New exco ready to take Safrea forward

A stronger Safrea in a new era

“Armed with a wealth of experience and equipped with lessons from the past, our new Exco has made meaningful progress in its short tenure of one month. We are committed to building a stronger Safrea – making a significant impact on the future of freelancing in Southern Africa.”

Hush Naidoo, Safrea chairperson

“We are focused to best serve our members, increase member benefits, enhance collaboration, support and create structures for Safrea to thrive as an organisation in a new era. We established an Emerging Region, representing Mpumalanga, North West and Eswatini, after the Free State became an independent region last year.” Safrea is active in seven regions – the others being Gauteng North, Gauteng South, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Hush shared Safrea’s vision, recent achievements and future plans. These include a newly launched Code of Ethics and Conduct, an improved constitution, enhanced service delivery and communication, new digital platforms, fundraising and a robust advocacy framework.

The team of volunteer experts

The following team supports Safrea in realising its highest aspiration of creating Southern Africa’s freelance community of choice:

• Hush Naidoo (chair and SAPP – South African Professional Photographers) – A highly astute entrepreneur, businessman and globally renowned photographer, Hush feels privileged to lead Safrea in achieving its next set of milestones.
  
• Matthew Jordaan (vice-chair, governance and organisational development) – An award-winning freelance communications specialist working across multiple sectors, Matthew believes in ongoing professional development to remain relevant in an ever-changing industry.
  
• Keri Ulrich (treasurer) – An experienced accountant and owner of Caleo Accounting and Tax Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Keri brings a wealth of financial knowledge and expertise to Safrea.
  
• Tanya Aucamp (regional chair – Gauteng North) – A communication specialist focusing on business communication, Tanya regards her strength as fostering relationships and creating networking opportunities.
  
• Leonie Selvan (regional chair – Gauteng South) – A business communications specialist skilled at articulating complex information – Leonie believes in making information accessible to its intended target audiences.
  
• Simthandile Mhlambiso (regional chair – Western Cape) – A trainee accountant with a BCom Accounting degree and founder/MD of Mpilo Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Simthandile’s love for books propelled her to start a publishing business.
  
• Anne-Marie Stephenson (regional chair – Eastern Cape) – A communications and fundraising specialist in the non-profit sector, Anne-Marie supports disadvantaged communities and guide organisations to align their efforts with the United Nations’ Strategic Development Goals.
  
• Leonie Bolleurs (regional chair – Free State) – A communications specialist focusing on the corporate environment, Leonie regards her positive outlook, deadline-driven nature, creativity and energy as her assets.
  
• Nathi Gule (regional chair, Emerging Region) – A freelancer and consultancy owner focusing on the media industry, Nathi was trained at the London School of Journalism and obtained a marketing qualification from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).
  
• Kay Johnstone (professional development) – An editor, writer, proofreader and general factotum in various genres of publishing, Kay is a passionate professional who loves problem-solving tasks.
  
• Marisa Louw CPRP (digital platforms, membership) – A dynamic professional with multi-disciplinary expertise and an ability to navigate different industries and disciplines, Marisa brings a unique blend of skills, a fresh perspective and innovative solutions to the table.
  
• Sam Lee Hill (communications) – A wordsmith, SEO copywriter, blogger, and founder of SLH Copywriting, Sam loves telling the unique story every brand holds. She strongly believes that copywriters rule the world and can prove it.
  
• Lionel Krieger (advocacy) – A digital marketing expert and owner of Krieger Digital, specialising in search engine optimisation (SEO), Lionel focuses on delivering results that drive business growth.
  
• Mandi Smallhorne (SASJA – South African Science Journalists’ Association) – A freelance writer, journalist and trainer focusing on health and climate change – Mandi is the president of SASJA (South African Science Journalists Association) and vice-president of WFSJ (World Federation of Science Journalists).