Buhle Mweli

I came to Live unemployed after leaving university and a job a year prior. I was convinced nonetheless that there was something bigger for me out there. Live was my first stint in the media industry, so started out writing, became fashion editor and eventually Editor in Chief. What started out as just trying out my hand in professional writing, manifested into me realizing my passion. The mentors and fellow interns always challenged me, which taught me to be assertive. And lastly Live opened me up to so many possibilities. I really am grateful to Gavin, Connect ZA and everyone I’ve worked with. I am to start a new position in 2014 at HSM (a publishing company) as Assistant Editor for their Club, ClubX and Kids SuperClub magazines.

@BezuluBuhle

Vuyolwethu Dubese

Deciding to take a gap year after matric, Vuyolwethu Dubese joined Live in February 2013 as Social Media Editor, YouTube Presenter and Writer. A showreel completed at Live led to being cast as a presenter for Roughing It Out, a kids’ reality TV show on SABC2. While taping the first season, Vuyo also completed a Production Assistant internship at Insync Productions. Between presenting, Vuyo hosts a morning radio slot on 2 Oceans Vibe’s Imbo Live, as well as MCing at Jam That Session, a live platform, for emerging South African musicians and DJs.

“I could never thank the Live team enough for opening the door to an inexperienced matriculant who had no idea of where she was headed.”

@MsVeeDee

Mawande Manez Sobethwa

Bringing filmmaking and editing skills with him, Mawande was one of the first recruits to join Live Magazine SA’s YouTube team. He had a lot of great ideas and stories to tell, and Live gave him the platform and the space
to explore and bring his ideas to life. During his internship, Mawande had the opportunity to work on numerous creative projects, including the representation of Cafe MAL in the finals of the Commons Pitch (a part of the Design Indaba 2012). He is currently working at 140 BBDO, sharing his ideas and working alongside professionals in the advertising industry. In 2012, Manez – still only an intern – won a GOLD Loerie Award for his first-ever radio commercial for Snickers.

@manez134

Asanda Kaka

An unemployed school dropout, Asanda joined Live Magazine SA as a writer, photographer and social media editor. Her stay at Live Magazine SA gave her a wealth of experience and enriched her self-confidence. Asanda landed a job at ETV as a news intern after leaving Live, and is quite optimistic about her future.

@Asanda_Kaka

Danyal Zaal

Danyal is goal driven and motivated in the things that he wants, living by the quote: ‘’Never stop to try and never fail to try.’’ He is also a strong believer in everything he does. Before he came to Live he worked at printing company Paarl media as a PA and Acting Supervisor. He is also a young entrepreneur, and has been running a homemade cupcake business for one year. He started at Live Magazine on Issue 5 as a gadget and food journalist, video editor and producer. Working at the magazine helped him to build up his self-confidence and open new channels for himself. He has moved on to a six month internship at ETV.

@DanyalZaal

Lauren Snyders

Lauren was Chief Sub-Editor during her time at Live Magazine SA. She often wrote stories, but her main task was making sure that each story was ready for the designers and ready for print. She joined Live Mag SA because she needed experience and felt that Live would be the perfect opportunity. She is currently working as a digital writer for Groupon.

@LaurenSnyders

Sivuyile Felix Mntuyedwa

Sivuyile was looking for employment when he found out about Live Magazine SA from a friend. He joined the magazine as a Graphic Designer to gain work experience, but soon moved up to become the first Art Director. As Art Director, he was responsible for the look and feel of the magazine. Some of his duties included designing layouts and illustrations to accompany articles. Sivuyile is currently working as a design intern at 140BBDO, applying all of the skills that he learned from Live Magazine SA to his new position in the media industry.

@felix_de_Kat

Papi Plaatjie

Papi wanted to study marketing after high school, but due to lack of finances was unable to do so. He joined Live Magazine SA as the first marketing mentee and with assistance from the 140 BBDO mentoring team was soon given the marketing manager position. Some of his responsibilities included managing magazine distribution, brainstorming for ads and managing street teams. Papi is now part of the Livity Africa Ad Sales team where he continues to work on his marketing skills and come up with great ideas.

Polly Sekwala

Polly is a young and ambitious woman with aspirations of becoming a media mogul one day. This media fanatic who loves all things creative is a media graduate and a journalist by profession. She just loves having fun man, and words seem to bring that into her life. Polly studied media straight after Matric and fell in love with the industry. She started work in the advertising industry as an executive and had the privilege to work alongside major companies. Polly was introduced to Live Magazine SA by a friend through the Creative Hustle events hosted by Live Magazine SA and that’s when she knew she was destined to be working with this life changing publication. Live has shaped her to be the professional she is today. Being the Editorial Assistant for the Johannesburg office has been nothing but bliss. If Polly is not with Live, which is quite hard since it’s her second home, she blogs and also does some PR and social media management. The sky is not the limit for this young bird. Live, love and write!!! PEACE

“There are so many things I would like to achieve in my career life and being with this kind of an organisation is one of the top 5.”

