Speakers 2024: International Conference on Business Innovation and Incubation
We are thrilled to introduce an extraordinary lineup of industry leaders, innovators, and experts who will be sharing their insights, knowledge, and experiences at this year’s conference. Our speakers are trailblazers in their respective fields, ranging from entrepreneurship, business incubation, and innovation to technology, economic development, and more. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise that will inspire, inform, and equip attendees with the tools needed to drive impactful change in their own organizations and communities.
Dr Edmund Thamsanqa (Thami) MAZWAI
Dr. Thami Mazwai is a distinguished activist, journalist, academic, and entrepreneur whose career spans over five decades. As the founder of Mtiya Dynamics (MD), Dr. Mazwai has pioneered solutions in enterprise and supplier development, with a focus on empowering small businesses and creating sustainable economic opportunities for marginalized communities across South Africa.
His career began as a journalist during apartheid, where he made significant contributions to the liberation movement through the press. Dr. Mazwai worked for prominent publications such as the Sowetan, where he chronicled the realities of apartheid and advocated for press freedom. His steadfast commitment to his craft and his unwillingness to compromise his principles led to multiple arrests, including time spent on Robben Island and in other political prisons. He was recognized for his journalism in 1990 with the Rosholt Award for Executive and Enterprising Journalism.
Expanding his scope from journalism, Dr. Mazwai became an influential figure in economic transformation, particularly in the field of small business development. He holds a Doctor of Commerce from the University of Pretoria, an MBA from Henley Management College (UK), and completed prestigious programs at Harvard Business School and Oxford University. His academic research has centered on the intersection of entrepreneurship and personal values in historically oppressed communities, with a focus on creating economic inclusion and reducing poverty, unemployment, and inequality (PUI).
Dr. Mazwai's contributions to entrepreneurship extend to his leadership roles in several national initiatives. From 2015 to 2021, he served on the National Planning Commission (NPC), where he led a task team on township and rural economies. He also played a key role in shaping the Presidential BEE Advisory Council and served as a special advisor to the Minister of Small Business Development from 2014 to 2019. In addition, he has been involved with the Sukuma Relief Fund, assisting small businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A lifelong advocate for township economies, Dr. Mazwai has authored several research papers and books on small business development, including a chapter in “A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship Policy” and the recent “The Journey of Soweto Entrepreneurs Since 1905”. His efforts have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Sanlam Santam Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 for his exceptional contributions to financial journalism and his lasting influence on the media industry.
Dr. Mazwai’s influence extends to academia, where he has held honorary professorships at the University of the Western Cape, the University of Fort Hare, and Wits Business School. His academic work continues to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Currently, Dr. Mazwai remains committed to uplifting township and rural economies through his continued involvement in various projects that aim to reduce PUI and create pathways to economic freedom for South Africa’s most vulnerable communities. His life’s work represents a fusion of journalism, entrepreneurship, and social activism, with a consistent focus on advancing economic transformation and empowerment.
Dr. Edwell Gumbo
Edwell serves as the Director of Entrepreneurship at the Universities South Africa (USAf) and has a career background spanning metallurgy engineering, education, and entrepreneurship. Noteworthy experience includes being Head of Enterprise Development at Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Hub and as Director of the Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic. He has been an entrepreneur, the Managing Director of Optimi, an EduTech company; Deputy Director of SME and Skills development at the City of Johannesburg Economic Development; Incubation Manager at Awethu Project among other roles. He has also served as a mentor and coach to a number of entrepreneurs including entrepreneurs from The Innovation Hub (BioSciences and eKasiLabs) incubation programmes and the Mastercard Foundation’s EdTech programme. His experience includes supporting and building entrepreneurial ecosystems within the university sector as well as the private sector, working with both local and international partners. He also serves as an Advisory Member for the Tshwane University of Technology Tech Station in Electronics.
He holds an MPhil degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Pretoria, an MBA from Nelson Mandela University, and a PhD with research focus on digital innovation hubs and start-ups from the University of Pretoria.
