Growing Food
Growing Trees
Growing People
Hlumelelisa is a South African registered NPO and PBO with Section 18A status. This means that donations from SA taxpayers are tax deductible. To find out more click on “Get Involved”.
Our Team.
Our team is almost all made up of ex-students who excelled during their training. We are a group of passionate, proud South Africans.
Paul Bruns
With a background in Marketing, Paul left his corporate life to establish Hlumelelisa in 2003. He is the Founder and Director and is passionate about second chances and beautiful gardens.
Kagiso Monegi
Kagiso joined Hlumelelisa in 2009 after graduating from our youth-at-risk training programme in Diepsloot. Kagiso continued her training and now has her Level 4 qualification in facilitation, assessment & moderation, and a Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping. She is our Senior Facilitator at Atteridgeville Male.
Lucky Soko
Lucky graduated from the youth-at-risk Thusong Learnership programme in 2013. He started working at Hlumelelisa in 2014 as a trainee facilitator at Leeuwkop Medium C. He has completed his NQF level 4 qualification in facilitation, assessment & moderation as well as his NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping. He is currently the Senior Facilitator at Leeuwkop Medium B.
Elsie Makinta
Elsie completed the Horticulture Level 2 Learnership at our youth at-risk-programme at
the Thusong Community Youth Centre in 2016. Upon completion, she expressed interest in facilitating the course and joined Hlumelelisa in April 2016 as a Trainee Facilitator. She is currently a facilitator at Thusong Community Centre in Alexandra and has completed her NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping.
Mhlonipheni Dlamini
Mhlonipheni ("Allen") was a student in the Horticulture Class of 2015, at Leeuwkop Medium A. He was identified as a trainee facilitator halfway through the course. He started working for Hlumelelisa in January 2016, soon after his release. Mhlonipheni is a Facilitator at Johannesburg Central (Sun City) Male and has his NQF Level 2 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping.
Tshepo Mhlongo
Tshepo completed the Horticulture Level 1 course while at Leeuwkop Medium A and graduated in 2015. He was identified as a Trainee Facilitator while still incarcerated, and joined Hlumelelisa upon his release in August 2017. Tshepo is currently facilitating at Baviaanspoort Male and has completed his AgriSETA Level 2 learnership in horticulture.
Claire Hugo
Claire Hugo is a qualified Social Worker with a Masters in Public Health. She has substantial experience in Corporate Social Investment and Public Health. She has been a member of Hlumelelisa since its inception, responsible for fundraising, strategy, and communications.
Walt Bruns
Walt is a Chartered Accountant (South Africa). After living and working in San Francisco, USA and Hamburg, Germany, he has moved back to South Africa and is currently employed by Sasol’s Base Chemical’s division. He has been an active member of Hlumelelisa since its inception, filling the role of Finance Manager, and currently of Acting General Manager.
Reginald Bambo
Reggie joined Hlumelelisa in 2012 after his release from prison. He joined the youth-at-risk programme at the Thusong Centre in Alexandra where he was Class Monitor. He has since completed his NQF level 4 qualification in facilitation, assessment & moderation and his NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping. Currently he is our Senior Facilitator at Baviaanspoort Juvenile.
Christo Read
Christo joined Hlumelelisa in August 2017 as Chief Operating Officer. He has 20 years experience in NGO management and leadership, with an emphasis on fundraising and organisational development. His career has spanned the child and youth care, youth development and education sectors.
Eneth Majatladi
Eneth was a student on our youth-at-risk programme in Diepsloot. She has been working with Hlumelelisa since 2013. She has completed her NQF level 4 qualification in facilitation, assessment & moderation and her NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping. She is currently the Senior Facilitator at Johannesburg Central Correctional Facility (Females).
Mandla Jiyane
Mandla joined Hlumelelisa in April 2014. He was a trainee facilitator whilst still incarcerated at Leeuwkop. He joined Hlumelelisa on a full-time basis soon after his release. He has received his NQF level 4 qualification in facilitation, assessment & moderation and his NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping. Mandla is now the Senior Facilitator at Boksburg Male.
Xolani Mkhize
Xolani graduated from the Horticulture Class of 2014 and was one of the best students at Sun City Male Section. Xolani was permanently employed by Hlumelelisa in January 2016. He is a Facilitator at Leeuwkop Male Medium C and has an NQF Level 2 qualification in Horticulture and Landscaping.
Refilwe Moatshe
Refilwe obtained her Diploma in Agriculture (Crop Production) at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2016 . She is currently studying towards her BCom in Economics at UNISA. She joined Hlumelelisa in July 2016, as a Trainee Facilitator. Refilwe is a facilitator at Johannesburg Central (Sun City) Female and has completed her NQF Level 4 qualification in Horticulture & Landscaping.
Thami Ngubane
Thami was a star student of the 2018 Boksburg Male class. He was appointed as a trainee facilitator in January 2019, serving at the Johannesburg Central (“Sun City”) male section. Thami has since been promoted to facilitator at the Boksburg Juvenile section.