@ElizPhly

Rifqa Paka

Rifqa was involved in the production of street dance events before joining Live Magazine SA as a stylist as well as a fashion and beauty editor. Having no previous formal qualifications, Rifqa now has an abundance of experience and a professional portfolio which she is constantly improving as a showcase of her talents. She now works as a freelance fashion stylist and is employed as Wardrobe Coordinator for a youth development television show called “The Dream Factory.”

@Rifqa_P

Mikhail Petersen

Having been a design student at CPUT before joining Live Magazine SA, Mikhail was an awesome addition to the working environment. A vibrant, fun-loving individual, Mikhail is a talented illustrator and designer who used all his skills to contribute to the dynamic graphic design team. Through the experience he gained while interning at Live Magazine SA, Mikhail is now soaring high as a graphic designer for the municipality.

“I learned a lot on design and layout while working at Live and it sure helped open doors for me.” 

Vanessa Kungwane

Vanessa Kungwane held the positions of Features Editor and Marketing Assistant while at Live Magazine SA, managing distribution in Cape Town. She enjoyed brainstorming sessions as well as The Talk Thursdays, which she describes as “very enlightening.” She joined Live because of her love for magazines and interest in print publishing. She feels that her experience at Live was very unique and gave her a great deal of insight into the industry.

“Live taught me a lot in marketing and it fuelled much of my interest in circulation management. It sharpened my people skills…the most important thing I learned from the experience is to stick to principals and not individuals.”

@CranberryNessa

Nicola Daniels

Nicola was the first editor of Live Magazine SA. While at Live, Nicola expanded her writing skills, learned how to be a good leader and gained experience in the process of creating and publishing a magazine. She is now doing well as an entertainment journalist for Media 24’s publication Son op Sondag.

“Through mentorship and guidance from Live I was prepared for the working environment, grew mature and responsible, and am able to brand and market myself for employment.” 

@missnikkidee 

Jill Harris

A Graphic Design student at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Jill joined the Live Magazine design team during her third year of studies. During her time with the magazine, Jill’s contributions stood out due to her consistent work ethic and passion for every project. Jill is now completing her final year in Graphic Design at CPUT, while freelancing for Publishing Partnerships.

“I learned to apply myself in everything that I do, and to incorporate my personality into my work to make it unique and distinct.”

@sillyjilly20

Siyabonga Mkhasibe

Live SA Team Manager

Siya is a 26 year old Soweto born and raised photographer, who initially joined the team as a contributor and now manages the Live Magazine intern team in Johannesburg. he believes that young people should think “Glocal” as in think of their local surroundings as global commodities that could bring the world to them and possibly also take themselves around the world.

Email Siya / @todar88 

Lindsay Breytenbach

Campaign Manager

Lindsay Breytenbach has worked in publishing since completing her studies in 2004. She joined Media24 in 2007 as Picture Editor at Heat magazine. Before the end of that year she moved to TRUE LOVE as Production Editor, then Head of Commercial Services for Thought24 in February 2010, Managing Publisher in 2011 and Associate Publisher in 2012 working across South African female titles Move!, Real, TRUE LOVE and TV Plus. Lindsay joined the Live team in February 2014, as VIP Campaign Manager. In her spare time she is the Specialist Generalist practising media in its varying shapes and forms.

Email Lindsay / @blonde_blitz

Lee Molefi

Creative Content Strategist

A 22 year-old journalist and filmmaker whose lived in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. Lee Molefi is a former-JHB editor of Live SA who is now the digital content manager of the VIP Campaign. Always curious and ever adventurous, Molefi is motivated by the idea of exploring the eccentricities, ideas and cultural innovations that make ZA’ans a unique breed of modern young people. He will never stop until he finds an appropriate meaning for the word “shangaan roulette” and says the rumours are true: there’s a buzz in Joburg nobody can point a finger toward yet everyone knows is there. Oh, he enjoys the politics of culture as much as he does the culture of politics.

Email Lee  / @LeeMolefi

Gavin Weale

Founder and Managing Director
Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow

Gavin is an award-winning social entrepreneur and publisher from the UK.  Originally from a journalism background, Gavin led the development of the Live Magazine project for Livity UK over ten years, transforming a small local youth zine into a nationwide print and digital media channel that is 100% created by young people.  In 2010 Gavin won the UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur Award for his work on Live Magazine, which brought him to South Africa, leading to the development of the idea to replicate the project in South Africa. In early 2011, he was awarded a prestigious Shuttleworth Foundation Fellowship, and moved to Cape Town. He has since been responsible for launching Livity Africa as a social enterprise, with Live Magazine SA as its primary focus. In two years Live Mag SA has printed and published eight issues of the youth-produced magazine, and developed a rapidly-growing ecosystem of youth-led online channels, all aimed at training and springboarding their contributors into work (with a success rate at over 50%), whilst distributing crucial peer-led content to a mass audience.

