Chairperson: Delon Bakker
(Mannequin Films)
Delon Bakker is a South African film producer with almost 20 years’ experience across local and international film and television. Some of his producing credits include Trevor Noah: The Daywalker, London Calling (Josh Duhamel), Muzzle: City of Wolves (Aaron Echart), and World’s Strangest Jobs (Schalk Bezuidenhout), Rogue (Megan Fox), Shaft 6 (Vuyo Dabula) reflecting a career spanning across genre and format.
A SAFTA-winning producer, Bakker has also served on the National Film and Video Foundation Council, contributing to the strategic development of South Africa’s screen sector. He has spent the past four years with the Independent Producers Organisation, where he currently serves as Chairperson. In this role, he advocates for independent producers, supports industry-wide policy engagement, and works to strengthen the position of South African producers in relation to financing, incentives, regulation, and international competitiveness.
Deputy Chairperson: Wandile Molebatsi
(Coal Stove Pictures)
Wandile Molebatsi is a Producer and a founder at Coal Stove Pictures. Coal Stove was started in 2007 and has worked extensively in both the independent and commissioned space content creation space. Wandile has a deep love for African narratives that celebrate the continent and its people. Coal Stove is anchored by the motto of Global African Excellence. After completing his Finance for Non-Financial Managers course at GIBS Wandile was once again reminded of the crucial need for real transformation in the supply chain of the Film & TV sector.
Coal Stove is currently completing their Three Feature Film slate with the NFVF and has secured funding for their first film that will go into production in the third quarter of 2023. In raising funding for the large scale films and telenovelas Wandile has seen first hand the importance of engaging with Financial Institutions. As a producer he has engaged with banks, funders and government funding agencies and from these robust processes great insights have been developed in terms of how access capital can be transformed.
As Chair of the Transformation, Capacity Building and Diversity Subcommittee, Wandile looks forward to engaging with all IPO members and various stakeholders at the provincial and national levels to bring about real and long term viable wealth creation through the creative economy and to ensure that the practical changes in equity and economic activity do reach indeed reach those that have been previously marginalised.
Treasurer: Vlokkie Gordon
(Advantage Entertainment)
Vlokkie Gordon, CEO of Advantage Entertainment, has a career spanning over 35 years in the entertainment industry, with more than 58 motion picture, TV movies and television series credits to her name. Vlokkie is one of South Africa’s most accomplished Line Producers and highly sought after supervising producer/co producer of international and South African productions, and has built up a strong team of South Africa’s most skilled management, technical crew, and production personnel.
Advantage has a diverse slate of projects, both feature films and tv series, locally & internationally collaborating with the best of South Africa’s talented script writers, directors, actors, and producers
Luke Rous
(Rous House Production)
Luke Rous is a creative industry executive who has produced over 350 hours of prime-time scripted drama and comedy and 5 feature films throughout a 20-year career. Career highlights so far include over 50 SAFTA nominations and 15 SAFTA wins, a Rose D’Or nomination for best writing in a comedy series for the 90+ episode running sitcom CITY SES’LA and the SAFTA award-winning drama series HIGH ROLLERS.
Luke co-produced the Canada/SA Hallmark feature A SAFARI ROMANCE, the Amazon feature LUCKY FISH, the Netflix feature BRUID VAN DIE JAAR and in 2023 signed a multi-title output deal with Netflix. Since 2020, Luke has sat on the exco board of the Independent Producers Organization and chaired the IPO’s sub-committee for broadcasting, spearheading the IPO’s “Get On Set” initiative and regularly participating in industry panels and attending world film markets.
Luke has produced for and has intimate knowledge of SABC, eTV, M-Net, BET Africa, eVOD and Netflix. Luke started The Good Story 48 Hour Short Film Challenge in 2018 with friends from his local church with a view to create a platform for Christian film makers to meet, learn and hone their craft. In addition his creative industry experience, through the Save SA Film Jobs coalition, Luke has been actively involved in sector advocacy and governance initiatives aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the South African screen sector.
Paul Buys
(Rose and Oaks Media)
Paul Buys is a South African film and television producer, celebrated for his significant contributions to the country’s entertainment industry. With a career spanning over two decades, Paul has been a driving force behind numerous acclaimed projects that highlight South African talent and his passion for storytelling and commitment to high-quality productions have secured him a respected place in the South African film and television landscape.