Dr. Poppet Pillay
Dr Pillay is the Chief Executive Officer of the Durban Textile and Leather Incubator (DTLI) that was established as a Non-Profit Company and began operating at the DUT Fashion Dept, 96 Felix Dlamini Street in April 2023. DTLI is the result of a partnership involving SEDA STP, eThekwini Municipality and DUT. The aim of the new business incubator is to develop and grow sustainable SMMEs in this once thriving sector in KwaZulu-Natal that was almost destroyed in the 1980’s as a result of cheaper imports. In the 2023/24 Financial Year, DTLI supported and grew 42 SMMEs to become suppliers to the local economy and for some SMMEs to export their products internationally.
The incubator currently has a cohort of 54 SMMEs and has expanded its programme to include a start-up programme for student alumni from the Fashion and Textile Dept and from the Clothing Management and Textile Technology Dept at DUT. The incubator has also developed a programme to address the needs of Industry and a further programme to introduce SMMEs and Cooperatives to Entrepreneurship and 4IR. The Incubator achieved a clean audit for the 2023/24 FY and has partnered with CSIR to develop two R&D projects that are aligned to the circular economy. These include the development of material from cannabis/hemp waste and the recycling of fabric. Prior to the setting up of DTLI, Dr Pillay established the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator (CSERI) at DUT (ML Sultan Campus in July 2015. The CSERI grew into a strong and sustainable incubator that continues to support and grow SMMEs across all sectors.
Besides her experience within the business incubator ecosystem, Dr Pillay served as an educator and lecturer for many years. She supervised Master’s and PhD students while she was at DUT. She presented papers on Social Entrepreneurship internationally and co-published articles as well as contributed chapters in two books on social entrepreneurship. Dr Pillay served as the Coordinator of Entrepreneurial Universities: Community of Practice at Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) for four years during which time she co-supervised the Baseline Study for Entrepreneurship at Universities in South Africa.
Mr. Billy Bokako
Billy Bokako is currently the Head of Incubation at the Small Enterprise Development Agency where he manages support of a total of 122 incubators across the country. An alumnus of the Nelson Mandela University and the Tshwane University of Technology, he holds an MTech degree in Industrial Engineering specialising in Technology Management. He has over 19 years of industry experience gained from the power cables industry, the automotive industry, and the enterprise development sector.
Prior to joining SEDA, Billy has been with the Innovation Hub as the Head of the Climate Innovation Centre South Africa. He has also worked for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as an Enterprise Development Portfolio Manager, a role which saw him spearheading research into new enterprises and commercialising internal research projects across various fields which include but not limited to agro-processing, ICT, nano-technology, lithium batteries, green economy, industrial parks, policy and strategy formulation. In 2017 he was awarded the emerging leader award at the CSIR among other awards.
He is also the Founder and Director of House of Basil, a luxury male underwear atelier. He sits on various advisory boards and is the Chairperson of the board for Amahlathi Eco Technologies, an energy efficiency company in Dimbaza, Eastern Cape.
Billy is also the host of Big Biz with Billy Bokako, a podcast discussing all things Enterprise and Supplier Development
Mr. Jonathan Naidoo
Jonathan Naidoo is employed as the Chief Executive Officer at The Durban Technology Hub (SmartXchange). Jonathan is an economics graduate with post graduate specialization in research methods, political and economic geography and a Masters qualification in GIS. Jonathan also holds certificate courses in Imports & Exports, Project Financing for Public Private Partnerships, Conflict Management, Program Management, Financial Modeling, an Estate Agents Diploma, Incubation Governance & Management and an Education Degree specializing in Mathematics. Jonathan also completed a “Trade Promotion for South Africa” course in Japan. Jonathan has extensive experience on trade and investment related activities, having led and accompanied a number of outward and inward business missions. Jonathan’s vast business experiences coupled with his connectivity both domestically and internationally has earned him a reputation of an astute “deal maker”.
Jonathan’s career journey commenced as an educationist teaching Mathematics and thereafter resigned to take up the position of HEAD: Economic Research, Policy and Advocacy at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and after restructuring he became the Team Leader of Trade & Investment. Jonathan then went on to be the Chief Operations Officer of Trade and Investment KwaZulu Natal and thereafter became the Sales and Marketing Director for the Sub-Saharan Africa Region for the Austrian Tolling company, EFKON AG.
