On 7 August 2026, the Mail & Guardian (M&G) published its annual list of accomplished young South Africans. More than 30 Wits graduates are featured in the 2026 Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans list, recognised for their leadership and impact across sectors including law, climate action, the arts, technology, public service, media, mining and social justice. Kudos to the 38 Wits graduates!
Arts and CultureBongani Ngomane (MA 2021) is a leader and acting PR and communications practitioner at the South African State Theatre. He combines creative insight with strategic communication to strengthen one of the country's leading cultural institutions. He is pursuing a PhD and is the founder and editor of the South African Theatre Review, a platform dedicated to critical engagement with the performing arts. His contributions have been recognised through honours including Inside Education's 100 Shining Stars in Arts and Culture and the Human Sciences Research Council's Emerging Researcher Award.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-bongani-nicholas-ngomane/
Palesa Mnyaka (BA DA 2017, MA 2018) is a manger in the Directorate of Arts, Culture and Heritage for the City of Johannesburg and is at the forefront of how the city perceives itself. As a cultural policy specialist and public heritage practitioner, she is using innovation to bring history out of archives and into everyday life. She has led pioneering projects, including the digital mapping of Johannesburg's public art collection, heritage sites and blue plaques.
She has also championed the use of augmented and virtual reality at sites such as The Wilds and the Dr Xuma House Museum, creating new ways for people to engage with the city's past.
Mongezi Ntukwana (BA DA 2020, PGCE 2023) is the founder and CEO of Aziye Productions, an independent theatre company dedicated to creating original South African work that combines artistic excellence with social impact. As a theatre-maker, writer, director and producer, Ntukwana is committed to telling stories that challenge, inspire and create opportunities for emerging artists. His acclaimed production Yangthola! received the Standard Bank Bronze Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival before winning the Naledi Theatre Award for Best Fringe Performance. In 2025, he was appointed artistic director of the Arts & Culture Trust's Nyoloha Scholarship Programme. He was also selected as one of 12 associate playwrights in the Market Theatre Foundation's 2026 Play Development Programme.
Christopher Mpehle (BA Hons 2018) is the chief financial officer of Ultra Focused Medical Technologies and he is driven by how finance can improve people's lives. The loss of both his parents to chronic illness shaped a career dedicated to making advanced medical care more accessible.
At 34, he leads the financial strategy behind medical innovation and he brought South Africa’s first High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound JC 300 machine into the country, managing international purchasing, currency exchange and regulatory approvals.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-christopher-welile-mpehle/
Nishka Hemrajh (BSc 2019) is chief of staff at Antimatter, world's first full-stack neo-cloud, formed from the merger of Hivenet, Policloud, and Data Factory. Her career spans strategy, operations and leadership, strengthened by and MBA from HEC Paris, which she completed in 2023. Through the Women@Dior programme with Unesco, she co-founded Hive & Thrive, an initiative supporting women in Kenya's Eburu Forest. The idea was deliberately simple: provide women with beehives so the honey they produce becomes an income that belongs to them. The beehives are not a donation or a wage, but productive assets that continue generating income long after the project has ended. The initiative was selected as one of the programme's top 20 global finalists, and its first cohort of girls aged six to 12 successfully completed the programme.
Benjamin Kollenberg (BAS 2015, BAS Hons 2018, MArch 2019) is the architectural director at Urban Think Tank Empower. He hopes to be remembered for the communities architects helped rebuild through affordable housing. With a master's degree in architecture (cum laude), Kollenberg has played a pivotal role in developing a landmark public-private partnership that will unlock affordable housing across 21 sites in Cape Town. He also led the design of the award-winning Soweto Caracas Community Centre, and was recognised with the South African Institute of Architects' highest honour. His greatest influence was his late grandfather, architect Stanley Victor (BArch 1951), whose curiosity never waned.
