Joy Mawela is a distinguished professional leading the charge as the Head of the Digital Content Hub at Tshimologong, affiliated with Wits University. With a postgraduate diploma in management, Joy drives the strategy and business development efforts for South Africa’s digital creative industries, spanning animation, gaming, XR (AR and VR), digital music and visual arts.

At Tshimologong, Joy’s role extends to providing crucial support for skills development, incubation, and market access opportunities to emerging talent across the Pan African region. Notably, she has played a pivotal role in establishing Tshimologong’s gaming incubation hub and has spearheaded the groundbreaking Fak’ugesi African Innovation Festival, a landmark event in Africa’s creative landscape.

With a wealth of experience as a broadcaster, funder, and festival program coordinator, Joy brings invaluable insights to her role. Her involvement in numerous co-productions and content curation endeavors has solidified her expertise in the media landscape, contributing to her proficiency in content acquisition and her exposure to diverse film festivals and markets worldwide. Joy remains dedicated to advancing South Africa’s digital creative industries and fostering growth across the Pan African region, demonstrating a proven track record of innovation and leadership in this dynamic field.