Group of people holding signs and a large red X at a climate protest rally in front of a university building.

our people

Our campaigning organisation is run by our director and campaign leads, supported by a small support team, management committee (board), events and communications team, and interns and volunteers.

We are grateful to our 20 or so members, individuals who strongly support our work and whom we have invited to join our voluntary association. 

David Le Page

Co-founder & director-coordinator

  • David is the co-founder and director of Fossil Free South Africa, a leading campaign based in Cape Town advocating for fossil fuel divestment and sustainable reinvestment in South Africa.

    After an initial career as a copywriter and theatre critic, he became an environment and human rights journalist and campaigner working for the Mail & Guardian, Treatment Action Campaign and Southern African Faith Communities Environment Initiative.

    Under his leadership, Fossil Free South Africa has successfully pressured institutions like the University of Cape Town to divest from fossil fuels and continues to engage other universities and institutions to promote truly sustainable moves towards a thriving, inclusive and climate-resilient South Africa.

    Beyond fighting fossil fuels, he is obsessed with cultural and economic “fossils” – such the concepts of economic growth and austerity – that impoverish us more than they enrich us; and chases a new Parkrun PB whenever his three small boys permit.

OUR TEAM

Support

Tracy Caderberg

Finance officer

  • Tracy is an experienced financial manager and administrator who has dedicated her career since 1999 to serving the NGO/NPO community. Past experience includes Edu-Peg, Children’s Resource Centre, Abalimi Bezekhaya and Harvest of Hope. She has a passion for justice and helping people realise their worth, value and purpose.

Eugene Fisher

Administrator

  • Eugene is a human rights activist with an extensive volunteering background, having worked with Harvest of Hope and the Children’s Resource Centre. He is a skilled administrator with multiple certifications from institutions like the University of California, Irvine and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.

Emma Fookwe

Community, events & social media officer

  • Emma also serves on our support team, assisting with internal team building, organisational development and general operations.

Sandrine Mpazayabo

Campaign coordinator & team lead

  • Sandrine has a Master of Arts in Migration and Displacement Studies (Cum Laude) from Wits, and diverse work experience in project management, administration, content creation, stakeholder engagement and advanced research and writing.

mobilising universities & finance advocacy

stephanie cookson

Campaigner

  • Steph is a Master’s student with a passion for social impact, connecting the right people to the right information, and experience in youth leadership, qualitative research and communication.

    She hopes to dedicate her skills and values to organisations that prioritise social impact, sustainability, and resilience.

zandile bangani

Communications officer

  • Zandile also serves on our wider communications team to ensure that we have consistent messaging and align our communications strategies.

fossil ad ban

lazola kati

Campaign coordinator & team lead

  • Lazola, a Rhodes University graduate, is a campaigns media and communications specialist. She has a background in social justice and public policy research, and is a dynamic activist and political and international relations practitioner.

Noxolo Mfocwa

Advocacy campaigner

  • Noxolo, a Rhodes University graduate, has a background in activism, storytelling advocacy, communications and campaign management. She has experience as a campaigns strategist and partnerships specialist.

clean creatives south africa

stephen horn

Volunteer

  • An award-winning producer and director, Stephen brought the Clean Creatives campaign to South Africa and is helping launch and lead Clean Creatives SA as a key programme of Fossil Free SA.

zandile bangani

Fossil Ad Ban communications officer

  • Zandile also serves on our wider communications team to ensure that we have consistent messaging and align our communications strategies.

communications

Jo-anne smetherham

Media & publications manager & team lead

  • Jo is an award-winning journalist and PR practitioner with 25 years’ experience and a passion for telling stories of those working to create a more humane and sustainable world. She specialises in communications strategies and implementation across forums. She focuses on our external media relations and leads our communications team.

Emma Fookwe

Community, events & social media officer

  • Emma, a Stellenbosch University graduate, is a trained social worker with certifications in marketing, digital content and copywriting.

    With a passion for human rights and intersectionality, she manages all our events planning, stewards our community and manages our social media platforms. In addition to this, she also serves on our support team, assisting with internal team building, organisational development and general operations.

    Beyond working with Fossil Free SA, she volunteers her time with a NPO that aims at connecting and building communities between young women globally; and enjoys spinning classes and walks in nature with friends and family.

nicola wills

Chair

Nicola is an economist with DNA Economics who volunteered for our ManCo in March 2024 and became our chair in June 2024.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

OUR BOARD

jigisha mandalia

Secretary

Jigisha supported our Fossil Free UCT campaign as a student activist in the Green Campus Initiative and now works for a renewable energy company.

mark new

Member

Professor Mark New is a climate scientist and former head of UCT’s African Climate and Development Initiative who volunteered for our ManCo in early 2024.

dean bhebhe

Member

Dean is a climate activist with Power Shift Africa and former consultant to our Fossil Ad Ban campaign, who joined our ManCo team in early 2024.