deeply personal trauma became a fifteen-year struggle to hold the state accountable for its failure to protect and to respond. Her case went all the way to the Constitutional Court, which in 2022 affirmed that the po...

ALI Young Leader Fellow, Raymond Ledwaba Co-founded by ALI Young Leader Fellow, Raymond Ledwaba (ALI Young Leaders, Class of 2015), Diski Nine9 is partnering with Manchester City, Midea and Tackle Africa to equip young people with leadership skills through the game they love – football. In this short video, Raymond shares how the first Johannesburg activation is bringing together coaches...

ALI SA Fellow, Prof Tulio de Oliveira Professor Tulio de Oliveira (Class XV: Khawuleza) is recognised among the world’s leading scientists and the feature below looks at what that recognition means to him, his work in South Africa and his hopes for young people considering careers in science. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tulio played a pivotal role on the Presidential Advisory Council...

ALI SA Fellows, Derisee Markgraaff and Nomzamo Mbatha At the 2025 National Film & TV Awards South Africa (SAFTA), Shaka iLembe swept the ceremony with multiple accolades and at the heart of this triumph are two of our own ALI SA Fellows: Desiree Markgraaff (Class III: Seriti) and Nomzamo Mbatha (Class XV: Khawuleza), who together, took home the Best Producer award for the groundbreaking ser...

ALI SA Class XIV: Pamoja Graduation ALI SA’s Class XIV: Pamoja gathered at Spier Wine Farm from 21 to 26 August 2025 for their fourth and final seminar, themed “The Promise of Leadership.” Over the course of the week, Fellows presented their final ventures, showcasing the culmination of eighteen months of growth, learning and committed engagement with the programme. The graduation ceremon...

ALI SA Class XV: Khawuleza after Antigone Performance ALI SA’s Class XV: Khawuleza gathered on 4-9 September 2025, at the picturesque Spier Wine Farm for their second seminar, known as the Aspen Seminar. The event proved to be an inspiring week filled with dynamic sessions, insightful dialogue and rich engagement among Fellows. A standout moment of the seminar was Class XV’s compelling perfo...

Late ALI SA Fellow, Xoliswa Kakana With profound sorrow and gratitude, we of Class VIII: Mahube of the Africa Leadership Initiative South Africa, pay tribute to our dear colleague on her passing, Xoliswa Kakana — a beacon of excellence, a trailblazer for women in ICT and an exemplar of courage, intellect and leadership. Xoliswa joined our ALI SA community as a Fellow of class VIII, and she br...

Lynette Chen As we approach the midpoint of 2025, I find myself reflecting on the quiet lessons that come with the changing season. In nature, winter signals a time of hibernation—a pause to look inward, take stock and prepare for what lies ahead. For many of us, this is a rare opportunity to step back from the noise, reconnect with our purpose and ask ourselves: where are we on our journey t...

Experience the power of community, vision, and action at Africa Impact Forum 2025—where changemakers unite to shape the Good Society. This year’s theme, Africa the Good Society – The Power of We, invites us to reimagine what’s possible when we lead together, guided by the spirit of Ubuntu. Join leaders, innovators and visionaries from across the continent as we explore new pathways for co...

The ALI SA fellowship is a testament to the power of collective leadership. As external challenges reshape the landscape, we remain focused on solutions that strengthen our community and drive meaningful progress. Navigating the complexities of our global landscape reveals the significant impact that external factors can have on our progress. Recent decisions affecting aid to Africa underscore the...

In the heart of Johannesburg, amidst an atmosphere of anticipation and promise, the Africa Leadership Initiative South Africa (ALI SA) recently hosted a momentous welcome dinner for its newest cohort, Class XV. The event marked the beginning of an 18-month journey that promises to transform these accomplished individuals into catalysts for change across the African continent. A Gathering of Visio...

On a recent afternoon, ALI SA Class Representatives gathered for a lunch with Stace Lindsay, where they engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the “Meaning of Fellowship.” This moderated conversation explored the heart of what it means to be part of the ALI SA network, uncovering themes that resonated deeply with all present. The discussion highlighted the sense of belonging, cu...

On 7 February 2025, 22 ALI SA Fellows from various classes gathered in Cape Town for an afternoon of connection and conversation. This second gathering in three months showcased the strength of our fellowship and the importance of shared experiences. New friendships were formed, existing bonds deepened, and ideas exchanged over a glass of good wine in a relaxed setting. These informal meetups are...

