Class of 2015 Born in Johannesburg in 1984, André Coetzee grew up in the Boland town of Wellington where he attended Huguenot High School, serving as the Head Boy in 2002.

After matriculating, André went on to study a Bachelors of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Stellenbosch University, followed by a Masters in International Relations. During his time in Stellenbosch, André was an active member of the student leadership community with a focus on large-scale fundraising projects through the annual RAG campaign, as well as the transformation of the student welcoming programme in general.

After completing his studies, André entered the private sector as a general manager of a Stellenbosch-based clothing manufacturer. This provided him with hands-on management experience, whilst simultaneously giving him the opportunity to be a part-time lecturer in Political Science at Stellenbosch University.

André is now the chief of staff to the Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance. Born in 1991 and raised in the small farming town of Mooi River in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Christopher Pappas attended Treverton Preparatory, matriculating from Hilton College in 2009. He later attended the University of Pretoria where he graduated in 2013 with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning.

Whilst at the University of Pretoria, Christopher took a particular interest in politics and student governance. In 2010, Christopher ran the portfolios of Student House Liaison and Short Term Projects at the university’s outreach organization, RAG. As a student in the Faculty of Engineering, IT and the Built Environment, Chris was the founding Chairperson of the Built Environment Society. In 2012, he was elected to represent the Congress of the People (COPE) as the Member of Academic Affairs on the Student Representative Council. A year later he was appointed as the President of the Temporary Student Council.

After graduating in 2013, Christopher worked in the private sector for a Pretoria-based company as a development economist.

Christopher is now working as a Constituency Officer in the Durban South Constituency, whilst completing his Masters in Public Administration (MPA) at Walden University. Born in 1991 in Pretoria, Dikeledi Selowa matriculated from Pro Arte Alphen Park in 2010. Between 2008 and 2012 she worked as a brand ambassador for The Creative Council. In 2011 she enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand to study a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art; she later extended her study period to do a BA in Politics and Media Studies alongside her BA in Fine Art.

In her time at the university she has been involved in structures of the DA and held numerous portfolios in DASO. She has also been involved in the DA Young Professionals Committee in Gauteng.

In the 2014 General Elections Dikeledi was ranked 48th on the DA’s list for the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. Later that year she joined Indlala Group of Companies as a director of the strategic consulting company. She currently serves on the provincial task team for DA Youth in Gauteng, representing the North region.

Dikeledi is a soccer and cricket fanatic. She does freelance designing, painting, gardening and enjoys chess and fencing. Dillon Webb was born in East London in 1991 and matriculated from Selborne College in 2010. He has been part of several programmes that have aided his local community, such as The President’s Award. In this programme he participated in many clean-up campaigns in the East London-area. He has also volunteered for the Cancer Association of (CANSA).

Dillon went on to attend the University of Fort Hare in East London, where he graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Social Science degree. His majors included Sociology and History.

In 2012, he successfully completed the DA’s Young Leaders’ Programme in the Eastern Cape, Laphumilanga. In this programme he ran a leadership project conducting a housing petition for Ward 16 in Buffalo City. Dillon also was a member of the organising team of the Eastern Cape Women’s Day event in 2013.

Thanks to his passion for the Democratic Alliance, Dillon was elected as a DA Proportional Representation Councillor in East London in 2014. Born and raised in , Graham Charters attended High School, where he matriculated in 2007. He later attended the , where he completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Law and History (2011), a Bachelor of Laws (2013), and a Master of Laws (2014).

Having envisaged a career in legal practice, his direction changed early in 2014 when he worked in the DA’s Leader’s Office during the DA’s national election campaign. It was during that campaign that he knew a career in politics was what lay ahead. Graham is currently the DA’s Parliamentary Media Officer for the economics cluster.

Graham is extremely passionate about youth, and spends a considerable amount of time serving in his local church, where he is part of the key team that coordinates the church’s youth ministry. Other interests include reading, football and history.

He hopes to one day serve as a DA public representative in the National Legislature. Born in 1988 in Cape Town, Grant Kemp matriculated from Wynberg Boys High School. He attended the University of Cape Town (UCT) on a UCT Rugby Club bursary. After four years of locking down the tight head side of the UCT scrum, he joined the Tuks team to embark on a professional rugby career. He left UCT in 2010, with a Bachelor of Social Science degree with Majors in Political Science, Media Studies and Industrial Sociology.

In 2013, Grant had a great Super 15 rugby season that culminated in thirteen caps for the Southern Kings. The world of rugby has afforded Grant the opportunity to develop and hone his leadership skills: from captaining the Wynberg Boys 1st XV to serving as Captain of the 2014 SWD Eagles Vodacom Cup team. He has also been involved in community projects such as the Campaign against Women Abuse and has coached in various Rugby Development Clinics.

