Witsies dominate M&G Top 200 list
- Wits University
Over 40 Wits alumni, students and staff members were included in the 2019 Mail and Guardian Top 200 supplement.
The annual Mail and Guardian Top 200, supplement, profiles young prolific South Africans under the age of 35 years, who are accomplished and making waves in their various sectors. The call to nominate the shining youngsters who are making positive contributions in the country was made in March this year.
Wits University prides itself in the quality of graduates it produces and the calibre of professionals it attracts. The number of Witsies represented in the list is testament to this. More than 40 Wits alumni, students and staff members were featured in the 2019 list distributed on 28 June 2019 across different the categories below:
Arts and Entertainment
Four Witsies are featured in this category.
Boitumelo Tumy Motsoatsoe holds two qualifications from Wits, including a Master’s of Arts degree. She is the Head of Programmes at Business and Arts South Africa.
Lereko Mfono is playwright for Seeds of Water. He completed an Advance Diploma in Arts from Wits.
Yamkela Khoza-Tywakadi is an entrepreneur, publisher, author, storyteller and farmer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and two honours degrees from Wits.
Khanyisile Mthetwa is a professional flutist and music tutor at Wits.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Five Wits alumni were featured under this category.
Amanda Potelwa is a Managing Director of Pan-African Unleashed Consultancy. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce honours degree in economic sciences.
Diksha Somai Pillay graduated with a chemical engineering degree from Wits. She is Lead of Digital Operations at Anglo American.
Maanda Tshifularo holds a postgraduate diploma in management from Wits Business School. He is the Head of Dialdirect Insurance at Telesure Group Services.
S’onqoba Vuba obtained a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Actuarial Science from Wits University. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Perpetu8 and has served as an executive member of the Wits Convocation.
Refilwe Mashale is Group Tax Manager at Reunert Limited. She holds a Master’s of Commerce in taxation from Wits.
Civil Society
One alumna was featured under this category.
Natasha Allie graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Wits. She is Project and Communications Manager at the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation.
Education
Eight Witsies were featured under this category.
Jessica Breakey is an Associate Lecturer in School of Electrical and Information Engineering at Wits. She also holds a master’s degree in sociology from Wits.
Rendani Mbuvha is a lecturer in the Wits School of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Wits.
Dr Kapil Moothi is Head of Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Johannesburg. He obtained both his master’s and PhD in chemical engineering. His undergraduate degree was also obtained from Wits.
Dr Thabang Sefalafala is an economics lecturer in the School of Economic and Business Sciences at Wits. He holds a PhD in economic sociology from Wits.
Dr Mpho Raborife is a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg. She completed her PhD in computer science from Wits.
Dr Melissa Card is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Johannesburg. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, an honours degree and master’s degree in psychology, all from Wits University.
Bhaso Ndzendze is a Research Director at Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg (UJ). He is also a junior lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations at UJ. He completed a master’s degree in international relations (with distinction) from Wits University.
Ayanda Magida is a Researcher at the Wits Business School. She oversees and manages the research portfolio in the Chair of Digital Business at the School, and is responsible for driving the research agenda and coordinating the School’s master’s and PhD research programmes.
Environment
Four Witsies were featured under this category.
Nomuntu Ndhlovu graduated from Wits with a Bachelor of Science degree and a postgraduate diploma in management. She is managing director at SiyaBuddy Recycling and Waste Management.
Matome Kapa is attorney and Head of Activism, Training and Support Project at the Centre for Environmental Rights. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits University.
Leanne Govindsamy also graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits. She is Head of Corporate Accountability and Transparency at the Centre for Environmental Rights.
Hlengiwe Radebe is Sustainable Urban Energy Advisor at Energy Africa. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree and honours degree in Geography at Wits.
Health
Ten Witsies were featured under this category.
Thato Mabudusha, is currently Group Lead: Strategy and Business Development, Life Healthcare and is studying towards an MBA at the Wits Business School.
Dr Candice Groenewald, is a Senior research specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council. She is also at postdoctoral fellow at DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development, based at Wits.
Kentse Radebe is a Wits alumna and Executive Director, South African College of Applied Psychology.
Dr Palesa Mabatho Monyake is a paediatrician at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. Monyake completed Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Wits.
Kerry Mangold is a Wits alumna and current Technical Lead for HIV Prevention Services. She holds three qualifications from Wits, an honours degree in microbiology, a postgraduate diploma in management and a master’s in anthropology.
Dr Tebatso Tebeila completed a Management Advancement Programme qualification from the Wits Business School. She is Head of Medical Affairs, Adcock Ingram.
Diantha Pillay is a Wits staff member. She is Programme Manager at the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute.
Azola Mzekandaba holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Finance degree from Wits as well as a postgraduate diploma in management from the Wits Business School. He is Programme Manager at Property Point.
Alma-Nalisha Cele completed her medical degree from the Wits Medical School where she also served on the executive for the Wits Surgical Society. She now practises as a medical doctor in the Department of Anaesthetics at Leratong Hospital in Gauteng.
Dr Kagisho Thomas is master’s student in Internal Medicine at Wits. He is currently a medical doctor at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital.
Justice and Law
Three Wits alumni are featured in this category.
Tumi Sole is a Corporate Attorney and Founder of #CountryDuty. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits and is studying towards a Master’s in Law degree at his alma mater.
Mpho Manyale-Chitapi is a lawyer and partner at Edward Nathan Sonnenberg's Africa (ENSafrica). She completed a Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits.
Dakalo Singo is a Director at Werksmans Attorneys. He holds a Master’s in Law from Wits University.
Politics and Government
Five Witsies, including two former SRC presidents, were featured under this category.
Tebogo Thothela was elected as President of the Wits Students’ Representative Council in 2012. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce law degree and Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits University. Thotela is currently the Deputy Director Parliamentary and Governance Officer at the Gauteng Department of Health. He sits on the management committee of the South Africa Student Solidarity Foundation for Education.
Mokgobi Ramushu graduated with a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s of Science degrees from Wits University. He is the Director of Civil and Structural Engineering at the National Department of Public Works.
Mbali Motsoeneng is Manager: Policy and Planning at the Private Office of Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg. She holds a Management degree with specialisation in Public and Development Management at the Wits School of Governance.
Bafana Nhlapo is Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Absa. He is also a former Wits SRC President. He holds a master’s degree in organisational and industrial psychology from Wits.
Nokubongwa Mdlalose holds an honours degree in sociology from Wits, as well as a postgraduate diploma in management and development. She is the Head of Strategic Planning Department of Public Enterprises
Science and Technology
Sindisiwe Buthelezi is a Scientific Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. She graduated with an honours degree in biochemistry and microbiology from Wits.
Dr Tumelo Phaahlamohlaka is a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Chemistry at Wits. He is also a Wits alumnus having obtained both his master’s and PhD from Wits.