Gift Mbuyiselo Thingane, was born and bred in Vereeniging, in the South of Johannesburg.  He is a community activist and matriculated at Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College, Mazimbu, Morogoro, Tanzania. He acquired a B.Tech Degree in Cost & Management Account from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Honours Degree in Business Administration at the Southern Business School, Johannesburg. Mr Thingane joined Sisonke as a board member in 2017.