Who we are
fraycollege provides short courses and qualifications in journalism and communication across the African continent and beyond. Almost two decades of experience has honed our programmes to ensure our learners gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills in line with national, regional and international best practice.
Our fraycollege facilitators are qualified industry experts with a passion for learning, training and information sharing. Courses are offered online, in-persons and with self-directed eLearning programmes.
fraycollege is registered as a Level One BEE company and is accredited by both the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the Quality Council of Trade and Occupations (QCTO).
Meet the team
Mamaponya Motsai
CEO
Mamaponya is the CEO of fraycollege, a pan-African feminist organisation that delivers communications and journalism training across the continent. In this role, she provides strategic and operational leadership, manages high-impact training programmes, and drives business development through partnerships with civil society organisations, media, government entities, and private sector clients. She oversees the creation of new training content, facilitates learning sessions, and consults on communications strategies aimed at driving social change and advocacy.
She has nearly a decade of experience in the media industry as a journalist, producer, media trainer, and documentary filmmaker. Her newsroom experience includes SABC, Minority Africa, the Citizen newspaper, and City Press. Her documentary Ennie was an official selection at the 2020 International Encounters Film Festival. Mamaponya holds a BA Honours in Journalism from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MA in Ethnographic Documentary Film from University College London.
Paula Fray
Founder
Paula is the founder of fraycollege – a pan-African accredited media training organization which focuses on providing practical workplace skills for journalists, communicators and business leaders.
The first female editor of the Saturday Star newspaper in South Africa, Fray was the Regional Director: Africa for Inter Press Service overseeing a regional news agency publishing in English, French, Portuguese, Swahili and Arabic. In 2005 she launched frayintermedia, a content creation agency that specializes in communication strategy development and implementation including the production of development content across platforms.
She is President of The New Humanitarian, a Geneva-based news agency, a board member of Africa Check and founding member of Accountability Lab SA. She serves on the board of the Aurum Institute and chairs the board of Youth Health Africa.
Fray is a Print and Digital Media SA fellow and a public representative on the Press Council of South Africa. A recipient of the prestigious Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, she is a former member of the Nieman Foundation Advisory Board at Harvard. Fray graduated with a BJourn degree from Rhodes University and has a Woman and Law Certificate from UNISA.
Desmond Latham
Facilitator
Des Latham is a facilitator at fraycollege with a wealth of experience in management, HR and AI. His extensive broadcasting experience includes strategy support and managing change since the 1990s. Des is also an early adopter in most digital spheres and ran his own mobile phone applications company for 10 years, as CEO of Mobile Active Digital. Des combines a passion for storytelling using machines and an innate curiosity, as well as a belief that information can be relayed in many ways.
He has worked as a musician and composer, studio manager, and hardware and software product manager for sound and video companies. He began work as a radio reporter at 702 in 1987, and since then has been SAPA network radio services editor, Classic FM news editor, African Business Channel Radio manager, Summit TV presenter trainer, and BDFM online editor. He freelances for various international radio stations. He has an Honours degree in African history from Rhodes University, and studied at Stanford University as the Reuters Knight Fellow in 1993/4. He has a strategic leader’s certificate from Henley Business School and an applied economics
certificate from UCT. He has also studied Java code at the Computer Training
Institute. Des flies aeroplanes in his spare time as a private pilot and performs in a
blues and jazz band.
Mbali Nhlengethwa
Finance Manager
Mbali joined fraycollege’s sister organisation frayintermedia in 2018, as Finance and Administration support.
Today, she oversees the team responsible for supporting the implementation of long-term and short-term projects, with a specific focus on financial reporting within the donor requirements.
Mbali has extensive financial experience, with more than 10 years’ working experience, in the accounting field, having previously worked in an accounting firm. Throughout her working experience she has developed her abilities in key areas such a bookkeeping, financial and tax calculation.
She holds a National Diploma in Internal Auditing from Vaal University of Technology.
Brigitte Read
Project Manager
Brigitte Read is a seasoned program manager with extensive experience running media development projects in Africa. She established the Wits Africa-China Reporting Project within the Wits Centre for Journalism, where she also worked on premier events like the African Investigative Journalism Conference and Taco Kuiper Awards for Investigative Journalism. She hosted dozens of workshops and media leadership conferences across the continent with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s Media Programme Sub-Sahara Africa and most recently worked to support media innovation and sustainability in Southern Africa with the Media Development Investment Fund.
Brigitte studied at Rhodes University before her early career in newspaper newsrooms, magazines and PR. She also completed an Honours (with distinction) and Masters degree in Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Tsakane Hara
Compliance Officer
Tsakane Hara is a seasoned Skills Development Practitioner with over two decades of experience spanning the retail, banking, and training sectors. With a strong foundation in retail operations, employee relations and compliance, she has successfully transitioned her passion for empowering others into a fulfilling career in education and training in the media space.
Tsakane has facilitated a wide range of accredited programs, including Business Administration, Management, ITAMED (Informal Traders and Micro Enterprises Development) and Retail qualifications, through leading training institutions such as Ifundi, Tusanang Training Academy, OMNIHRC and MSC Enterprise. Her ability to lead, coach, and inspire has made her a sought-after facilitator, particularly in youth development and disability empowerment programs.
She is an accredited assessor with the W&R SETA, Services SETA, and Bev SETA, committed to equipping learners with skills that lead to tangible employment outcomes.
Beyond the classroom, Tsakane’s leadership has seen her manage projects, chair disciplinary hearings, and contribute to national training strategies. At Frayintermedia College of Communication, she continues to channel her deep belief in human potential into transformative learning experiences.
Lesego Mbedzi
Junior Marketing and Administrator Officer
Lesego Mbedzi is a dedicated and enthusiastic Marketing Management graduate currently working as a Junior Marketing and Admin Officer at fraycollege. She plays a key role in supporting marketing campaigns, assisting with administrative tasks, and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. Passionate about what she does, she aims to enhance the company’s outreach and brand image.
Lesego Mbedzi is organised, a problem solver, and always eager to learn more. With a strong foundation in marketing principles and administration, she is committed to growing her expertise and making a meaningful impact in the industry.
Address
fraycollege,
Technology House,
Greenacres Office Park,
Victory Park,
Johannesburg,
2195
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