Email Gavin / @gavinweale

Sabelo

Live SA Team Manager

Sabelo Mkhabela is a Live SA alumni, who is now a Cape Town Team Manager. He is a young writer and artist who grew up in Swaziland but has been based in Cape Town for the past six years. He writes mostly about music and a little bit of politics.

Email Sabelo / @SabzaPassword 

Claire Conroy

Business Director

Claire is a new-age humanitarian pioneering the way for unconventional media solutions to social, economic and educational challenges in South Africa. Before joining Shuttleworth Fellow Gavin Weale to launch Live Magazine SA in August 2011, Claire had worked extensively in advertising, design management and marketing communications on global brands and projects in both South Africa and London - including Conran Design Group, One Young World, Global Humanitarian Forum, Arthritis Research Campaign, Tesco, Umbro, Bench, Hyundai, Getaway Magazine, The Jupiter Drawing Room & SOS Children’s Villages.

Email Claire

Thapelo Mosiuoa

Digital Campaign Executive

Thapelo Oliver Khotso Mosiuoa is a 22 year old originally from Evaton in the Vaal but now resides in Pimville, Soweto. The passion for literature & writing started back in High School in 2007 in English class but the passion only found an outlet until 4 years later. Young, Driven, Ambitious, Passionate, Outspoken & Motivated are some of the many adjectives that can describe Thapelo. He’s an aspiring writer, social media wizard, digital guru, the author of an unfinished book and an opinionated social commentator.

Email Thapelo / @MrMosiuoa

Rofhiwa Maneta

Junior Digital Content Manager

Rofhiwa is a journalist and photographer with a diploma in Media Studies. He initially joined Livity Africa as a contributor for Live SA but went on to work as a digital content manager for our VIP:Voice. Working for Livity has reinforced Rofhiwa’s love for journalism and, one day, he hopes to travel the world covering youth issues or set up a magazine similar to LIVE SA.

Email Rofhiwa / @RofhiwaManeta

Sid Sidwaba

Project Manager / Youth Development 

With some experience in the theatre and entertainment industry, Sid Sidwaba joined Livity Africa as the admin and editorial assistant in February 2013 to launch the Live Magazine Johannesburg office. She now works as the project manager for the Johannesburg office to facilitate the successful running of the intern programme and all projects the office undertakes. Prior to joining Livity Africa she worked as the production manager and assistant choreographer for The Cape Town Show which was showcased at the Rainbow Room in Mandela Rhodes Place. She then took on the position of fundraising for the Rainbow Academy. In 2011, she worked as reviewer and SEO at What’s on in Cape Town. Her interest in the music industry led to her working as media relations co-ordinator for Free Radical Records. Sid Sidwaba completed her postgraduate (honours) degree in BA theatre and performance with majors in theatre making and play directing . Her commitment to seeing young creatives in the work has always been her professional objective.

Email Sid / @sid_sidwaba

Laskarina Yiannakaris

Design Mentor

Laskarina is a graphic designer who is fortunate to not only practice graphic design, but to also teach and conduct research in this field. Being involved in these three areas, she never stops learning. Laskarina’s aim is to share what she has learnt with young designers, who see the potential of design to make a real difference in their communities. Clients include New Media Publishing, Media 24, CondeNast, John Brown Publishing, City of Cape Town and Department of Environmental Resource Management. She has lectured in design departments at CPUT and Ruth Prowes School of Art.

Email Laskarina

Bulelani Mvoto

Video Producer / Mentor

Bulelani is a documentary filmmaker who never graduated from a film school but was fortunate to be mentored by women filmmakers. He has produced stories for Global Fund, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Department of Health (MSAT) and collaborated with independent filmmakers. Bulelani’s passion has always been to work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and share with them the basic skills of using moving pictures in telling stories so they become better people. He has a mobile cinema which he uses as one of his tools to educate and entertain youth in townships. Bulelani is now working for Live Magazine SA doing what he loves; sharing and learning from young people.

Email Bulelani

Tamara MacLachlan

Senior Video Producer / Mentor

Tamara has worked in broadcast television in UK for many years, as an editor and a director / producer, specialising in documentaries and children’s programmes for BBC, Channel 4 and 5. Over the years she has learnt that becoming an overall filmmaker is a huge advantage in this changing world. Teaching and working with young people in South Africa to pass on her various skills and knowledge is an exciting opportunity and one that she really enjoys.

Email Tamara

Polly Sekwala

Editorial Assistant

Polly is a free spirited journalist and occasional blogger, which is exactly how she likes to be defined. She is a young Media Graduate who majored in Journalism who went on to work as an Advertising Executive at a Soweto-based advertising agency. Polly joined Live Magazine SA as a contributor and now has been promoted to Editorial Assistant with us. She has been in this field for a year now and is loving every split second of it.  Being with Live has been life changing and she is glad to part of this winning TEAM.

Email Polly / @ElizPhly