Jonathan’s entrepreneurial passion resulted in his 1st Start-Up in 1985, Excellent Signs and then in 1989 his 2nd Start-Up, a 180-seater Al a Carte Restaurant, Take Away and Ice Cream Parlor. In 1992 Jonathan commenced with his 3rd Start-Up, Excellent Furniture. In 1998 Jonathan established a property development company, Jorano Investments. In 2000 Jonathan sold off 3 businesses to focus exclusively on his property portfolio.
In 1995/6 Jonathan served as the President of the Hibiscus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he also served as an Executive member of both the District and Local spheres of government in the UGU District Council and the Port Shepstone Transitional Local Council from 1996 to 2000. Jonathan is currently appointed onto the Ray Nkonyeni Mayoral Economic Advisory Committee and serves as a Member of the KwaZulu Natal Human Resource Development Council as the lead champion for the ICT sector.
Jonathan has coached and managed 32 innovations since 2013. A SmartXchnge success story was to see Adapt IT, a graduated StartUp from SmartXchange listed itself on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Mr. Steve Reid
Steve Reid has been in the entrepreneurial development and business coaching field for nearly 20 years. He holds two degrees and a higher diploma in Business coaching and advising. He has pioneered two award winning business incubators and helped launch, establish and strengthen over 200 businesses. The annual turnover generated by these incubators beneficiaries exceeded R36 million. He currently heads up Entreprenacity Business Development Services. Start ups have a high attrition rate. Yet competent and consistent business development can radically change that narrative. Entreprenacity focuses on building the entrepreneurial mindset while helping strengthen the business model.
Dr. Ongama Mtimka
Ongama Mtimka is the Acting Director of the Raymond Mhlaba Centre for Governance and Leadership at Nelson Mandela University, a member of the university’s Senate and the vice chairperson of its Institutional Forum. He is a prolific writer, researcher, political analyst and also a lecturer at the department of History and Political studies at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, South Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (journalism) from Rhodes University, a Masters in South African Politics and Political Economy and a PhD in Political Studies from Nelson Mandela University.
He has 18 years working experience in small business support, marketing communications, strategy, media relations, fundraising, corporate governance, trust administration and executive support in sectors like investment promotion, infrastructure development, local government and community development. Through his political analysis, he has featured regularly on various national and international media platforms. Ongama is the Treasurer of the South Africa Association of Political Studies and the Secretary of the African Association of Political Studies. Ongama has advised international donor agencies, global banks, and multinational corporations on political risks to investments in various African countries.
Prof. Chux Gervase Iwu
Chux Gervase Iwu is Professor of Entrepreneurship Management and the SBDG Chair in Entrepreneurship in Higher Education in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences of the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
He has a multidisciplinary background that encompasses degrees in library studies, industrial and organisational psychology, and human resources management. Chux worked in the private sector, leading strategy talks for international corporations, prior to entering academia. At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, he served as head of department of entrepreneurship before joining the deanery in the faculty of business and management sciences as assistant dean of research. Serving as HoD, he led a team that designed and developed various entrepreneurship programs. As dean of research, Chux emphasised the need for productive entrepreneurship research that should lead to accelerated interest in entrepreneurship among students.
He is a member of the editorial boards of several scholarly periodicals, such as the Journal of Distribution Science, the Palgrave Encyclopaedia of Entrepreneurship, and the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies. Additionally, he serves on the advisory board of False Bay College's Center for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubation (CFERI).
Research on socioeconomic problems in developing nations, particularly that which has to do with socioeconomic growth, excites Chux. The over 30 master's and doctoral research projects he has successfully overseen, as well as the over 150 publications, provide evidence of this interest.
Prof. Nosisi N Feza
Prof Nosisi N Feza is a Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Postgraduate Studies at the University of Venda (Univen) in Thohoyandou. Before she joined UNIVEN she was a Rector of the Buffalo City Campus at Walter Sisulu University. She has also served as a Dean at the Central University of Technology coming from the University of South Africa as a Head of an Institute for Science and Technology Education. Prof Feza has also worked as a Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council.
Prof Feza has been actively involved in teaching and learning and research in her previous institutions of employment, University of Northern Iowa in the US as a Research Fellow, State University of New York as a research assistant and Nelson Mandela University focusing on mathematics education. She was recognised as an emerging scholar through a Fulbright scholarship, received an award of the inaugural Leroy and Margaret H. Callahan Scholarship from State University of New York, awarded as a Diversity scholar by Michigan University. She is a C-rated researcher by National Research Foundation. She is an Awardee of a life time achiever from Nelson Mandela University and a STEM leader awardee of HERS Academy.
