Inside SANBA: Vision, Community, and Governance

The South African National Blockchain Alliance (SANBA) is a nationwide initiative bridging government, academia, business, and civil society to accelerate blockchain research, innovation, and adoption. As a collaborative ecosystem, SANBA creates a neutral, pre-competitive space for all stakeholders to contribute to the growth of blockchain technology across sectors.

What We Do

SANBA’s mission is grounded in four key objectives:

Build a collaborative ecosystem: Connect key players from academia, government, civil society, and industry to advance blockchain development and application through shared research and innovation.
Develop skills and drive education: Promote blockchain literacy through skills development, public education, and targeted advocacy.
Accelerate adoption: Support the integration of blockchain solutions across all sectors in South Africa.
Address adoption barriers: Act as a strategic lobbying platform to overcome policy, regulatory, and institutional roadblocks to blockchain implementation.

How SANBA Works

Originally launched by the Department of Science and Innovation, the Office of Digital Advantage, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), SANBA is now governed by the blockchain community itself.

The alliance operates through a decentralised structure, where participants serve as “nodes” of expertise—leading projects and driving initiatives in their respective domains. Strategic guidance comes from the Consensus Forum, a group of around 12 nominated blockchain experts representing a diverse cross-section of South Africa’s blockchain ecosystem.

Join the Alliance

Whether you’re an individual enthusiast, academic, startup, public institution, or private enterprise — SANBA welcomes your involvement. Be part of shaping South Africa’s blockchain-enabled future.

What is SANBA?

A national alliance connecting government, business, academia, and civil society to accelerate blockchain adoption and innovation across South Africa. SANBA is supported by DSI, ODA and CSIR.

Education & Training

In partnership with expert providers, SANBA promotes inclusive blockchain learning — from foundational knowledge to advanced use cases in both government and industry.

Membership & Community

SANBA is free to join and open to individuals, students, entrepreneurs, corporates, and public institutions. Members gain access to an active ecosystem, events, and networking.

Our Objectives

Collaborate across sectors to drive blockchain innovation
Educate and build skills through training and advocacy
Adopt blockchain across industries and public services
Advocate for better policies and adoption conditions

Events & Engagement

Take part in symposiums, member-only meetups, working group briefings, and online sessions with local and global blockchain voices. Stay connected and up to date all year round.

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Consensus Forum

Shaping the strategic direction of SANBA

The Consensus Forum is the main advisory body guiding the mission of SANBA to accelerate blockchain adoption, skills development, and innovation in South Africa. Comprising around 12 nominated experts from startups, industry, academia, government, and civil society, the Forum reflects a diverse cross-section of the national blockchain ecosystem.

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Office of Digital Advantage (ODA) hold permanent seats in the Forum. As the name implies, all decisions are made by consensus.

What the Forum does

Provides strategic input on national blockchain objectives
Supports the development of a comprehensive DLT strategy beyond crypto
Recommends focus areas and resource allocation for the next 5 years
Monitors and evaluates progress to ensure alignment with goals
Engages with national stakeholders and represents SANBA at public events
Promotes community growth and ecosystem expansion
Facilitates stakeholder relationships and expectation management

Forum Members

The Forum is made up of professionals with deep expertise in technology, finance, research, and public service. Below are some of its current members:

Andile Molefe	Government Liaison Manager at ODA, CSIR. Leads implementation of digital R&D policy and coordinates national programs in AI, blockchain, and emerging tech. Chair of the SANBA Leadership Forum and guest lecturer in innovation leadership.
Nomvula Khumalo	Technology Strategist CSIR-based expert working across Fourth Industrial Revolution initiatives. Supports systems design and ecosystem integration within SANBA.
Zanele Dlamini	Blockchain Entrepreneur Co-founder and COO of UbuntuChain. Leads public health blockchain innovation with two decades of experience across manufacturing, media, and technology sectors.
Thabo Sithole	Fintech Visionary Chief Strategy Officer at BlockEdge Africa. With a background in tier-1 investment banking, he focuses on building digital asset ecosystems and has led fintech initiatives across Africa.
Lerato Mokoena	Financial Innovation Leader Business Manager at FinBridge. Formerly led blockchain research at South Africa’s securities depository. MIT-certified and active in women’s mentorship in tech.
Sipho Ndlovu	Executive Coach & Technologist A strategist and speaker with over 25 years in financial institutions. Combines coaching and blockchain knowledge to drive future-focused transformation in organisations.
Rendani Tshivhase	Policy Advisor & Foresight Strategist 4IR Commissioner and Technical Advisor at Sasol. Researches innovation ecosystems in emerging markets, focusing on digital transformation and IP strategy.
Buhle Maseko	Research Scientist – Biometric AI Senior researcher at CSIR. Works on iris recognition using computer vision. Mentors postgraduate students and presents research internationally.

Governance Structure

The Consensus Forum operates with minimal bureaucracy and high transparency:

Members serve for 2 years
Chairperson is elected by members
Four meetings per year with additional workshops as needed
Quorum is 50% of members (excluding secretariat)
Agendas and minutes are managed collaboratively with CSIR and ODA
Venue selection is based on convenience of majority

Operating Principles

SANBA is a distributed, ecosystem-led alliance hosted by the CSIR and ODA. It is not a legal entity, allowing it to remain flexible, open, and adaptive. The Forum’s structure and procedures are designed to promote: