Black Sash - Contact the Media Office

LYNETTE MAART

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Lynette Maart has been the National Director of the Black Sash since 2013. She played an important part in the conception and management of the successful Hands Off our Grants (HOOG) campaign. Lynette co-chaired a Ministerial Task Team, constituted by the former Minister Dlamini, to find solutions for unlawful and fraudulent deductions from social grant bank accounts.

Lynette has extensive experience of working in various capacities in the not-for-profit and heritage sectors. Lynette worked as Trainer, Trainer of Trainers and senior manager in early childhood development, in disadvantaged communities. She has also worked as Senior Organisation Development (OD) consultant at the Community Development Resources Association (CDRA) with clients in the land, urban development and heritage sectors. Lynette worked as independent OD consultant with clients in community philanthropy, international donors and local foundations.

Lynette served as Deputy Director of the Robben Island Museum. During her tenure as project manager at the St. George’s Cathedral Crypt Witness and Memory Centre three books and two exhibitions were produced – Glimpsing of Hope, Marching for Peace and An African Tale to the Mother City.

Contact the Media Office

Esley Philander
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Tel: 061 643 4249

EVASHNEE NAIDU

REGIONAL MANAGER, KWA-ZULU NATAL OFFICE

Evashnee joined the Black Sash in June 2007. Her passion and commitment to Human Rights and Constitutional Values has meant that she’s worked almost exclusively in the NGO sector after completing her articles in February 2003. As a qualified attorney, she held the position of Legal Officer at the Durban Lesbian and Gay Community and Health Centre from March 2003 to May 2007. She was very influential in many of the Constitutional Court Rulings that gave rise to the recognition of rights for Lesbian and Gay people, culminating in the victory of ensuring same-sex marriage for same-sex couples.

While Evashnee has a Master’s Degree in Tax Law, her passion has always been to provide access to justice to the marginalized, with a particular focus on women’s and children’s issues.

Since joining the Black Sash she has become a Champion of Women’s Issues ensuring access to socio-economic rights like access to the Child Support Grant, Maintenance and participating in global debates around a safe and woman-controlled HIV preventative measure like Microbiocides.

Evashnee’s area of expertise includes facilitation and the interpretation and implementation of Laws dealing with Social Security (both Social Assistance and Social Insurance), Wills and Estates, Gender and HIV/AIDS and Constitutional Issues.

THANDIWE ZULU

REGIONAL MANAGER, GAUTENG OFFICE

Thandiwe Zulu worked for the Black Sash as Paralegal Caseworker between August 1997 and October 1999. She rejoined the organization in June 2007 as Regional Director for the Gauteng office. Before joining the Black Sash, Thandiwe worked as a Social Worker for Association for the Deaf under The DEAF Federation of South Africa and also held the position of Socially Excluded Project Coordinator and Facilitator at the Workers Education Project, a Labour Service Organization.

Thandiwe holds a Social Work Degree from the University of the Western Cape, a Diploma in Labour Relations (Damelin College), a Certificate in Industrial Relations (Wits Business School) and a Certificate in Business Management (UNISA- School of Management).

Thandiwe’s areas of expertise include Social Assistance and Security, Labour laws and Labour issues, as well as community work and development.

HOODAH ABRAHAMS-FAYKER

ADVOCACY MANAGER, NATIONAL OFFICE

Hoodah Abrahams-Fayker, is an attorney who began her career at the Legal Aid Board and gained some international experience in the UK as a legal consultant. On her return to South Africa, she developed her experience in management at a legal expenses insurance company and worked for a private law firm extending her legal experience.

Before joining the Black Sash as the National Advocacy Manager, she advanced women's rights through impact litigation. She holds a BA degree from the University of Cape Town and an LLB degree from the University of the Western Cape.

AMANDA RINQUEST

NATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING MANAGER

Amanda Rinquest has nine years of full-time experience in the NGO/NPO sector and an additional five years of part-time, volunteer experience. She is passionate about justice and development work.

Between 2012 and 2014 she founded and coordinated the Mphakatsi Community Centre in Mpumalanga. The small centre ran English literacy, basic medical and soccer skills development projects, aimed at building relationships and improving the lives of rural farm workers and their families.

In 2017 she was admitted as an attorney of the High Court after completing her Articles of Clerkship at the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) - a public interest litigation firm in Khayelitsha. From 2017 to June 2019 she headed the Eastern Cape office of mass membership based movement Equal Education, using activism, litigation, research and grassroots organising to advocate for safe school infrastructure, and improvement in the quality of education for learners in rural communities.

In 2020 she joined the Black Sash as its National Education and Training Manager

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