Mr. Sipho Ngcai
Mr Sipho Ngcai is the Executive Manager of the Seda Technology Programme which is in charge of the Incubation programme at Seda.
A talented and highly qualified Enterprise Development Executive; with professional excellence advanced across a 19+ year career. Sipho Madiba Ngcai has achieved substantial progress and proven success across focused roles in; SMME & Funding Advice | Incubator Management | Enterprise & Supplier Development | Development Finance | Capacity Building | Socio-Economic & BEE Transformation | Programme / Project Management | and Community Development Solutions Leadership [Education | Enterprise Development | Healthcare | Infrastructure | Welfare].
With a Master’s in Business Administration, Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management, Certificate in Advanced Project Management and an undergrad in Economics; Sipho remains well versed both practically and educationally.
Having worked on-behalf of several key South African Economic Development Institutions like the dti, SEDA, Furntech Technology Business Incubator, CSIR, Transnet, Old Mutual Masisizane Fund and the Sishen Iron Ore Community Development Trust, Sipho retains a deep passion for driving Socio-Economic Development, guiding and mentoring players spanning Public and Private sectors.
Ms. Charleen Duncan
Charleen Duncan is the Head of Programmes at Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. Her current role is to lead, direct and develop the senior leadership team in Fellows/Scholars/Alumni/AGEC Programme Management through strategy formulation, talent management and operational excellence.
She was the Director for The Centre of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The CEI is active in developing short courses and entrepreneurship training programmes at UWC which has a footprint across all seven faculties. Its objectives are addressing the student entrepreneurship agenda and contributing to local economic development by supporting SMME’s in the Western Cape. She played an active role for the national platform representing the 26 SA universities, Entrepreneurial Development in Higher Education reporting into Universities South Africa (USAF). Currently she is on the advisory board for the US-SA Higher Education Network. One of her career highlights at UWC is setting up the first ever in South Africa design, entrepreneurship and textile incubator.
Some of her earlier career highlights are: Contributing to the core activities of the South African Human Rights Commission, National Project Manager for South Africa’s first Year of Science, Engineering and Technology (National Project for The Office of The President), She was on the communication’s team facilitating The Race against Malaria- from Cape Town to Tanzania (National Health Minister’s Office), Co-ordinating the first Cochrane Colloquium in a developing country , job shadowed in Italy to facilitate a successful event in South Africa. She travelled throughout Indonesia with the Western Cape Premier and a delegation to develop trade relations and MOU’s between Indonesia and South Africa.
Charleen Duncan worked with the World Health Organisation, Centre for Disease Control, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Centre while she was at the SA Medical Research Council. At ABSA she was part of the communications team facilitating the first 100 days after the ABSA/Barclays merger. Charleen Duncan has worked across the triple helix and has a great understanding of the value add that these networks can add to creating impact at societal level.
In 2020 Ms Duncan completed a master’s degree (cum laude) in development studies with a focus on the informal economy.
Mr. Randolph Meth
Mr. Michael Reddy
Michael Reddy has been the Chief Executive Officer of Furntech, the leading business incubator in South Africa since 2001.During this time; he has overseen the growth of Furntech from a single site in George to 7 sites that operate in 5 provinces.
Michael currently serves on the Board of the Seda Alfred Nzo Agro Manufacturing Incubator in Mt Ayliff, Eastern Cape.
Michael has been at the helm of 21 external audits at Furntech and to date there has not been a single exception report. Michael is a Member of the Institute of Directors and his involvement in corporate governance includes the following:
- A founding Member of Clotex and the Soshanguve Manufacturing Technology Demonstration Centre;
- A founding Member and Past Chairperson of the Southern African Business Technology Incubation Association (SABTIA);
- Michael has played an active role in the establishment of the Western Cape Furniture Initiative (WCFI) and in the resuscitation of the KZN Furniture Cluster in Kwa-Zulu Natal
Furntech, under Michael’s guidance, in association with the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) and the University of Stellenbosch developed and implemented the first ever Furniture Design Training Programme in South Africa. Michael was the key driving force behind the programme. Under the guidance of Michael, Furntech launched a Design Technology Incubation Programme in Cape Town, another first in the country. Furntech, through the brainchild of Michael, has developed the ‘South African Swedish Design Initiative’ in partnership with the Tibro Training Centre (Sweden) that seeks to enhance the design capacity of participants in the Furntech BTI Programme.