Grant is currently a Freight Management Consultant at Optima International, an import and export company. In his free time, he coaches at the Villagers Rugby Club.

Always up for discussions and passionate about serving as a voice for the voiceless, Grant is looking forward to the challenge of the Young Leaders Programme in 2015. Mankhala Moipone Molotlhanyi grew up in the Vaal and matriculated from Suncrest High in 2008 where she was the first black female president of the Student Learner Council for both the school and the Sedibeng District.

Moipone is a Master of Arts student majoring in Political Economy and Ecology at the Witwatersrand University. She currently also works as a researcher for the DA at the Limpopo legislature.

Between 2011 and 2013 she was a mentor and tutor for the Vice Chancellor’s GUTS Programme, a youth development project that inspires and equips Grade 10-12s from Orange Farm, to qualify for University.

In 2011, she took part in an academic exchange programme with the University of Tübingen in Germany. Her love for academic research earned her a Humanities Faculty Award and the National Research Foundation’s DST Innovation Masters Project Scholarship.

Whilst busy with her master’s degree, she also did an internship with the SWOP Institute under the “Mining and Rural Transformation in Southern Africa” division in 2013. The highlight of her internship was leading her own research project while working with Benchmarks and Ford Foundation to develop training programmes for youth and women in platinum mining communities. Marnes de Wet was born in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga in 1990 as the youngest sibling of five. He matriculated from Bresdasdorp High School in the . He was fortunate to have lived and gone to school in different provinces, giving him the opportunity to experience different cultures from across the country. At school Marnes excelled at sport and leadership, representing his province in numerous sporting codes, as well as being elected as captain for numerous sporting teams. In his final year at school Marnes was elected to serve as the Head Boy.

Marnes attended the University of Stellenbosch where he completed his Bachelor of Commerce and LLB degrees in 2011 and 2013 respectively. While at university, Marnes pursued his passion for serving people, serving on several of his residence’s committees. Marnes was also elected as President of the residence in his penultimate year of studies and received the “footprint” award in his final year for his contribution to the residence.

Marnes is currently the Chairperson of the Stellenbosch DA Youth branch and also serves on his ward’s branch committee as the Deputy Chairperson. Mawethu Kosani was born in 1991 and raised near King William’s Town, close to Steve Biko’s home and Bisho. He grew up being exposed to an atmosphere of political activism in the aftermath of Biko’s death and the Bisho Massacre.

Whilst in Grade 12 he was inspired to join the DA by Sanele Magaqa, the Constituency Chairperson in his area, who spoke about the values of the DA. In 2012, Mawethu enrolled at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) and was one of the founders of the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) on campus. As Chairperson of DASO, he led the battle for recognition at UFH which resulted in a successful court order, allowing for the establishment of DASO on campus. Under his leadership, DASO’s support grew to 25% within two years. He is currently Deputy President of the UFH Student Representative Council.

Mawethu focuses on assisting his community at home and at UFH, supporting individuals to uphold their rights.

Mawethu graduated from Laphumilanga Class of 2014, the Eastern Cape’s Young Leaders Programme. Mia Snyman was born in Heidelberg, Gauteng in 1989. During her school years she was actively involved in drama and debating Championships, and obtained various leadership positions.

In 2008, Mia began her studies in Journalism and Political Science at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). During this time Mia wrote for the Associated Press (AP).

After obtaining Golden Key Membership, Mia decided to study towards a postgraduate degree in Politics and International Relations. She was a UJ tutor in politics in 2011. In September that year, she was selected to represent SA at the Global Next Leader’s Forum in Tokyo, Japan.

In April 2012, Mia applied for a position at the DA’s Federal Head Office in Cape Town. In April 2013, she participated in the International Academy For Learning (IAF) Conference on Liberalism.

In May 2013 Mia started working as the Regional Campaign Coordinator for the DA in Gauteng East during the 2014 Election Campaign.

Mia aspires to fight for the opportunities and freedoms of all South Africans and now works as the DA’s Gauteng Provincial Training and Development Manager. Nangamso Kwinana was born and raised in , Cape Town. In 2003 she enrolled at Stellenbosch University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies. While at Stellenbosch she was an active member of the Stellenbosch University debating society. At the same time she was the general branch secretary of SASCO.

Being a DA Political Activity & Presence Coordinator at the DA’s Federal Head Office, she appreciates this role as an opportunity to understand South Africa’s political conflicts, as well as a space to effect change through the DA. She believes the DA Young Leaders Programme will broaden her thoughts and ideas about how to establish South Africa as an advanced competitive participant in the international political economy.