Zikhona Ngqula (BA 2019, MA 2021) is a researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council and a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town. Her work focuses on environmental justice, water governance and public policy, with a particular emphasis on restoring the country's freshwater ecosystems. Her doctoral research examines the habitability of the polluted Diep River catchment, particularly the Milnerton Lagoon, and explores how communities can play a leading role in protecting and restoring vulnerable environments. In 2025, Ngqula received the HSRC's Emerging Research Excellence Award, secured research funding from the Wenner-Gren Foundation and African Studies and was named a Carnegie Foundation Fellow.
Dr Nozipho Sibiya-Zulu (PhD 2026) the senior policy specialist for Africa at the Principles for Responsible Investment where she works to channel private capital into climate action and sustainable development across the continent. She bridges science, policy and finance and works with governments, regulators, stock exchanges and investors to strengthen responsible investment, improve sustainability disclosures and support more resilient, inclusive economies. Her career has been recognised with academic scholarships, research awards and national recognition on SABC News' Stories Untold: Women in Science.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-dr-nozipho-sibiya-zulu/
Ditebogo Lebea (BCom 2020) is the implementation manager for the Article 6 Connect programme at GIZ South Africa. She leads efforts to strengthen carbon markets under the Paris Agreement. She has built a career around making climate policy more inclusive and practical.
She led the development of South Africa's first Youth Climate Action Plan and helped coordinate youth contributions to the City of Johannesburg's Climate Action Plan. As a junior climate negotiator at the UN Climate Change Conference, Lebea contributed to discussions on gender-responsive climate action and capacity building. She also chairs the National Research Foundation's Global Change Science Committee, bridging research and policy.
Ntombi Maphosa (LLB 2016, LLM 2019) is an attorney in the Pollution and Climate Change Programme at the Centre for Environmental Rights. She is using the law as a tool to protect communities living on the frontline of industrial pollution and the climate crisis.
She combines strategic litigation with advocacy to hold polluting industries accountable for violating air quality laws. She played a leading role in the landmark Deadly Air litigation, in which the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld that the state has an immediate constitutional obligation to protect people from harmful air pollution. She is also leading litigation challenging Eskom's exemption from complying with air pollution laws at eight coal-fired power stations.
Sanelisiswe Mabaso (BSc 2022, BHS Hons 2022) is a communications and media specialist at the United Nations Global Compact Network. She helps people understand sustainable development in a simple and practical way. She explains complex ideas about the Sustainable Development Goals and responsible business in clear, engaging messages for conferences, publications and public communication. One of her proudest achievements is the SDG Flag Campaign South Africa, which she conceived and delivered from idea to execution. By securing participation from the UN South Africa Country Office and companies including Sasol, the campaign boosted the organisation's online reach and amplified the message behind the global goals.
Shaun Kinnes (BA 2022, BA Hons 2023 MA 2024) is a parliamentary researcher for the Democratic Alliance. He advises members serving on the police, international relations, home affairs and defence committees on policy, legislation and emerging issues. He also serves as a voluntary working group member with the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, contributing to an initiative examining how sustainability and climate resilience transitions can fuel criminal, corrupt or violent resistance and how governance and justice systems can respond. Kinnes has also worked with the South African Institute of International Affairs and Accord. His contribution to Zambia's Green Growth Strategy, helped policymakers respond to climate-related conflict and disasters.
Tumisang Kalagobe (BSc Eng 2020) is a growth and partnerships executive at Plentif, a tech company that builds smart hardware and artificial intelligence software to manage home energy.
He is helping redefine how electricity is generated, managed and consumed. He structured Plentify's partnership with global inverter manufacturer Deye, creating Africa's largest residential virtual power plant with more than 160 000 connected batteries. He also secured partnerships with smart metering giant Conlog and helped secure European Union funding for Project Smart Solar with eThekwini Municipality, a pioneering initiative bringing residential demand response to one of South Africa's largest cities.
