Steering Committee

The Vital Role of Our Steering Committee Volunteers

The success of our Rally is largely attributed to the dedicated members of our Steering Committee. These volunteers bring a diverse range of skills and expertise, each contributing uniquely to the event’s smooth operation and overall success. Their commitment and hard work are invaluable, ensuring that every aspect of the Rally runs seamlessly. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and the positive impact they have on our community.

Brand Pretorius

Brand Pretorius

Chairperson

Brand Pretorius is the founder of Rally to Read, he served as a CEO of the McCarthy group from 1995 to 2011. He has four honorary professorships and two honorary doctorates which were bestowed on him by leading South African Universities

Alupheli Sithebe

Alupheli Sithebe

Deputy Chairperson

Alupheli holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Science and Honours from UJ and UNISA respectively. She completed her articles with EY in 2008, during which time she qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Alupheli subsequently furthered her studies by graduating with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Gordons Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in 2014.

Pam Richardson

Pam Richardson

Committee Member

Has extensive experience in Corporate Social Involvement (CSI) and Human Resources (HR) and has strategic and practical insights into both fields.

Dr Thokozani Dyosini

Dr Thokozani Dyosini

Committee member

Dr. Dyosini is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Development at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Pretoria.

Emmanuel Taban

Emmanuel Taban

Rally to Read Ambassador

At age 16, Taban escaped Sudan when his father died in the civil war and spent two years on the streets of Eritrea. After being rejected by an uncle in Kenya, he continued south, eventually reaching SA. With the help of charities, he re-started his education, becoming a doctor and then a pulmonologist. His story is told in his autobiography, The Boy Who Never Gave Up. Last year, Taban was named one of the 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine.

Barney Mthombothi

Barney Mthombothi

Rally to Read Ambassador

Mthombothi’s academic achievements include a distinguished double fellowship: he was named a Reuters Fellow at Oxford in 1986 and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1994.

Management

Sibhekaphi Sibanda

Sibhekaphi Sibanda

Project Manager

MEd student @University of Pretoria who also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation. Additionally has an Honours in Social Behavior Studies and a BSC Counselling Diploma in Education.

Faith Nkonyane

Faith Nkonyane

Rally Coordinator

BTech: Business Administration NDip: Policing