About Us

Action in Autism is a lobbyist, support and fundraising nonprofit organization for people with autism and their families. Our main objective is to improve the quality of life for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their caregivers by building partnerships between people with ASD, their families and the community to provide information, services, learning and research.

Autism is a lifelong condition that impacts on all areas of communication and social interaction. The condition can sometimes manifest itself in severe behavioral problems and cognitive impairment.

COVID-19 - please link to the South African Government's portal at https://sacoronavirus.co.za/.

The founding members of Action in Autism are parents of children with autism. Founded in 2005, we work from a legal, medical, and educational perspective to "put autism on the KwaZulu-Natal map." We are a South African organisation, and our efforts are focused specifically on the needs of those in KwaZulu Natal.

Executive Committee members:

·         Chairperson: Liza Aziz: She is a B. Paed graduate and BA Hon in Media and Communication. She has a son with autism. She is the founding member of Action in Autism and currently sits on the Working Group on Equal Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in the Dept. of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Presidential Working Group on Disability.

·         Vice Chairperson: Adrian Bellengère: He is a lawyer and a senior academic in the Faculty of Law at UKZN. He has an autistic son. 

·         Secretary: Lindiwe Zama: She is a mother of an autistic daughter who attends the Action in Autism Early Intervention Centre

·         Belinda Seevers: She is a parent of a child with autism

·         Karen van Renen: She is a parent of a 37 year old son with autism

·         Lindokhule Gwala: He works for the Department of Education, and he has an Autistic son

·         Gugu Mkhize: She is an Educator, and a single parent of an autistic son

·         Nontokozi Mbatha: She works for eThekwini Municipality, and has a son on the autistic spectrum

·         Pravina Pillay: She is a senior executive at Standard Bank and has a son with autism

·         Melissa Naudé: She is an autistic person who lives independently. She works at Woolworths and is an advocate for people with autism

·         Thandeka Phungula

·         Aneesa Moosa: She is an Occupational Therapist with a Masters degree, who has worked in autism for many years.