Rev. Malcolm Damon is a founder member of EJN, which was formed in 1997 in Zimbabwe to serve the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa on economic justice issues. He joined EJN in 2001 and as Executive Director takes overall responsibility for the organisation’s work. He serves (ex-officio) on the Steering Committee of EJN and works closely with its members and the General Secretaries of FOCCISA.

Malcolm studied theology at the University of the Western Cape and obtained a M.Th from the university, specialising in economic justice. In 1994 he gained a M.Th from Princeton Theological Seminary (USA), with courses in Medical Ethics, Ethics and Economic Life and Social Ethics.

Malcolm is passionate about the role and responsibility of the Church in economic, social, political and environmental justice. He serves as Chairperson of the Food Strategy Group of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), is a member of the Ecological Debt Working Group of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and an executive member of Industrial Ministry of the Reformed Church family in South Africa.

 

Percy Makombe’s strength is in developing and managing programmes, policy and campaign work. He has advocacy experience in working on issues that are of concern to the South, such as trade, aid, development, debt, governance, human rights, structural adjustments programmes, gender relations and the environment.

Prior to joining EJN as Programmes Manager, he was previously responsible as deputy director for the strategic direction and management of a regional NGO, SEATINI (Southern and Eastern African Trade Information Negotiations Institute). He has also worked as a journalist and editor on magazines and newspapers including Zimbabwe Independent, Moto and Africa Film & TV, Mundo Negro and Africa News Bulletin.

Percy has worked for the Zimbabwe Institute as well as the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He holds a BA General and a post-graduate diploma in media and communication studies from the University of Zimbabwe. In addition he has a Masters degree in Globalisation and Communications from the University of Leicester (England). He is currently studying part-time for his D Litt et Phil with the University of South Africa. He is devoted to the fight for social and economic justice for a better for all.

 

Marcel Carnatz-Hanslo has been a pillar of the Economic Justice Network's Finance Department since 2003. Before joining the Economic Justice Network, she worked at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Her educational background includes Business Management and Labour Law qualifications. She is currently studying Social Welfare and Foreign Languages. In her capacity as Financial Manager, she is responsible for all financial matters within Economic Justice Network.

Her passion for economic issues led her to this field, enabling her to form part of an organisation that deals with them. In 2000 she formed an organization called "It's My Life" for abused and neglected children in order to help those who cannot help themselves. She is an active volunteer helping in poorer communities.

Her other areas of interest, among many, are philosophy, religion, history, environmental issues, gardening and wildlife. Her mission is to make a difference in the world. Marcel believes that unity is strength and we can make a difference.

 

Simon Vilakazi joined EJN in 2006 after working for the Basic Income Grant (BIG) National Office (South Africa). He graduated with a Sociology (Honours) degree from the University of Cape Town and continued to study for Sociology Masters degree at the same university. His areas of work at the Economic Justice Network are food security, poverty and other social issues. Simon is passionate about issues of social and economic development, trade, poverty, population, race, culture, religion, debt, aid, education, capacity building and computers.

 

Phindiwe Siwela has worked for the Economic Justice Network since 2006 after working for Grassroots Educare Trust and Adult Training in Cape Town for many years. Educationally, she has an Advanced Diploma in Adult Education, obtained from the University of Cape Town. Her interests focus on marginalised communities.

Her responsibilities at EJN include overall administration duties and management of the Director’s and programmes staff members’ diaries. She is alos responsible for arranging travel and other logistics issues for the organisation’s events and activities. Phindiwe is a pillar of strength at our office.

 

Rumbidzai Masango holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Politics and Philosophy from the University of Cape Town (UCT). She has been part of the EJN Team since late 2008, and is the Project Assistant. Her areas of interest are in the political field, particularly international relations, democracy, justice and Third World politics. She has been assisting in the project area of Trade and Justice, which covers issues such as the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and Informal Cross Border Trade (ICBT).

 

Mandla Hadebe is a journalist by profession. In the last 20 years he has worked in various organizations as a reporter, sub-editor, editor and a Communications and Information Officer, assisting organizations to set up Information Departments and expand their communications capabilities. His main goal at EJN is to develop and use communication tools to increase the impact of EJN’s mission of policy responses and change. His area of focus is Ecological Debt and Extractive Industries.

 

Victoria Buhanza is a Programme Assistant at Norwegian Church Aid in Tanzania. She has also worked for Majority World Tanzania as production assistant, journalistic researcher and as journalist. She was the Tanzanian correspondent for Bistandsaktuelt NORAD development magazine and worked briefly at CONCERN WORLDWIDE, London, United Kingdom.

Hannah Motes is an undergrad at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. She is studying Anthropology and Exercise Science, with emphasis in global health. Her interests include food security issues, global health care and human rights. She is on the exec board of the National Cultural and Societal Honor Society and a campaign leader for her university’s GlobeMed chapter, an organization that partners with a grass-root health organization in developing areas, and an active member of the Council for Social Justice. She is on an exchange intern program for four weeks, but is falling in love with Cape Town and is now looking at graduate programs in Cape Town.