Paul is a Producer of the film, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight. Written and directed by Embeth Davidtz (Schindler’s List, Matilda, Bicentennial Man) which ran at acclaimed international film festivals, Telluride, TIFF and Zurich. The picture has been acquired for worldwide distribution by Sony Pictures Classics for release in 2025.
Paul is the creator and showrunner of the six part series LUDIK, starring veteran South African actor Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy, Blood Diamond). Notably, LUDIK is the first Afrikaans-language series on Netflix and achieved remarkable success, securing a spot on the coveted global top 10 non-English list with 9.86 million hours viewed in its debut week. Beyond LUDIK, Paul has produced award winning work that garnered a bronze Cannes Lion and a gold medal at the Festival of Media Global.
In addition to his achievements in scripted content, Paul serves as the executive producer of The Masked Singer South Africa, which has just concluded its second highly successful season. The Masked Singer SA won Best International Format at the South African National Film and Television awards in 2024. He will also oversee the upcoming seasons of South Africa’s Got Talent and The Voice as executive producer.
He is also a partner at Rose and Oaks Media, a company that has emerged as a key player in the local industry over the past four years and continues to expand its influence beyond South Africa. Paul’s primary focus lies in creating, developing, and producing scripted content.
Jordy Sank
(Sanktuary Films)
Jordy Sank is a two-time South African Film and TV Award-winning Producer, Director and Screenwriter known for his feature documentary “I Am Here” (2021), which also won the Best South African Documentary Award at the Durban International Film Festival (2021). He was honoured with the
Emerging Filmmaker Award at the South African Film and TV Awards (2022), given to one South African filmmaker making waves in the industry.
He is a Durban Talents alumnus (2022) and winner of a Silver Screen Award at the Young Director Awards (2022) in Cannes. In 2022, his short film “Leemtes en Leegheid (A Void)” won Best Short Film at Silwerskermfees, which paved the way for his narrative feature debut, “Die Kwiksilwers (The Quicksilvers)”, which premiered at Silwerskermfees (2024). The film won the Audience Choice Award and is set for theatrical distribution in South Africa on the 1st of May 2025. “Amazeze (Fleas)” (2025) is Jordy’s latest short which premiered at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and at the Durban International Film Festival.
Jordy is driven and passionate about pushing the envelope of South African storytelling and sharing the country’s meaningful and impactful stories with the world.
Irvin Tumelo Mmatladi
(Independent)
As a film and television producer with over 10 years’ experience across development, production, post-production, and delivery, I have worked closely with broadcasters, including the SABC, MultiChoice, and eTV, as well as international platforms. My experience spans editorial oversight, commissioning support, compliance, and operational leadership, providing me with a practical understanding of the full production value chain and the realities independent producers face. In parallel, my work in programme development and business coaching has focused on skills development, transformation, and enterprise growth. This has given me exposure to the broader socio-economic context in which our industry operates, particularly regarding access, capacity building, and inclusive participation in the economy.
Kutlwano Ditsele
(Ten30)
After working freelance presenting, writing, producing from 1998 to 2004, Pepsi founded non-scripted TV production company, Bonngoe TV in 2005; creating and producing over 30 different formats and shows in South Africa, Kenya & Nigeria. Metro FM Awards, Grown Gospel Awards, Afro Cafe, Mzansi Insider, Making Moves, Zooming in on Men…etc. Bonngoe TV now focuses on branded entertainment with shows like Mzansi Cribs Makeover currently on air. – Co-founded Stained Glass in 2012. Produced the likes of Uzalo, eHostela, Ifalakhe, Durban Gen, Lingashoni & The Wife. Uzalo & The Wife currently in production. New projects in development.
He acquired equity in Film Afrika Entertainment in 2019, working in the business as an Executive Director in the company, and a Producer on international productions. Currently producing King Shaka for Paramount+ and Fuqua Films (10 episodes). – Passive investors are various production companies and industry supply chain businesses. Passionate about contributing to the development of the industry, Pepsi is an ardent and effective industry advocate within key stakeholder groups.
Odirile Mekwa
(Quizzical Pictures)
Odirile Mekwa is a Johannesburg-based television production executive. He serves as managing director as well as one of the executive producers at Quizzical Pictures, one of South Africa’s leading television and film production houses.
