What makes you interesting?

I am a huge finance nerd and I am very creative. I can make a poster, video, painting, podcast out of almost anything.

• Bio 

  Mamello is a researcher and communications officer at Open Secrets. She holds an MPhil in Justice and Transformation from UCT as well as an MSc in Security, Leadership and Society from King’s College London. Before joining Open Secrets, Mamello worked for the Institute for Justice Reconciliation and the International Centre for Transitional Justice where she contributed to research on transitional justice issues. She is also an activist- digitally and offline. Mamello runs her own poetry blog titled billowing embers.

• Title and Summary of PhD Project 

  (Dis)Information : Reputation Laundering in the Age of Hashtag Activism.

  (A Case Study of Bell Pottinger’s role in State Capture Disinformation in South Africa)

  The thesis is a discourse analysis on the social media conversations on State Capture, particularly around the themes of White Monopoly Capital and Radical Economic Transformation which were the supposed results of a disinformation campaign by London-based PR firm, Bell Pottinger. The theoretical framework from which this analysis will be done, will be based in decolonial theory and Marxist African political thought. The thesis will also unpack the origins of the reputation laundering industry and the its ties to global capitalism, corruption and colonialism.

• Publications 

  1. Michael Marchant, Mamello Mosiana, Paul Holden and Hennie van Vuuren (2020), ‘The Enablers: The Bankers, Accountants and Lawyers that Cashed in on State Capture’, (Open Secrets: Investigative Report and Legal Submission to the State Capture Inquiry.)
  2. Michael Marchant, Mamello Mosiana, Zen Mathe and Leila Khan (2019), ‘The Bottom Line: Who Profits from Unpaid Pensions?, Open Secrets.
  3. Mamello Mosiana, Michael Marchant, Zen Mathe (2019), Look Beyond the Bottom Line (Open Secrets)
  4. Mamello Mosiana and Michael Marchant (2019), 'Greasing the Wheels of State Capture: Corporations Secrecy and Profit', Robbin’ the Hood, Heinrich Boël Stiftung: Southern Africa. Mamello Mosiana (October 2016),
  5. ‘When Born-frees Declare Themselves Unfree: Black Consciousness and Intersectional Feminism as Decolonial Practice for the South African University’, Conference Paper: A study of South Africa and Canada’s TRC (Partnership between the University of Toronto and the University of the Western Cape).

• What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

  Don’t be afraid to start over.