Pontsho Pilane

She/Her

Is a feminist communications strategist, researcher, and writer based in Johannesburg. With more than a decade of experience across journalism, advocacy, research, and civil society leadership, her work sits at the intersection of feminist theory, public health, and media, centring health equity, bodily autonomy, and the politics of knowledge production. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Media Studies and International Relations, as well as a Master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand. She is currently a PhD candidate at Stellenbosch University, where her research critically examines public health, media, and policy through a feminist and political lens, with particular attention to how knowledge about health and illness is produced and circulated. Pontsho’s primary expertise lies in feminist communications, public health advocacy, and digital media. She is skilled in translating complex research and policy into accessible, politically grounded narratives that engage diverse audiences. She currently serves as Communications and Advocacy Manager at the Soul City Institute for Social Justice, where she leads national communications strategy and advocacy, including work to bring the iconic Soul City drama series back to television. She is the founder of the #FreeToBleed campaign, which successfully challenged menstrual stigma and advocated for free sanitary products in public schools. She is the author of Power and Faith: How Evangelical Churches Are Quietly Shaping Our Democracy and co-author of Flow: The Book About Menstruation. Pontsho envisions a world where health, dignity, and bodily autonomy are guaranteed and where knowledge is produced with communities, not imposed on them.