Why our team matters to makers
SA Makers is built around people who understand the day to day realities of making in South Africa. That means dealing with power cuts, tight budgets, shared space rules, storage limits and the need to keep equipment working week after week. Our team looks at the full picture, from first setup to ongoing support.
We work from our Johannesburg base in Braamfontein and support clients in Sandton, Midrand, Pretoria East, Soweto, Durban, Cape Town and Gqeberha through partner venues and on-the-ground coordination. If you need help with a school lab refresh, a startup space kit, or a maker audit, the right person is ready to guide the next step.
- Practical advice for workshops, training rooms and shared maker spaces
- Support for schools, startups, community groups and small teams
- Planning that takes local conditions into account, including humidity, storage and load-shedding
Naledi Dube leads the business direction
Naledi Dube is the managing director and keeps the business focused on what makers actually need on the ground. She works closely with partners and clients to make sure each service is useful, affordable and ready for real use, not just good on paper. Her approach is simple: clear planning, steady delivery, and sensible support for South African spaces.
She is often involved when a project needs a wider view, especially where training, tools and space planning must work together. Naledi also helps steer new partnerships so our network stays relevant in Johannesburg and beyond.
Training that fits real workshop conditions
Naledi Khumalo, our Training Manager, shapes programmes that are practical for beginners and useful for teams that need a refresher. She focuses on safe tool use, clean working habits and step-by-step confidence building. Her sessions suit people who are joining a makerspace for the first time as well as facilitators who want to sharpen their approach.
She is careful about how training meets space realities. If a venue has limited power points, shared storage or strict opening hours, Naledi adjusts the format so the learning still works. Her goal is to keep people moving forward without wasting time or materials.
- Starter training for new makers and student groups
- Facilitator guidance for shared spaces and school labs
- Support for member onboarding and induction setup
Workshop layouts that work in daily use
Johan van Zyl leads workshop operations and keeps an eye on how tools, tables and storage fit together in practice. He understands that a good layout saves time, reduces damage and helps people work safely around each other. Johan is the person who thinks through circulation space, tool zones and where small items should live so they do not disappear by Friday afternoon.
He also handles maintenance checks and helps clients plan around load-shedding, ventilation and dust control. In coastal areas he pays close attention to corrosion and storage choices, while inland workshops may need different shelving or signage setups. Johan's work is about making the room easier to use every single day.
Community and partnerships across South Africa
Ayanda Ndlovu manages community partnerships and helps connect SA Makers with venues, schools and local networks. She knows that a strong makerspace network is not only about equipment, but also about trust, access and follow-through. Ayanda spends a lot of time matching people to the right venue or support option, whether that is in Soweto, Durban or Pretoria East.
She also helps build relationships that make events, training days and shared projects run properly. If a group needs a maker station set up for an open day or needs support finding a suitable space, Ayanda keeps the communication clear and the next steps practical.
Starter kits, support and network control
Megan Petersen buys starter kit items and makes sure the contents suit South African users, not just generic supplier catalogues. She looks at value, durability and ease of replacement, which matters when a team needs parts that can be restocked without long delays. Megan is especially focused on kits that can cope with transport, storage and frequent use.
Thabo Molefe handles technical support and helps clients sort out equipment issues, setup questions and aftercare. Reuben Naidoo manages the makerspace network and keeps the directory up to date so people can find the right partner venue with less back and forth. Together, they help keep things organised, usable and ready for the next project.
- Megan supports startup space kits and consumables planning
- Thabo assists with technical queries, setup and troubleshooting
- Reuben maintains the makerspace directory and partner network
How to get in touch with the team
If you need space planning, safety signage setup, storage solutions or a maker audit, the best way to reach us is through the enquiry form on our contact page. That keeps the request in one place and helps us route it to the right person first time. Whether your project is in Braamfontein or at a partner venue elsewhere in the country, we will come back with the details you need.
Our team works best when the brief is clear, so include your location, the type of space, and what you want to improve. From there we can advise on the right service, the likely materials needed and what the timeline may look like.