Alumni in the spotlight July 2023
- Wits Alumni Relations
Catch up on a wrap of Witsie awards, appointments and newsmakers from the past month.
Awards
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants recognised 13 of its members at its annual Chairman's Difference Makers Awards at the end of May 2023 for making an indelible socio-economic impact. Four of the winners were Wits alumni. Roy Andersen (CTA 1972), chief executive officer at Roy Pty, was the recipient of the Patriotic Award. Victor Sekese (BCom 1989, BAcc 1990), chief executive at SNG Grant Thornton, was awarded the CEO Award. Makole Mupita (BCom 1998), the founder and executive director of Mahlako a Phala Investments, received an award for Excellence in Economic Development for “making a significant impact on the South African economy in the vital domains of infrastructure and energy”. David Shapiro (CTA 1971), chief global equity strategist at Sasfin Securities, was awarded the Social Impact Award for consistently working “to improve lives and make a positive difference”.
Four Wits alumni were among the winners’ list at the 2023 National Science and Technology Forum-South32 Awards held on 13 July 2023: Dr Philemon Mjwara (PhD 1995), Professor Salome Maswime (MMed 2014, PhD 2017), Professor Nosipho Moloto (PhD 2011) and Dr Reza Mia (MBBCh 2006).
During the July graduation season Wits alumnae Dr Pontsho Twala (BSc Eng 2010, MSc 2014, PhD 2022) and Dr Adwoa Issaka (BSc Eng 2009, MSc Eng 2017, PhD 2022) were awarded their doctorates in mining engineering. Radio personality Azania Mosaka (BA Hons 2023) and former Miss SA 2016 Ntandoyenkosi Kunene (BA 2014, BA Hons 2015, MBA 2023) both crossed the stage of the Great Hall. Professor James Sylvester Gates (Junior), commonly known as Jim Gates, is a renowned physicist and mathematician whose ground-breaking contributions have significantly influenced the fields of supersymmetry, supergravity, and superstring theory, and shaped our understanding of the Universe was awarded an honorary doctorate in science.
The National Association of Biology Teachers awarded the 2023 Distinguished Service Award to paleoanthropologist and explorer Professor Lee Berger (PhD 1994, DSc 2014) for enhancing education through biological research.
Leerin Perumal (BSc 2021, BSc Hons 2022) and Cade Peters (BSc 2021, BSc Hons 2022) were awarded SPIE Optics and Photonics Education scholarships – among 72 international outstanding student members based on their potential contribution to optics.
Drs Anastasia Ugwuanyi (PGDip HSEd 2021) and Stavros Nicolaou (BPharm 1986, DSc honoris causa 2019) made the Health and Wellness edition of the Class of 2023 honorees announced by the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD). MIPAD is a global civil society initiative in support of the International Decade for People of African Descent, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution.
Appointments
Cell C appointed Vodacom veteran Rachael Ayo-Oladejo (MBA 2011, PDipBusAd 2018) as its new chief of staff, strategy, and business transformation. She has more than 17 years of experience in the telecom sector. She started her career in Airtel in Nigeria and moved to Vodacom’s consumer business unit.
Sashin Sookroo (MBA 2016) has been appointed CEO of FNB Connect, the mobile virtual network operator of FNB. about He has been at FNB for 14 years.
AB InBev Africa appointed Bridget Ngwakwana Makhura (BSc 2004, BSc Hons 2006, MSc 2011) as vice president of people. She spent eight years in various positions at SAB including as managing director and board member of Eswatini Beverages, regional commercial director and board member at Maluti Mountain Brewery in Lesotho as logistics manager.
Sayuri Moodliar (PhD 2018) was appointed head of environmental, social, and governance at Open Access Data, the data centre company. With more than 25+ years of sustainability and infrastructure project finance experience, Moodliar has collaborated with multinational corporations in Sub-Saharan Africa and worldwide.
Former Telkom group chief executive officer Sipho Maseko (BA 1993) has joined retailer Shoprite’s board as independent non-executive director. Maseko resigned from the Telkom group as CEO in December 2021 after nine years at the helm. His appointment comes a few weeks after he tried to lead a consortium to buy a controlling stake in the telephony group.
James Mckay (BSc Building Science 1972) has been appointed CEO of the energy council of South Africa.
Newsmakers
Cities are the future for South Africa, but bad governance takes them back to the past, wrote Ann Bernstein (BA 1976, BA Hons 1977). She outlined that few cities are close to realising the enormous promise.
Dr Lee Fairlee (MMed 2014) Wits RHI talked about new treatment for children living with HIV, only half of kids are on treatment. Several sessions at the 11th SA AIDS conference, recently held in Durban, highlighted that key HIV numbers such as treatment coverage are much lower in children than in adults.
Minesh Bhangaloo (BA Hons 2006) chatted about his role as Ford SA’s director of communications.
Zakhele Mthembu (BA 2020, LLB 2022), legal researcher at Free Market Foundation, wrote an article in about how the Road Accident Fund should be left to the free market.
Alan Hirsch (BA Hons 1978, BSc 1978), research fellow at the New South Institute and The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, wrote that South Africa’s anti-immigrant sentiments are hindering policy reform.
Human rights lawyer, social justice activist and director of the Health Justice Initiative Fatima Hassan (BA 1993, LLB 1995) is pushing for greater transparency around vaccine contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Health has signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with several pharmaceutical companies, at the latter’s request, in effect trading secrecy for vaccine supplies. These manufacturers made huge profits off the back of the public – but away from public scrutiny.
Andy Kuper (BA 1996, BA Hons 1997), the co-founder and chief executive of LeapFrog Investments met King Charles III and President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle, where he announced a $750 million (R13.4 billion) investment plan to combat climate change.?
Business Unity South Africa’s vice president and group CEO of Discovery Adrian Gore (BSc 1985, BSc Hons 1987, DCom honoris causa 2017), said CEOs from over 115 leading corporations operating in South Africa have formally pledged to help the country overcome the problems undermining inclusive economic growth. He said that the pledge was not merely a symbolic gesture, but a “concrete commitment to drive change in key sectors that are essential for our economic recovery”.