Meet Our Team
Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla
Managing Editor
Bibi-Aisha is an award-winning journalist whose career spans working in radio, television, and development. Previously, she worked for eNCA as a specialist science reporter, and the SABC as the Middle East foreign correspondent, and SAfm current affairs anchor. Her work has appeared on Al-Jazeera, The British Medical Journal, The Guardian, IPS, Nature, SciDev.net and Daily News Egypt. She’s been awarded reporting fellowships from the Africa-China Reporting Project, Reuters Foundation, National Press Foundation, International Women’s Media Foundation, Pfizer/SADAG, and the World Federation of Science Journalists. She’s an Atlantic Fellow For Health Equity.
Ina Skosana
News Editor
Before joining Health-e News Service Ina was the health and medicine editor at The Conversation Africa where she spent her days collaborating with the continent’s leading scientists to translate their research into articles everyone can understand. Ina was previously a health researcher at Africa Check. Prior to that she was a journalist at the Mail & Guardian’s Centre for Health Journalism ( now Bhekisisa). Ina has won several national awards for her reporting and has contributed to the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) guide for reporting on pandemics.
Yoliswa Sobuwa
Senior Health Reporter
Prior to joining Health-e as a senior reporter, Yoliswa spent two years reporting on health at News24. She is dedicated to uncovering stories that shed light on important issues in the healthcare system and society as a whole. As a #Healthnewsbae she believes that she is the voice of the voiceless, and has gone undercover in public health facilities. Her 15 years in the media industry include stints at The Herald in Gqeberha, The Sowetan and City Press.
Palesa Matlala
Photojournalist & Photographer
Palesa is a photojournalist and documentary photographer. Prior to joining Health-e, she wrote for This Ability newspaper focusing on disability activism, and was part of a research team for the SABC 2 disability magazine Activated. Previously, she interned at Bhekisisa Centre of Health journalism. Her interests are telling community health stories, focusing on mental health, women's health and early childhood development, with the aim of informing and educating her readers.
Oratile Kekana
Journalist
Oratile is a journalism graduate from the Tshwane University of Technology. Her journalism journey began at Zebediela FM, where she worked as a news reader. At university, she joined TUT FM as a presenter and producer. She later interned at the Polokwane Observer, where she worked as a general reporter and photographer. In her free time, she’s also a TikTok content creator.
Mapule Pholo
Office manager & Accounts officer
Mapule is Health-e’s office manager and accounts officer. She's the go-to person for any Health-e related queries.Prior to joining Health-e, she worked as Front of House for City Lodge Limited. She's also worked as Community Liaison Officer (CLO) for two community projects. She holds a qualification in office administration and hospitality from Boston City Campus and Business College. Mapule is passionate about youth empowerment, is an aspiring author with published features on FunDza website, and also loves to read books during her spare time.