Over the course of his film and television career, he has serviced prestigious clients and stakeholders including the likes of Industrial Development Corporation, etv, Netflix, SABC, Multichoice, Fremantle and Department of Trade and Industry.
As a Chartered Accountant (SA) with nearly 20 years’ experience he is well versed in the finance and business side of television, investment holdings, and broadcast media industries. He trained with Deloitte in Johannesburg, and over the years he has gained invaluable experience in commercial and operational management, fundraising, restructuring and turnaround, financial reporting, and M&A activities.
Previously Odirile served as the Group CFO for an investment holding company with extensive roots in property investments, BBBEE acquisitions and dealmaking.
Thami Ngubeni
(Thamzin Media)
Thami Ngubeni is an Award-winning Television and Radio host, Producer and Actress with over 2 decades worth of experience in creating content for tv, radio and print and initiating and conducting transformative and insightful conversations with South Africans from all walks of life. She is MD of Thamzin Media. In the past she has held the following roles: – News Anchor at Newzroom Africa – Editor of O, The Oprah magazine SA – Producer at international media giant, Fremantle media and Pearson TV Her Producing and co-producing credits Include: SAFTA award-winning Talk show ‘Life With Thami’ (Best Talk show category) which was licensed by SABC 3 and SABC 2. The show was also licensed to The Africa Channel in the US and some international airlines. She was also Host of the Show. – The Apprentice SA (business Reality show with Tokyo Sexwale) – Maropeng: The Spirit of the Lion King (Docci Reality series) – Interrogation Room (Drama Series) – Life With Thami (Talk show) – Amadoda Emadodeni (documentary series) – SacredFest (studio music show) – SacredFest (Live concert for broadcast) – Family Fortunes (Game Show) – Greed (Gameshow) – Small Talk (Game Show) – Top Billing (magazine show).
She is former Chairperson of the Business Woman’s Association of South Africa’s (BWASA) Gauteng Chapter as a Broadcaster: – She has hosted her Inspirational radio show, the Sacred Space on Metro FM for 16 years. – And the Liberty award-winning news and current affairs talk show on Radio 2000 which focused on the real issues and conflicts that South Africans deal as an actress she has starred in Jozi H, Generations, Known Gods, Critical Assignment amongst others.
Catharina Weinek
(Independent)
PRODUCER + EXECUTIVE PRODUCER + SCREENWRITER + SHOWRUNNER
Cati is producer on Sara Chitambo’s Black People Don’t get Depressed. Her film, Old Righteous Blues was selected to represent South Africa at the Oscars 2025, while The Fragile King won best South African feature at its national awards. In 2024 she won best English pitch at Deental in Cote d’ Ivoire. Cati is an active member of the South African industry where she is focused on delivering artistic films that contribute to meaningful dialogue, while she is also creating bridges to European partners for film production.
Mark Engels
(Impi Film)
Born in Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa: Mark Engels’ film making career includes a diverse array of creative productions crossing the disciplines of award-winning cinematography, directing, and as producer.
Mark’s appreciation for African culture and heritage has seen him create films narratives for many of Africa’s music legends. He received a SAMA Award for “MY AFRICAN DREAM’ with VICKI SAMPSON as well 3 x SASC VISIBLE SPECTRUM Awards for cinematography of music promo shoot of JONATHAN BUTLER & MULTI-CAMERA on the concert films of JOSEPH HILL & BURNING SPEAR.
Mark was twice selected to judge the International Emmy Awards in NYC and has recently co-written, produced and directed the SHOWMAX crime thriller film: MASINGA – THE CALLING – awarded BEST DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL STORY @ PALERMO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025. Also BEST DIRECTOR / BEST SCRIPT @ SIMON SABELA AWARDS & BEST INTERNATUONAL FEATURE FILM / BEST DIRECTOR & BEST SCRIPT @ MEI FILM FESTIVAL. & KHAJURAHO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS in INDIA 2025.
SECRETARIAT
Jade Gezane (Interin General Secretary): gs@ipo.org.za
Thea Aboud (Finance Administrator): accounts@ipo.org.za
Fundi Kamara (intern): communications@ipo.org.za
Fundi Kamara (intern): administrator@ipo.org.za