Team

Get To Know The Team Behind Elevate-HER

Elevate-HER is powered by a courageous team of South African women breaking new ground in high-altitude mountaineering. Made up of professionals, mothers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, the team brings together a wealth of life experience, determination, and untapped potential. Each woman contributes uniquely to the mission to summit the world’s Seven Volcanic Peaks. United by resilience, purpose, and a deep sense of sisterhood, they are not only climbing mountains — they are transforming the landscape of possibility for women across South Africa.

Barriers Broken

85%

Strength Gained

80%

Momentum Built

70%

The Team

A team of dedicated and passionate aspiring women mountaineers lead by Sibusiso Vilane to bring Elevate-HER’s vision to life. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences enrich the program and provide relatable role models for participants.

Elevate-Her Founder

Sibusiso Vilane

A renowned South African mountaineer, spearheads Elevate-HER. He is the first Black man from South Africa to summit Everest from both the South and North sides and a conqueror of the highest peaks on each of the seven continents and has led 38 successful Kilimanjaro summits. Sibusiso Vilane is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment through mountaineering. He leads the Elevate-HER team with vision and dedication.
Elevate-Her Member

Mpume Nyandu

I AM a woman on a relentless quest for new challenges. From summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro to tackling Everest Base Camp, I have challenged the fact that asthmatics cannot do high-altitude mountains. I have dared white-water rafting in the river Ganges in India although I am not a swimmer, and once I stood atop the Swiss Alps even though I can’t ski. Recently, I soared into the skies, skydiving to confront my acrophobia head-on. I hardly let anything stand in my way, and refuse to say: “I came, I saw, and I ran away.” My WHY for the 7 Volcanic Peaks is to inspire others, proving that the power of the mind can propel the body to unimaginable heights. I also seek to shatter stereotypes about what women can or cannot achieve, reminding the world that the only limits that exist are the ones we place on ourselves.
Elevate-Her Member

Bongiwe Ncube

I'm not your typical mountain enthusiast. My life's journey has been a unique blend of conquering peaks, both in the wilderness and within myself. While I have a deep love for the mountains and an unshakable passion for fitness, I'm also on a journey to manage and overcome the challenges of living with a mental condition. Scaling this majestic peak was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and it showed me that with determination, even the highest summits can be reached.
The discipline I've cultivated in the gym and the solace I've found in the mountains have played pivotal roles in my ongoing journey toward mental well-being. The mountains have been my sanctuary, offering solace, perspective, and healing. Nature's beauty and serenity have a way of soothing the mind and nurturing the soul. My experiences in the great outdoors have taught me that trekking is not just about conquering summits but also about conquering the barriers within ourselves.
Elevate-Her Member

Xoliswa Kakana

I grew up in the Eastern Cape, spending school holidays at my grandmother’s homestead in Baziya, a bustling farm with over 200 sheep, 50 goats, and 30 cows. My days were spent herding sheep, exploring hills, and occasionally sneaking onto the nearby mountain (sorry, Granny!). The mountain became my sanctuary—where I found resilience, faced fears, and built strength (yes, even those nerve-wracking wire bridges). Today, my life metaphors often come from those rugged heights. Mountains are where I feel grounded, adventurous, and connected—though I now prefer summiting them over chasing runaway sheep! Even today at 60 years I still say “ain’t no mountain high enough”
Elevate-Her Member

Tebogo Madumo

I am an avid nature lover who grew up in a village surrounded by a mountain and a river where my adventurous and fearless disposition was stimulated. In high school I was a member of a Nature Conservation Club where I was involved in nature preservation projects. I also roughed it out in the Girl Guides Clubs.
I recently conquered the Thaba-Ntlenyana peak and am on a drive to surmount a few more, God willing. Being out in the mountains is such an indescribable feeling that one wants to re-live over and over again; hence the pull to keep going back. Everything is so pure and clean, just as God intended it. Love it.
I love pushing boundaries and always surprise myself on how deep within I can dig when faced with physical and mental challenges to overcome. We all can. Yes, we can.
Elevate-Her Member

Motlalepule Seitelo

I am an adventurous Black South African woman with an undying passion for hiking and mountaineering. On December 7, 2024, I stood in awe as I summited Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro, pinching myself continuously as the moment brought back memories of summiting Mafadi, South Africa’s highest peak—a climb first envisioned during an expedition in Namibia’s Fish River Canyon. That journey was a natural progression from countless local hikes, including trails in the Drakensberg, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape. My love for hiking began in Pretoria, though my roots are in Bloemfontein. With an unwavering belief in the power of perseverance, my mission is to conquer the Seven Volcanic Summits.
Elevate-Her Member

Lungiswa Tshayana

I am a late bloomer: as a young person I took life seriously and rarely played. Life’s complexities pushed me to a position of surrender. I am now an adventurous, mature woman, with a quest to inspire and showcase what is possible when we don't limit ourselves. I grew up in the deeply rural villages of the Eastern Cape with inadequate infrastructure. Going up and down the mountains, herding cattle and other livestock as well as collecting wood were some of my childhood household chores. Getting such exposure gave me the courage not to shy away from male-dominated environments in choosing my career: I am a retired police officer who takes pride in maintaining my physical fitness. I finished the Comrades Marathon, one of the most challenging endurance races in the world, at the age of 55 years, summited Mount Kilimanjaro at the age of 57, trekked to the Mount Everest Base Camp, and also submitted Kala Phatthar peak in Nepal at the age of 62. On 11 January 2024, I confronted my fear of heights by doing the Bloukrans Bungy Jump which is 216m. We might not be able to alter people’s circumstances but we can offer hope and inspire ordinary people to pursue their goals.
Elevate-Her Member

Sibongile Shongwe

I have always been sporty, or should I say an adrenaline addict from running to all types of ball sports. I participated in school athletics, represented my province in both netball and volleyball and got national colours in basketball. Currently road running is my delight, my serenity space. And yes, being a South African I’ve run the Comrades marathon, a double green number holder. I got exposed to hiking albeit briefly whilst in a youth club many years ago, and discovered my love for the outdoors but never pursued it due to resource unavailability. When I decided to trek recently, I double-summited Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. I am happier, content and connect deeper with the self on the mountains.
These volcanoes for me are evidence that our background, past, stereotyping, circumstances, or gender doesn’t define us. There’s infinite power and amazing capability within us waiting to be unleashed, take courage!