Organisational Governance
Board and Staff
The work of ESSET is overseen by a Board of Directors that is a representative of the diversity of the ecumenical movement in South Africa. The board is responsible for the determination of policy and strategic direction of the organization.
The day to day management of the organization and programme implementation is delegated to the Executive Director who is appointed by and is accountable to the Board of Directors and overseers the staff of ESSET.
The board consists of:
- Rev Mautji Pataki
Chairperson of the Board and Ecumenical Secretary of the SACC in the Limpopo Province and ordained minister in the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa
- Ms Barbara Kalima-Phiri
Policy Analyst at the Southern Africa Trust
- Bishop Ivan Abrahams
Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa
- Rev Bafana Khumalo
Co-Director of the Sonke Gender Justice Network and ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
- Mr Eddie Makue
Convener of the Finance Committee of the Board and General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches.
- Mr Graham Philpot
Director of the Church Land Project
- Bishop Ebenezer Ntlali
Honorary Life President: SACC in the Eastern Cape and Bishop of the Diocese of Grahamstown of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
- Ms Dudu Radebe
Programme Manager at the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition
- Ms Bongiwe Dumezweni
Researcher at Department of Social Development
- Rev Jennifer Samdaan
Ordained minister in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and consultant at the Institute for Democratic Alternatives of Southern Africa (IDASA)
- Rev Desmond Lesejane
Director / Chief Executive of ESSET
- Mr Mdu Sibanyoni
Regional Manager at Nedbank – South Africa
- Ms Tiny Thompson
Project Administrator for the People’s Budget Campaign based at the National Labour and Education Development Institute
- Fr Mike Deeb
Coordinator for Justice and Peace Unit of the Southern African Catholic Bishop’s Conference
ESSET has compliment of five (5) fulltime staff. There are three women and two men on the staff. All employees are African.
Staff members are:
Executive Director - Desmond Lesejane
Programmes Manager - Thembela Njenga
Administrator - Busisiwe Thabane
Programmes Assistant - Sonto Magwaza
Communication Officer - Thabo Koole