Discover The Driving Force Behind Digital Skills Africa
Discover the driving force behind Digital Skills Africa – Get to know our visionary leadership team at Digital Skills Africa. Learn about the dedicated individuals driving our mission and shaping a brighter future for communities through digital empowerment. These individuals are at the forefront of our mission to empower communities through digital education, mentorship, and support. Learn about their diverse expertise and unwavering dedication as they lead us toward a brighter future, fostering inclusivity and opportunities for all.
Preshantha Pillai
Managing Director
Preshantha is an experienced Admitted Attorney (LLB), University Kwa-Zulu Natal focused in Law. A seasoned Office Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the security and investigations industry. Skilled in Security Management, Legal Advice, Forensic Analysis, Management, and Counterintelligence.
Nokubonga (Bonga ) Mashilo
Executive Director
Bonga is an experienced Business Executive with extensive knowledge, skills and experience of more than 19 years in Governance, Risk, Audit, Finance, Acquisitions and Mergers, Ethics Management, and Compliance. Bonga’s business and commercial experience span over 12 years in the Retail Industry having worked for the South African Retail giant Massmart, which was bought by global retailer Walmart. Bonga headed up the Group Finance Audit Function and central head-office audits within the Group Audit function and has led several Due Diligence reviews that included acquisitions of many businesses by Massmart during its growth phase.
Bonga subsequently founded Achemar, a professional audit and advisory consulting business established primarily to provide maximum value to its clients by leveraging the wealth of experience that she attained as an assurance provider and a Commercial Executive.
Jezeiyn Naidoo
Head of Operations & Partnerships, Africa
Jezeiyn is a young aspiring industry leader with a historical reference of leading community impact initiatives like Digital Skills Africa, The Cisco Networking Academy, Digital transformation within the education sector and empowering others with the skills of tomorrow.
“ My interests are simple, I love people and technology therefore finding a way to collaborate the two is my passion and a contributing factor towards my purpose. I have extensive knowledge on ESG, with a focus on Social Impact and driving growth of initiatives that create a positive ecosystem from a business perspective. I am a solutionist at heart with an understanding of customer and user experience. Hard-working, proactive with strong problem-solving and communication skillset (both oral and written) with a historical understanding of sales and marketing.”
Ntombozuko (Soso) Luningo
Industry Partnerships
When a young girl in South Africa discovered her passion for technology, she found a way out of poverty for herself and her family. Ntombozuko (Soso) Luningo guides a new generation of students toward economic empowerment and self-reliance with the Cisco-sponsored Learnership program using the Cisco Networking Academy curriculum. In 2014, Soso became a mother and an instructor with the Learnership program at CTU Training Solutions where she can have a powerful impact on the next generation.
She has found a way to balance teaching and family responsibilities with the demands of her new job. “It’s easy for me to juggle between family and work life because they keep locking horns,” she said. “I treat the new CTU students the way I’m treating the new member of my family. I keep in mind that I need to help them get used to my way of teaching while I get used to their ways of learning. I’m hoping to take these students, especially the girls, to even greater heights than CTU and Cisco is hoping for.”
Liso Mdiya
Marketing Lead
Meet Liso, our creative force behind Digital Skills Africa’s social media presence! Liso’s professional journey commenced as an Architectural Technologist, where she honed her technical skills and cultivated adaptability in ever-changing environments. Fueled by a desire to explore new horizons, she made a strategic pivot into IT, leveraging her architectural background to bring a unique perspective to the world of technology.
Driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation and flair for strategic communication, Liso is now carving her path in the digital space as a Social Media Co-Ordinator, armed with a diverse skill set and a commitment to delivering impactful solutions in an ever changing professional environment.
Tare Katayi
Academy Instructor
My name is Tare Katayi. I am a passionate and dedicated academy instructor with a commitment to fostering a love for learning and empowering students. My mission is to inspire curiosity, critical thinking and personal growth. My purpose is to leverage technology to make a positive impact in the world. I fundamentally believe that technology and education are equalisers and I am pursuing my technical certification in Cyber Security to teach my community, largely marginalised, how to safely access the internet. I currently hold a Cybersecurity Operations Associate Certification from Cisco and I am continually studying to become a Cyber Security Subject Matter Expert.