Vuyiswa Hlongwane (PDM 2024) is the chief of staff, Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association where she works to ensure Africa has a stronger voice in decisions that involve capital flows.
She helps translate the organisation’s strategic priorities into action while supporting initiatives across private equity, venture capital, private debt and other forms of private capital. Hlongwane's work is driven by a belief that investment can unlock sustainable infrastructure, climate resilience and inclusive economic growth when it is aligned with Africa's priorities.
Zaheer Sooliman (BA Digital Art 2024) is the co-founder and executive director of the Global Africa MUN Agency (G.A.M.A.). He is helping reshape how young Africans engage with global diplomacy and he is creating opportunities for young people to develop the skills, confidence and international perspective needed to influence global decision-making.
He is completing a master's degree in media, communications and creative industries at Sciences Po Paris as the first South African recipient of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. He has also served as a junior policy negotiator supporting South Africa's participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations and represented the country as a youth delegate at the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York.
Bongani Shabangu (BEd 2019, BEdHons 2020, MEd 2022) is a lecturer in history education at North-West University and helps communities tell their own histories by putting Indigenous knowledge at the centre of his work. He teaches future educators and one of his proudest achievements is working alongside Indigenous communities in Somerset to document their histories and preserve their collective memory for future generations. He credits his late grandmother as the greatest influence on his life. Denied an education by the inequalities of her time, she instilled in him an unwavering belief in the transformative power of learning.
Seadimo Tlale (LLB 2017) is an advocate and former Constitutional Court law clerk to Justice Johan Froneman. She has earned recognition for her commitment to justice, including UCLA's U Serve LA Award and personal acknowledgement from Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw for her contributions to racial justice scholarship and advocacy.
Beyond the courtroom, she founded the Advocates for Transformation Academic Support Programme, she serves as secretary of the Young Bar Committee and co-founded Chess Kidding, a youth development initiative that uses chess to develop critical thinking and expand educational opportunities for children.
Atlehang Molefe (BA 2020, PDM 2021) is a PhD candidate at the Wits School of Governance and a lecturer in politics and government at STADIO Higher Education. She is part of a new generation of scholars challenging how power, policy and technology shape everyday life. She teaches politics and governance, supervises student research and develops curricula that encourage critical thinking and active citizenship. She is the recipient of the prestigious Amrit Bowan–Laloo Chiba Scholarship from the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Her research has also reached international audiences through presentations at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, placing South African scholarship at the centre of global conversations on democracy and governance.
Hluma Ralane (BA 2019, BA Hons 2020, MUS 2023) is the project coordinator: Africa-US City Relations Project at the African Centre for the Study of the United States. He is an urban development practitioner, researcher and project coordinator is helping shape the future of African cities by connecting research with real-world solutions. He also coordinates the Smart Cities Lab, creating platforms where policymakers, researchers and industry leaders exchange knowledge, strengthen skills and develop practical responses to urban challenges. In 2025, he led the lab's Re-imagining Smart African Cities programme, exploring innovative approaches to resilient city development. He also supports the Charter Cities Institute, helping foster partnerships that promote economic growth and urban transformation across the continent.
Nokukhanya Mthiyane (BHS Hons 2024) is a cytopathology scientist and training facilitator at Lancet Labs. Mthiyane plays a critical role in the early detection and diagnosis of cancer, analysing laboratory samples that help clinicians make life-changing treatment decisions.
She founded Mzansi Careers With Khanya, an initiative helping young South Africans make informed career choices through school visits, a monthly slot on Radio Kwezi 90.5FM and a comprehensive career magazine. Her impact has also earned her a nomination for Healthcare Professional Educator of the Year at the 2026 African Health Excellence Awards.
Shandukani Taylor Mufumadi (BA 2022, BA Hons 2023) is the founder and CEO of AfriNextGen Magazine. She is cultivating a continental network of young Africans determined to shape the future. She leads strategic storytelling and direction of a Pan-African platform connecting young leaders across more than 20 countries. Under her leadership, AfriNextGen has forged partnerships with organisations including the BRICS Women's Business Alliance, YD-Colab and Africa Matters Initiatives, strengthening entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability and youth leadership across Africa.
