Gillian Pillay

Communications Officer – Campaigns Manager

Gillian joined SECTION27 in April 2023 as a Campaigns officer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University. Before joining SECTION27, she worked in a Communications role at the City of Johannesburg.

Gillian has 17 years’ experience as a broadcast journalist with the South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) covering issues related to Health care, Education, Crime and Courts. Through her storytelling she created an awareness to issues related to Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse.

Her most notable ‘in the field’ news assignments include covering the corruption trial of the former late police commissioner, Jackie Selebi. She accompanied aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, to Syria to highlight the humanitarian plight in that country and also reported on the Mozambican floods.

She has summitted Africa’s highest peak, Uhuru, three times, documenting the arduous climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro with Trek4Mandela, to raise funds for sanitary towels for disadvantaged schoolgirls that miss up to 50 days of classroom time.

Gillian is always up for a challenge! When she is not on the ‘beat’, she is somewhat of an adrenaline junkie… from skydiving to bungee off Bloukrans Bridge to being a fitness fanatic!