22 June 2026
Masifundise Development Trust Announces Carmen Mannarino as the new Director for 5 years
Today, officially announced the appointment of Carmen Mannarino as our new Director effective from 1 June 2026. Carmen Mannarino takes the leadership role at a critical moment as we scale up our fight for small-scale fishers and communities in South Africa to enable them to secure their social, economic, and political rights and to demand redistribution of access to natural resources and roll back of harmful development initiatives and promoting principles of social, economic, and environmental justice. Bringing over 10 – years of working with South African small-scale fishers at local community level in her role as intern and then Programme Manager. Carmen Mannarino also served as acting co-director from January 2024 and had a proven track record of raising funds, building partnerships, joining national campaigns for climate and energy justice, and leading the Fisher People
Tribunal and strategic visioning of Masifundise for the next 5 years.
As chair of the Board of Trustees, I am immensely proud to welcome Carmen Mannarino as the director of Masifundise Development Trust. She brings the exact blend of strategic visioning, the ability to navigate complex power dynamics, politically savvy, and recognised locally and internationally in social movements politically for her passion in fighting injustices of small-scale fishers.
The Board of Trustees has given Carmen Mannarino our full mandate to lead Masifundise Development Trust and will work together with her to implement the strategic plan and to continue with the struggle for justice for small-scale fishers in South Africa.
Professor Moenieba Isaacs (PLAAS, UWC)
Chairperson: Masifundise Development Trust Board
Download announcement here