Sikelelwa Alexandrina Msitshana

Sikelelwa Alexandrina Msitshana (Alex) is CEO of the Deaf Empowerment Firm, a social enterprise driving economic inclusion for the Deaf community in South Africa.  She’s also the Chairperson of the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities, Chairperson of Sign Language Education and Development, and a member of the Presidential Working Group on Disability in South Africa.

She has worked in the development field, collaborating with a diverse array of international donor agencies and institutions focused on promoting democratic principles and inclusive development in South Africa and the SADC Region.

As the Chairperson of the Board of the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities in South Africa, and as a person with a hearing impairment, Alex leads initiatives to enhance access to information for individuals with hearing impairments in line with the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She also works on various initiatives and research projects advocating for inclusive employment, ensuring that persons with disabilities in South Africa are integral and active participants, contributing meaningfully to the global economy and society.

Being part of DRF at this critical juncture allows her to channel her passion, experience, and advocacy into a cause that is both personally meaningful and globally essential.