Nangamso retains a strong “can-do” attitude and focuses on achieving a better life for South Africans. Nicki van ‘t Riet was born in Johannesburg in 1980. She matriculated from Roedean School (S.A) in 1997. Whilst at school she was a member of the Johannesburg Junior City Council.

Nicki attended the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2000. During her undergraduate studies she was involved in various outreach projects and volunteered as a teacher for children at risk.

Nicki then enrolled at UCT’s law school where she obtained her LLB degree in 2004. Whilst at law school she was elected to the Student Representative Council and the University Senate.

Nicki was admitted as an attorney in 2007. Since 2010, Nicki has practiced as an attorney at one of the most prestigious global law firms. She specialises in public interest, human rights and pro bono work, with a specific interest in social socio-economic rights and utilising the law to break cycles of poverty.

In 2011, Nicki obtained a Master’s degree in Human Rights law from the University of the Witwatersrand. She has published articles on a number of legal topics and has presented guest lectures at various universities and community organisations. Nicky Rheeder was born in Pretoria and matriculated from Crawford College. She completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology and Sociology through UNISA.

Since graduating, she has been involved in various non-profit organisations, and when she settled in Cape Town in 2009 she became involved in all spheres of her local community. She has been an active member of Melkbos Neighbourhood Watch since its inception in 2011, she sits on the committee of the Melkbos Ratepayers Association and is the Chairperson of the DA branch in Ward 23.

Nicky currently pursues her passion for people through her involvement with the DA and the local community. She has worked as the Director of Operations for Missing Children SA since 2011.

She is an Ultra Marathon athlete who runs for Melkbos Athletic Club, where she was Club Secretary for two years.

Nicky’s dream is to effect positive change in South Africa especially with regards to legislation, education and social development on local, provincial and national level. Nokuthula Mjwara was born in Durban in 1986. She matriculated from Durban Girls’ High School in 2004 with distinction and enrolled for a Bachelor in Social Sciences degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College.

In 2007, she graduated with a major in Psychology and Criminology. Her passion to make an active difference in the community led her to pursue a career as a Diversion Administrator at Khulisa Social Solutions. There, she conducted court assessments, facilitation, psychosocial support of young offenders through the diversion programme, psychosocial support of sentenced offenders through the “Masks programme”, and victim empowerment programmes.

In 2009, she joined Damelin Durban City Campus as a Student Advisor, lectured for a year, worked as a guidance counsellor and later a librarian. In 2013, she returned to being an activist for social transformation as the Programme Manager for the Gay & Lesbian Network in Pietermaritzburg in 2013. Known as Thuli, she currently serves as a sector representative in the KwaZulu-Natal Civil Society Coalition.

She is passionate about the promotion of equality and believes that an educated community is a powerful community. Altruistic would be one of the words used to describe Phuti Kwenaite. Born and bred in Vosloorus, she has initiated many tasks that have taught her that giving is truly better than receiving.

After passing her Matric at St Dominic’s School, she moved to Pretoria in 2009 where she started volunteering for the Democratic Alliance. She was immediately admitted onto the Youth Regional Executive Committee. Initiating creative demonstrations of the DA youth’s economic policy, her peers showed respect and had confidence in her to vote her in as the Youth Provincial Secretary the following year.

In 2011, while serving as the Youth Regional Deputy Chairperson, she was also a candidate in the Municipal election and through her community involvement and commitment took an unwinnable ward to a marginal ward. The following year the same ward was only 9 votes away from being won following a by-election in which she was the candidate.

Phuti is currently the Constituency Officer at the Gauteng North office for the Lynnwood Constituency. Previously, she was the Youth & DASO Community Operations Manager for all the universities in Tshwane. Raeesa Parker matriculated from Livingstone High School in Cape Town in 2007, aged 17. She took a year off from academics and joined the Democratic Alliance as an employee late in 2008. In 2009, Raeesa enrolled to study Human Resources Management on a part-time basis at the University of Technology (CPUT). She excelled academically and was awarded a Dean’s Merit Award for two of the four years she studied. She was also awarded membership of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

In 2011, Raeesa took up a junior position in the DA’s Human Resources Department and twice received the award for “complete ownership” of her job. She was consistently given more responsibilities and now heads up the Party’s Employee Relations Department.

In her spare time Raeesa enjoys reading and working on projects with the Sunflower Fund. Born in April 1986 in Pretoria, Roger Solomons, grew up in the community of Eersterust and matriculated from Clapham High School in Pretoria in 2004.

Roger has always been actively involved in faith and community-based projects, which have afforded him the opportunity to gain hands-on leadership experience and skills. He has also travelled abroad to the UK, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland through various exchange/outreach programmes.