Read more
https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-shandukani-taylor-mufamadi/
Sibusisiwe Buthelezi (BA Hons 2022) is the director of Msebeyelanga Media. She has built a career on asking the questions others avoid. Whether exposing wrongdoing, moderating difficult national conversations or producing investigative television, she has established herself as one of South Africa's most formidable journalistic voices. She leads a Black-owned journalism company providing editorial services to several news organisations. She also presents the Nguni current affairs programme Asikhulume on SABC 1, produces the legal show Case in Point on SABC 404 and works as a producer on M-Net's investigative programme Carte Blanche. Her work is driven by a commitment to accountability, public interest and telling stories that matter. She is the reigning Vodacom Journalist of the Year, honoured for an investigation produced for eNCA’s Checkpoint, and has earned multiple industry accolades, including two South African Film and Television Awards.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-sibusisiwe-sebe-buthelezi/
Ntokozo Mlaba (BCom 2023) is the managing director at Umkaphati Artists. He is part of a new generation of South African filmmakers reshaping the country’s cinematic landscape through stories that are as visually arresting as they are socially urgent.
His debut documentary, A Shadow of the Liberation (2021), was followed by the acclaimed To Be Seen (2022), which won Best Narrative Short at the Blackboard International Film Festival and a Special Mention for Direction at the Eastern Europe Film Festival. The trilogy continued with The Passage (2024), sponsored by Absa and premiered at the New York African Film Festival. He has also been recognised with the Joburg Film Festival Young Voices Award in 2024 and the SAFTA Emerging Filmmaker Award in 2026. Read his interview with Alumni Relations earlier this year.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-ntokozo-mlaba/
Nokwanda Sihlali (BA 2012, MA 2015) is a researcher at University of Cape Town's Land and Accountability Research Centre. She is documenting the stories that rarely make headlines but shape the lives of millions of South Africans. Working within the Alliance for Rural Democracy, Sihlali combines legal and policy analysis with community-based research to advance the recognition and protection of informal land rights.
In 2025, she was nominated for the Empowerment in Action Awards for her work supporting girls and women in Cape Town. The same year, she published her debut poetry collection, Kwandis Shandis, which was shortlisted for Book Lounge's Book of the Year, cementing her place as both a researcher and creative voice.
Sbonelo Thandolwenkosi Nkomo (BCom 2020, LLB 2022) is an associate attorney at Richard Spoor Incorporated Attorneys. He was raised in a remote farming community in KwaZulu-Natal and became the first person there to attend both high school and university. Today he represents the rural communities whose voices have too often been excluded. Nkomo specialises in constitutional and public interest litigation, focusing on land rights, environmental justice and mining-affected communities.
Admitted as an attorney of the High Court in 2025, he has worked on landmark cases, including the ongoing Xolobeni and Wild Coast N2 litigation on behalf of the Amadiba communities, where customary land rights and meaningful community participation remain at the heart of the dispute. He has also acted for the Mgungundlovu Communal Property Association and contributed to litigation advancing environmental justice across Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and North West. In 2026, he was selected to speak at the Roots2Justice Africa Forum, reflecting his growing voice on the links between environmental harm, human rights and corporate accountability.
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https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-sbonelo-thandolwenkosi-nkomo/
Dr Sithelo Magagula (PhD 2026) is the director at Finger Attorneys and he is proving that scholarship and legal practice need not exist in separate worlds. He works at the intersection of public procurement, housing law and constitutional governance, advising organs of state while litigating complex matters in the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal. Raised in the rural community of kwaNongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Magagula, 31, completed his PhD in international human rights law while practising full-time as an attorney. Beyond litigation, Magagula has become a respected public voice on constitutional issues. He has written for Mail & Guardian, News24 and De Rebus, and regularly appears on eNCA, Kaya FM and CapeTalk, making complex legal issues accessible to the public.
