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Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

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Meet the Team

Staff

Gabrielle Knott

Gabrielle Knott

Attorney

Gabrielle holds a BSc LLB from Rhodes University and an LLM in Energy and Natural Resources Law from Queen Mary University of London. With experience working on gas projects in the management consulting, development finance and intergovernmental spaces, she joined the Centre for Environmental rights in September 2021 as a specialist gas attorney.

Since completing her articles at Eversheds Sutherland, Gabrielle’s passion and personal interests have been in clean energy and the just energy transition; specifically, in meeting energy demands and ensuring energy equity through an environmentally sustainable energy mix. Her role at the CER is cross-cutting, as she challenges gas developments through the Pollution and Climate Change, Mining, and Corporate Accountability and Transparency Programmes.

In her spare time, Gabrielle enjoys being outdoors with animals more than anything else, but has brought nature indoors and spends plenty time caring for her ‘jungalow’!

Wandisa Phama

Wandisa Phama

Executive Director

Palesa Madi

Palesa Madi

Deputy Director - Programmes

Majury Chada

Majury Chada

Head of Operations

Brandon Abdinor

Brandon Abdinor

Climate Advocacy Lawyer

Lerato Balendran

Lerato Balendran

Head of Communications

Kim Blessie

Kim Blessie

Programme Administrator

Adelaide Chagopa

Adelaide Chagopa

Candidate Attorney

Annah Chirwa

Annah Chirwa

Office Assistant

Sonia Chu

Sonia Chu

Human Resources and Office Manager

Concelia Digoro

Concelia Digoro

Candidate Attorney

Linda Dlamini

Linda Dlamini

Candidate Attorney

Nonjabulo Doyisa

Nonjabulo Doyisa

Programme Administrator and Office Support

Leanne Govindsamy

Leanne Govindsamy

Programme Head: Corporate Accountability and Transparency

Itumeleng Mphake

Itumeleng Mphake

Candidate Attorney

Thobeka Gumede

Thobeka Gumede

Attorney

Catherine Horsfield

Catherine Horsfield

Programme Head: Mining

Matome Kapa

Matome Kapa

Programme Head: Activist Support & Training

Gabrielle Knott

Gabrielle Knott

Attorney

Michelle Koyama

Michelle Koyama

Attorney

Paul Lado

Paul Lado

Attorney

Noriza Lamani

Noriza Lamani

Office Assistant

Khumo Lesele

Khumo Lesele

Candidate Attorney

Agnes Ludada

Agnes Ludada

Office Assistant

Ntombi Maphosa

Ntombi Maphosa

Attorney

Danjelle Midgley

Danjelle Midgley

Attorney

Tarisai Mugunyani

Tarisai Mugunyani

Attorney

Tatenda Muponde

Tatenda Muponde

Attorney

Tefo Mxakaza

Tefo Mxakaza

Bookkeeper

Margo Newman

Margo Newman

Executive Assistant

Thami Nkosi

Thami Nkosi

Programme Administrator

Alice Nqoko

Alice Nqoko

Senior Administrator

Zahra Omar

Zahra Omar

Attorney

Tabitha Paine

Tabitha Paine

Attorney

Fadia Samuels

Fadia Samuels

Receptionist and Assistant Events Coordinator

Dimakatso Sefatsa

Dimakatso Sefatsa

Attorney

Michelle Sithole

Michelle Sithole

Attorney

Phumla Yeki

Phumla Yeki

Human Resources & Compliance Administrator