We are delighted to introduce the newest members of the ALI South Africa Fellowship! Our new cohort of Class XV Fellows represent a diverse cross-section of professional spheres, including business, the arts, government, media, and civil society. We extend our sincere appreciation to all who submitted nominations. Your insights have been invaluable in identifying African leaders committed to soci...

ALI SA is taking its Fellows to a new level after solidifying the organisation’s structures and funding for the next five years. With the world in its current state of turmoil, the need for ethical and values-based leadership is required to find solutions for a peaceful and prosperous society. The need for leaders has never before been so stark. In South Africa, many are waiting for their c...

While many professionals are approaching AI with trepidation, entrepreneurs and leaders making positive changes have found ways to wield it with great power. Since the internet’s invention in the 1980s, it has changed the way the world works and plays, faster than any other revolution. AI is now the fastest-growing technology to date. The African Leadership Initiative South Africa (ALI SA) ...

Mayihlome, class V pays tribute to Nkikia, who passed away in early July 2024. To our Nkikia, It was just a few years ago, and it feels like three years ago, when we converged at ALI SA from various corners of our lovely country in search of a common goal – to improve our capability to better serve humanity. Our love for our country and the world was the driving force. First feeling like strang...

I met Keith Berwick in 2002 while attending the Henry Crown Fellowship Programme in Aspen. I was inspired by his moderation style—his openness, kindness, inclusivity, and no-nonsense approach. It was that experience that motivated me to explore the formation of the Africa Leadership Initiative. In partnership with Ken Ofori-Atta, the late Ali Mufuruki, Romeo Rodrigues, and with the unwavering ...

On 15 February 2024, the beautiful Villa Arcadia in Parktown, Johannesburg, played host to a welcoming celebration. With the announcement of Class XIV, 21 new Fellows joined the ALI fraternity. ALI South Africa recently turned 20 years old, and we are proud to have graduated 13 classes through this programme. Our network of about 300 fellows is now shaping the continent in a positive light. Class...

This year, ALI SA introduces a concept called “Venture Workshops”, based on the McNulty Foundation model that, for the past 15 years, has been successfully aiding social ventures in need of support and funding. The successful implementation of its ventures impacts the ALI SA Fellowship as these projects positively impact society and address SA’s most pressing challenges. However...

The influence of colonialism driven by the so-called Western cannon of knowledge and power is pervasive and shapes global values, systems of governance, economic structures and cultural practices. The enduring power relationships underpin and are used to justify continued extraction of wealth from historically colonised territories. This has raised questions about the content and purpose served b...

Roboticist Prof Arthur G.O. Mutambara who is an author, chartered engineer, and academic has been appointed as the executive director and full professor of the Institute for the Future of Knowledge (IFK) at the University of Johannesburg. The IFK is a cross-disciplinary ecosystem – an epistemological interface between the fourth Industrial Revolution and the Humanities. He will be establishing ...

South Africans – at least, the party-political ones – are facing the future with a large degree of consternation since the results of the local government elections were released. With  42m South Africans eligible to vote and 26m registered these are the key considerations: There was a low turnout of 46% of registered voters. That is not unusual in local government elections. What was dif...

The CoP dance continues. One step forward, two steps back. With a jump to the left then a leap to the right. If we are to accept that the agreements reached in Glasgow is where this process will end, we must accept a 2,5 degrees Celsius warming and some dire consequences.  The credibility of the process is – again – being tested. However, it remains the only global forum and is valuable in m...

Between them, Adriaan Basson (Class XIII), Ferial Haffajee (Class II) and Mondli Makhanya (Class III) represent three of the most credible news sources in South Africa: News24, Daily Maverick and City Press respectively. If anyone should know what’s going on, it should be they. So, these are the things we seem to be able to be sure about at this stage: What took place in KwaZulu Natal was an or...

by Naledi Nomalanga Mkhize Many years ago, I had lunch with an American education funder. Her name could have been Rachel or Lindsay, I cannot remember, but it just fit the profile of the kind of person who jets into South Africa every two years to check on projects, catch some sun and fun in Cape Town, and then returns to the United States feeling like she changed the world. Anyway, at this lunc...

Eighty-one people joined a Zoom Dialogue in early March when a range of Fellows was invited to share their personal reflections on the state of the nation. It became abundantly clear that although there is the odd silver lining here and there, the dark clouds are mounting, leaving many feeling – if not helpless, certainly frustrated. Let’s start with the few silver linings that shone through ...

