Meet the Cape Town Committee 2026/2027

Jackie is a Project Manager with a background in Scrum and Scaled Agile, passionate about continuous learning, collaboration, and community. After attending the SUGSA conference in 2019 and experiencing the value of learning, networking, and connecting with others, Jackie was inspired to become more involved in the Agile community. Jackie is excited to give back, share experiences, and contribute to creating opportunities for others to connect, learn, and grow through SUGSA.

Kevin Pedersen is an Agile Coach passionate about helping teams and organisations work better together, embrace continuous improvement, and deliver meaningful outcomes. A long-standing member of the SUGSA community, Kevin believes in the value of sharing knowledge, learning from one another, and creating opportunities for people to grow in their Agile journeys. As Chairperson, he is committed to strengthening the South African Agile community and helping SUGSA remain a place where practitioners can connect, learn, and inspire positive change.

Vanessa Makhutle is a CRM Operations Manager with global experience across digital transformation, data and AI, CRM, and customer growth initiatives. Scrum-certified and passionate about people and continuous development, Vanessa enjoys empowering others through mentorship and creating opportunities for people to grow. She brings the same resilience, discipline, and growth mindset from her love of marathon running to the SUGSA community, where she is excited to connect, contribute, and help others thrive in their Agile journeys.

From conversation to transformation, I believe meaningful change starts when people come together. I’m passionate about collaboration, connection, and creating spaces where people can learn from one another and grow together. My approach is simple authenticity over perfection.

Yamkela is a Software Engineer and a technology enthusiast who enjoys connecting with people, building useful solutions, and contributing to communities that create meaningful value. With a passion for curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement, he enjoys exploring how technology and people can come together to make everyday work simpler and more impactful. Beyond technology, Yamkela is passionate about bringing people together through events, sport, and community initiatives. Through SUGSA, he hopes to contribute, learn, share, and help create a community where people genuinely enjoy connecting and growing together.