Twelve audio-visual creators from South Africa, Malawi and Lesotho have been selected for Sound Waves: Podcast Training for Audiovisual Professionals hosted by the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), and the South African Podcasting Guild (SAPG).
The programme aims to add new voices to the audio-visual landscape in these three countries. The cohort will work with experts and engage in workshops on sound, production, scriptwriting, live recording sessions, studio visits, and public discussions.
“We are pleased with the extraordinary wealth of backgrounds the selected creators bring to Sound Waves,” says Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller, Regional Head of New Media, Film & Television at the French Institute of South Africa. “Their interests span investigative journalism, indigenous music and healing, community leadership, disability and women’s health advocacy, to performance arts, refugee rights, and multimedia storytelling reflecting voices that can help reimagine the future of African storytelling.”
Meet the participants:
● Susan Comrie (SA) is an award-winning investigative journalist with AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism with over 15 years of experience her investigative work spans state capture, corruption, mining, energy, and environmental issues. Susan was part of the team that uncovered the #GuptaLeaks.
- Nantal Hopley (SA) is the founder and director of Cape Conscious Media, a non-profit podcasting and digital media studio based in Cape Town.
- Dennis Imaan (MW) from Lilongwe is a podcast producer, audio storyteller, and multimedia content creator with a passion for audio production and experience producing and hosting a podcast series.
- Claude Marie Bernard Kayitare (SA) is a refugee community leader and the founder of Pax Afrika Network, a refugee-led organisation committed to supporting and empowering displaced communities. He is also the co-founder of the Southern Africa Network for Immigrants and Refugees.
- Simon Manda (SA) is Managing Editor, Director and Co-Founder of THISABILITY Newspaper, where he leads a multimedia platform dedicated to disability awareness and changing perceptions through storytelling.
- Lameck Masina (MW) is an accredited stringer for the Voice of America (USA), producing radio and TV stories from Malawi, and contributes television stories to TRT World (Turkey).
- Palesa Matabane (SA) is a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology with over seven years of experience in storytelling and voice work.
- Jane Claudia Messina (SA) is an actor, voiceover artist and podcaster whose first love was theatre. She co-hosts and co-produces the podcast Shenanigans Ensue.
- Nthabiseng Mohanela (LS) is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and creative activist from Lesotho with a background in fine arts, design, and performance.
- Motlalepula Mokoena (SA) is the founder of Tsa Sesotho, a brand focused on celebrating Sesotho culture through digital content, events, and podcasting.
- Tendayi Nyeke (SA) is a director at Netflix Animation. She is a development executive and producer for the Emmy Award-winning animation studio Triggerfish Animation.
- Bongiwe Zihlangu (LS) is an editor at Lesotho Times and Sunday Express newspapers, based in Maseru.
International podcasting and audio experts Claire Richard (France), Philip Artelt (Germany), and Dina Elsayed (Germany), will work with the selected creators alongside leading South African podcast experts, Paulo Dias, and members of the South African Podcasters Guild.
“We are excited to host the participants and experts in Johannesburg for creative exchange and growth, to come together to explore different approaches to audio storytelling that reflect the diversity and dynamism of the region”, s ays Nesa Fröhlich, Head of Information Services Sub-Saharan Africa at Goethe-Institut South Africa.
“When we talk about the future of podcasting, we often talk about tech. But in an African context, the future actually lies in collaboration, mentorship, and regional solidarity — and that’s what appealed to us about Sound Waves. These creators represent the new generation of African storytellers, and we’re proud to be part of this.”, Paulo Dias, Head of Industry Relations, South African Podcasters Guild.
The training programme takes place in Johannesburg from 7 to 11 July 2025, and is supported by the French Institute in Paris and the German Federal Foreign Office through the French-German Cultural Fund, a joint initiative of the French and German governments promoting cultural cooperation in third countries.
A free public panel discussion entitled The Evolving Industry of Podcasting, will take place on Friday, 11 July, from 11:00 to 12:00 at the IFAS offices, 62 Juta Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, and is open to the public.
This session will explore the podcasting landscape from a global perspective, with a focus on the South African, French, and German industries. The discussion will delve into pressing issues shaping the medium today, including monetisation strategies, freedom of speech and regulatory challenges, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on podcast production and distribution. RSVP here.