Mpho Mvelase (PGDip 2026) is a senior associate at MNS Attorneys, where he specialises in construction and engineering law, public procurement law and alternative dispute resolution. He advises both public and private sector clients on complex litigation, procurement, construction and infrastructure matters, helping organisations navigate high-stakes legal challenges with confidence and strategic insight. His appointment as senior associate marks a significant milestone in his career, reflecting not only his legal expertise but also his role in mentoring junior practitioners and contributing to the firm's growth.
Outside the office, he enjoys pushing his physical limits, having completed Hyrox three times and the Deadly Dozen endurance challenge once.
Michelle Sithole (LLB 2016) is an attorney at the Centre for Environmental Rights and she works to ensure that communities on the frontline of pollution and climate change are heard where it matters most. She is leading the landmark #CancelCoal case, which challenges South Africa’s continued reliance on coal while advancing the constitutional rights of young people whose futures are threatened by climate change.
The matter, now headed to the Supreme Court of Appeal, is helping redefine climate change as an issue of intergenerational justice. A Mandela Washington Fellowship alumna, Sithole is committed to developing the next generation of environmental lawyers through mentorship and accessible training opportunities.
Busisiwe Kamolane-Kgadima (LLM 2022) is the deputy director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). She is an attorney, researcher and executive leader, who represents marginalised communities while driving CALS’s strategic direction, forging partnerships and expanding its research and advocacy agenda. Her career has combined courtroom advocacy with institution-building. She has served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice, established initiatives that broaden access to public interest law and played a leading role in developing the Global South's first anti-SLAPP model law.
One of her proudest achievements is creating a pioneering public interest law moot court competition that equips students — particularly those from historically Black universities — with the legal writing, advocacy and mentorship needed to pursue careers in social justice. In 2024, she became the first and youngest Black woman to serve as acting director of CALS since its founding more than 45 years ago.
Read more
https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-busisiwe-kamolane-kgadima/
Myron Mer (BA 2014, LLB 2015, PDBA 2022) is a director at Fluxmans Attorneys. He advises on business rescue, insolvency, commercial litigation and criminal law, helping steer major companies through financial companies through financial distress while balancing the competing interests of creditors, employees, shareholders and the broader economy. He has played a leading role in some of South Africa's most significant corporate restructurings, including Phumelela Gaming & Leisure, West Pack Lifestyle, Ellies Electronics and Petzone. The Phumelela and West Pack matters were recognised as Business Rescue Transactions of the Year at the DealMakers Awards, reflecting their importance in preserving businesses, protecting thousands of jobs and reshaping the country's restructuring landscape.
Adelaide Mokonyama (MSc Eng 2022) is helping design the future of South Africa’s mining industry, combining engineering precision with long-term thinking to ensure one of the country's most critical resources is extracted responsibly and efficiently. She transforms geological data into practical mining strategies that keep operations productive and commercially viable.
She has led the design and evaluation of new open-pit mining projects, integrating geological modelling, strip ratio optimisation and cost analysis to improve project economics. She has also developed life-of-mine schedules that secure reliable coal supply to power stations while maintaining product quality and operational continuity.
Lindelani Matumba (MSc Eng 2025) is the principal architect for technology architecture at Exxaro Resources. He leads the design and governance of enterprise technology that supports one of South Africa's largest mining companies. His work spans enterprise applications, operational technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data platforms and digital connectivity, ensuring technology delivers long-term value for mining operations and the communities they serve.
He has played a key role in advancing technologies that improve productivity, safety and sustainability, while helping to expand digital connectivity to 54 schools in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, broadening access to digital learning for thousands of learners and teachers. Beyond industry, Matumba has co-authored research on advanced process control in coal processing, delivered guest lectures on artificial intelligence in mining and mentors young people pursuing careers in STEM.