Throughout his school career he showed exceptional leadership ability among his peers, resulting in his appointment as Head Boy during his matric year. He graduated with a BA degree in Political Leadership and Citizenship from UNISA in 2013, and is currently completing his Honours degree in Development Studies.

Since relocating to Cape Town in 2011, he immediately and enthusiastically became an active member in his local branch and constituency. He successfully recruited DA Youth members and initiated the first ever DA Youth political retreat, which has become an annual activity within the Deep South Constituency.

Despite his youth, his leadership qualities were recognised and resulted in his re- election as Chairperson of the Deep South Constituency and Ward 64 branch.

Roger is a fanatical Orlando Pirates FC supporter and loves spending time with his family on the beach or playing social soccer with his mates. Rouxlé Freysen matriculated from in 2004, where she was Head Girl and served on numerous committees, including Debating, Student Council and the Governing Body.

She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from Stellenbosch University in 2007, majoring in Political Science. Thereafter, she completed her Master’s Degree in Political Management.

Rouxlé served on her residence’s House Committee as Vice-Primaria, where her responsibilities included the well-being of more than 120 young women. She was also a HIV councillor and served on the DASO Executive.

She has contributed to the DA in many ways, including the role of Public Liaison Officer to the Leader of the DA and Constituency Operations Manager. Rouxlé is actively involved in her constituency and is currently serving her third consecutive year as Ward Chair. At the end of 2012, Rouxlé joined the as the Caucus Media Officer and Researcher and was appointed by Councillor Van Minnen as her Executive Support Officer in 2014.

She manages the My Gift Organisation and has recently started her own business. Moira Bvuma is one of 12 siblings, born and bred in the City of Gold. She attended Hyde Park High, where she matriculated in 2008.

Her passion for politics began at a young age. However, due to financial constraints she was unable to further pursue her studies. She received the opportunity to work for a renowned advertising agency and through her hard work, dedication, and willingness to learn, she was head-hunted by a financial institution.

After four years of building a career for herself she felt the need to take her political aspirations further and joined the DA. She was elected as the Sandton/Alexandra Constituency Youth Chairperson for which she is currently serving her second term.

From first-hand experience of how an opportunity can change the life of an extraordinary individual, she strongly believes in a society that provides opportunities for all. Sibongiseni Ngcobo was born in 1995 in a little village called Bulwer in KwaZulu-Natal and matriculated from Indala High School in 2012, where he was the Head Boy of the school and successfully led the school’s Debate Team.

He is currently studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he is doing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Law. Since 2013, Sibongiseni has been involved in residence community development programmes and has served two consecutive terms in the House Committee of his residence.

Through his passion for politics and for people around him, Sibongiseni has attempted to set up a DASO branch on his campus, and this year he contested as DASO’s only candidate in the SRC Elections and won a seat on the Student Representative Council.

In addition, Sibongiseni has been an active member of the Democratic Alliance since 2012 and his long-term goal is to serve as a DA public representative in either the national, provincial or local legislature. Born in Dambuza Location, Edendale, Pietermaritzburg in 1984, Sifiso

Dladla grew up playing football with the intention of becoming a professional athlete. In 2004, he matriculated from M.L. Sultan (PMB) secondary school where he was chairperson of the Representative Council of Learners (RCL). He is a founding member of the Greater Edendale Development Forum, an NGO focused on reducing poverty in Msunduzi Municipality.

Sifiso holds a number of international certificates around and including: Alternative to Violence Project (AVP), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Gender Reconciliation as well as Introduction to Local Economic Development Governance and Institutional Arrangements. He also completed a leadership course at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

As a former media practitioner, Sifiso is currently a leading team member of the Save Our Imfolozi Campaign. This campaign opposes the opening of a coal mine at the Fuleni Reserve, which is just 40 metres away from a rhino sanctuary, and would result in four villages being relocated without sufficient consultation. Born and raised in the Vaal in 1988, Thabelo Maraka matriculated from Residensia Secondary School, went to Tshwane University of Technology and then North West University. She is currently studying Public Administration.

She joined the DA in 2002 and has served in various leadership roles including being the Gauteng South Regional Chairperson.

Thabelo was also elected as a councillor during the 2011 Local Government Elections and she is the DA’s Spokesperson on Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture in Johannesburg.

In addition to politics she is also involved in a number of other community based organisations, of which the Sharpeville Child Welfare organization is the one closest to her heart.

She is passionate about youth development and her ultimate dream is to see the war against poverty and HIV/AIDS being won. Thabelo would also like to see our education system being amongst the best in the world.