Nthatisi Kwela and Kamini Redi, JA South Africa new members of the Board of Directors
The appointments mark an important step for the organization as it continues to expand its mission of preparing youth for success through entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness education.
“We are honored to welcome Kamini and Nthatisi to the JA South Africa board,” said Zodwa Pakade, Chairperson of JA South Africa. “Both leaders bring exceptional experience, strategic insight and a shared passion for empowering young people. Their expertise and perspectives will strengthen our efforts to expand impact and prepare young South Africans for the future of work.”
Kamini Reddy currently serves as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Africa at Mastercard, where she leads strategic marketing and communications efforts across the continent. With a career spanning global brands including Coca-Cola, Unilever, The Estée Lauder Companies and Nielsen, she brings extensive expertise in brand strategy, consumer engagement, innovation and commercial development.
Based in Johannesburg, Ready has built a reputation for delivering impactful campaigns and fostering meaningful relationships across diverse African markets. His long-term commitment to youth development and economic empowerment aligns strongly with the vision and mission of JA South Africa.
He is joined on the board by Nthatisi Kwela, director of the Africa Office at the Harvard University Center for African Studies. Working at the intersection of education, leadership development, and institutional innovation, Kwela leads Harvard's partnerships and programs portfolio across the continent from Johannesburg.
With over two decades of experience in education systems in Lesotho, South Africa and the United States, she brings deep expertise in strategy implementation, leadership development, stakeholder engagement and educational change. Her work focuses on increasing access to world-class learning opportunities for African students and scholars while strengthening partnerships that support African institutions and leadership pipelines.
In 2025, JA South Africa will empower more than 120,000 young South Africans through programs focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, project management and work readiness skills. Through its partnership with the Department of Basic Education and expansion of digital learning programmes, the organization is expanding its reach to in-school and out-of-school youth communities.
The appointments of Kamini Redi and Nthatisi Kwela reflect JA South Africa’s continued commitment to strong leadership, innovation and meaningful collaboration in advancing opportunities for Africa’s youth.