Previously known as the Young Africa Leadership Initiative (YALI), the ALI – Young Leaders Programme is premised on the Africa Leadership Initiative’s (ALI) purpose to develop the next generation of values-based, young African leaders who are prepared to be significant co-creators of a good society. The age profile of ALI – Young Leaders Fellows ranges from 25 – 35 years, and ...

Money has always evolved, and this evolution has always been towards reduction of transactional friction and better stores of value. Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and the underlying blockchain technology breakthrough fit the mould as possibly, even probably the next evolution of money. These are the bitcoin fundamentals: Only 21 million tokens or coins will ever exist (just over 18,6 million are al...

Written by Dr Zoe Lees It’s all very well talking about these lofty ideals of a new order for Africa, but in sub-Saharan Africa we are facing serious human rights abuses and chaos in Zimbabwe with deepening poverty and desperation, Mozambique is facing an ISIS incursion, Zambia is defaulting on its debt, Ethiopia… Tanzania….the list goes on. We can’t even agree on a common vision ...

2020 was a year in which natural phenomena shocked the globe in many ways. If we didn’t fully appreciate the economic imperative of addressing climate change before, we do now. And Africa is at the end of the queue for global support in terms of climate initiatives: of the total global ±$720 bn philanthropy spend, $5/6bn goes to climate space; and of that just 1% comes to Africa. The coronavir...

My dear friends So many of you have been reaching out in the hours and days following the tragedy in Beirut, asking about us, about what happened, and about how you can help. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to respond to all of you. Here is my response now. Before anything else, we wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts; I cannot begin to express what it means to have your su...

By Nomfundo Mogapi Our starting point: psychological depletion South Africa’s population was critically psychologically depleted even before Covid-19 dropped a pall of fear, stress and confusion over the country. Reports note that somewhere between one in four and one in six South Africans suffers from some form of mental disorder during their lifetime, with only 15-25% of affected individuals ...

The Karl Flowers Trust launched this June, 10 years to the month since our friend passed away. A member of the Kilimanjaro class, Karl was passionate about ALI and our work. He assisted as a moderator and was integral in helping to build our community. Karl’s will stated that a significant portion of his estate should be placed in a trust to assist “young people between 16-25 years, who are u...

In 1998, Coleman Andrews was appointed by Saki Makozoma to turn SAA around. Two years later, he left with an after-tax payment of US$29m (R500m today) as well as a portion of the R200m paid to Bain (a consultancy he founded) and appointed to SAA. He also spent R118m on nine expatriate managers. Coleman and company left SAA – having achieved what he was contracted to do – bereft of a susta...

Mr Sabelo Dumezweni, Lomso’ Father; Mr Khulile Qamata, Nyanga SSS Principal; Dr Futhi Mtoba; Lomso Dumezweni; Lerato Mathenjwa; and Jethro Leshaba, TEACH Ambassador. TEACH South Africa (TEACH) attended the announcement of the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results at Vodacom on 06 January 2020. TEACH Ambassador Mr Jethro Leshaba and the principal from Nyanga Senior Secondary ...

In 1969, the high priestess of soul music, Nina Simone, released a song intended to “make black children all over the world feel good about themselves, forever.” She titled this song “To Be Young, Gifted and Black”. The queen of soul music, Aretha Franklin, covered the song and took it to a whole new level in 1973 when she won a Grammy for it. To be Young, Gifted and Black became an a...

Best of Africa Leadership Initiative West Africa  Africa Leadership Initiative West Africa (ALIWA) was birthed out of the Africa Leadership Initiative. The Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI), which was launched in 2002, was born out of realization that the best hope for Africa’s future lies in the investment in effective and enlightened leaders. Below are some highlights on what some of our AL...

Conventional wisdom tells us that the Chinese are buying up Africa faster than any other investors. It tells us that African banking lags in terms of innovation and reliability and that no African country is at the forefront of global innovation. But conventional wisdom is often wrong and it is important to recognise that we don’t have the Africa we think we have. What do I mean? Perhaps we can...

Having continued in the footsteps of those who gave her the opportunity to grow and empower herself, president of the African Women Chartered Accountants Forum Lesego Sennelo discusses what she had to do to make it in the industry, the opportunities it offers and how-to for those who would like to pursue a career in accountancy, as well as how far we are in South Africa with producing mentored ...

Ory Okolloh tells the story of her life and her family — and how she came to do her heroic work reporting on the doings of Kenya’s parliament. This talk was presented at an official TED conference. Read the full Transcript here. ...