Maureen Phambane (MSc Eng 2024) is the regional communities and social performance manager for Africa and Eurasia at Rio Tinto Exploration. She is helping ensure that the search for critical minerals is guided not only by geology, but by meaningful partnerships with the people and communities who live closest to the resources.
She co-developed Anglo American's Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management Social Performance Playbook, helping to establish a consistent global approach to integrating social performance into tailings management and strengthening organisational capability across international operations.
Mfundo Ngqabishe (BEd 2014, PDM 2017) is the acting senior specialist research, City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. He is turning research into practical action, ensuring that data, governance and public policy create tangible opportunities for young people across Ekurhuleni. Ngqabishe conceptualised Ekurhuleni's Youth Stakeholder Database, connecting more than 400 youth organisations to employment, business and skills opportunities that have benefited hundreds of young people. Through community initiatives, he has also spent more than 15 years helping township learners apply for universities and bursaries.
Joy Tinyiko Sithole (PDM 2022) is a champion for South African indigenous food and the founder of LetsCookMansi. In her kitchen, every ingredient tells a story and she is leading a growing movement to celebrate and reimagine indigenous South African cuisine. Through recipes, digital storytelling and product development, she reaches more than 100 000 followers across social media, challenging outdated perceptions that traditional foods are "poverty food" and instead positioning them as nutritious, climate-smart and worthy of a place on modern tables. Her passion has grown into the LetsCookMzansi food range, featuring products including Xigugu, a traditional sorghum and peanut snack, baked goods and seasonal marula jelly. National audiences also discovered her advocacy on The Taste Master SA Season 6, where she showcased indigenous ingredients such as sorghum, marula and mopane worms, proving they belong in contemporary cuisine.
Dr Thomas Mongwe (MSc 2018, PhD 2021) is a chemistry lecturer at the University of Mpumalanga. He was raised in KwaMhlanga under modest rural circumstances and he developed a deep appreciation for education after walking kilometres to school and overcoming limited access to basic services. He teaches undergraduate chemistry, supervises postgraduate research and helps design the university's chemistry curriculum. His work extends beyond the lecture hall through STEM outreach programmes, where he uses the University's SASOL mobile laboratory to inspire learners across Mpumalanga to pursue careers in science and innovation. Recognised as the University of Mpumalanga's Best Emerging Teacher in 2025, Mongwe is driven by a belief that education and culture together can transform lives.
Read more
https://mg.co.za/2026-08-05-dr-thomas-hlamalani-mongwe/
Atiyyah Limalia (BSc Eng 2017) is a principal data scientist at Vodacom South Africa. She leads the development of data science and generative AI solutions that improve customer experiences, strengthen business operations and advance speech and language technologies for South Africa's diverse linguistic landscape. Her work spans conversational AI, multilingual language technologies, speech analytics and predictive modelling, taking innovations from concept to deployment.
She also conducted award-winning healthcare engineering research, developing machine learning models that detect depression from voice, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can improve lives beyond the commercial sector.
Selisha Sooklal (BSc 2013, BSc Hons 2014, PhD 2019) is a senior lecturer at the University of South Africa (Unisa) where she leads a research laboratory focused on developing innovative biocatalysts and novel anticancer drug candidates. Her research has resulted in two patented anticancer drug candidates with commercial potential, earning her and her co-inventors three UNISA Research Excellence Awards in 2025.
She has also secured competitive funding, including two NRF Thuthuka grants, which has supported international research placements at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague. These collaborations have strengthened global partnerships while introducing advanced research methodologies to her laboratory in South Africa. After leading UNISA's Biotechnology stream for almost five years, she is now spearheading the development and accreditation of a new honours degree in biotechnology.
*This list only contains Wits graduates whose degrees have been verified by the Alumni Relations Office. No Wits staff members or current students have been included. If we have left anyone out, please accept our sincere apologies and contact our office.