Furntech is a winner of the iNBIA Incubator of the year and runner up on two consecutive years. Michael was recognized for his contributions to small business development at the SABIC 2018 conference and presented with an award by the Minister of DSBD.
Michael is a Member of the National Furniture Initiative – A national body setup by the DTI to look at strategies for the growth and competitiveness of the Furniture Industry. The key objective of this forum is to further develop the industrial policy framework into actionable programmes.
Michael is the Chairperson of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Technical Committee which looks at quality standards for furniture products.
Ms. Fortunatus Ingrid Mhlophe
Ms. Fortunatus Ingrid Mhlophe is a highly organized and detail-oriented leader with over 15 years of experience in business development and enterprise management. Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Beyond 4IR NPC (AB4IR), Ms. Mhlophe brings extensive expertise in providing both business and technical support to incubated SMEs, particularly in the digital and creative industries. She has a strong track record of helping startups grow and thrive through strategic guidance and hands-on support.
Ms. Mhlophe is known for her versatility and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional customer relationships and delivering high-quality service. She excels in collaborating with diverse teams, promoting strong documentation standards, and addressing client needs with a keen focus on detail. Her strong interpersonal and communication skills enable her to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
In addition to her role at AB4IR, Ms. Mhlophe is an active member of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development Creative Industry Committee. Her passion for fostering entrepreneurship and driving innovation is matched by her commitment to sustainable development and inclusive economic growth, making her a valued leader in her field.
Ms. Gugu G Sema
Ms. Gugu G Sema has worked at both National and Provincial Government and Private Sector at various levels of Human Resource Development. She has focused on Learning and Development for these sectors. She earned her Master’s in Business Leadership (MBL) from Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL-UNISA). Member of South African Artificial Intelligence Association Advisory Board and Tshwane University of Technology Computer Systems Engineering Advisory Committee Board.
Currently involved and spear heading the 41R for MICT SETA, ensuring that MICT have necessary qualifications to respond to 4IR and skills required for the future. She has successfully facilitated the establishment of 4IR Research Chairs across various Public Universities and with the industry support to date, she led the development of fifty (50) occupational qualifications that are have been registered by the Quality Council of Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) including Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Processing Automation, Design Thinking, Cyber Security Cloud Computing, Data Science, Internet of Things, eWaste, Software Development, Quality Engineering Automation, Robotic Processing Automation, Remote Piloting Aircraft, Block Chain, 3D Printing, Fibre Optic, 5g, Mobile Device Repairs and Extended Reality.
Mr. Darryl Dennis
Darryl Dennis is an accomplished Chief Executive Officer and currently serves as the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Innovation Hub where he brings extensive experience and a solid educational foundation to his role. A legal graduate from Nelson Mandela University, Darryl further honed his expertise with a Management Development Program from Manchester University and Stellenbosch University.
Professional Leadership
Prior to his role as the CEO, Darryl served as the Chairman of the Board at the Nelson Mandela Innovation Hub. He is also the former National Chairperson of the Black Information Technology Forum (BITF), where he was the first full-time CEO, advocating for Black IT companies and professionals across South Africa.He currently holds board memberships with the Chartered CIO Council (ICITP) and PAICTA. Additionally, he is a board member of the Centre for Community Technologies.
Employment History
Darryl's career spans various senior positions within a large multinational ICT organization, followed by numerous board appointments. He has developed expertise in strategic business management, client relationship management, sales and marketing, and business development. At Dimension Data - where he was an executive, he excelled in increasing market share, lead generation, creating compelling proposals and maintaining strong client relationships. At the Black Information Technology Forum, he managed national interests and engaged with key stakeholders and government departments.
As the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Innovation Hub since 2020, Darryl has successfully managed three branches (Thembalethu in George, Duncan Village in East London and the Head Office in Nelson Mandela Bay). He has strategized to develop a vision, strategy and business model to achieve the company's objectives, implementing continuous improvement plans. Under his leadership, the Hub is expanding its operations and intends to open two additional centers in township economies, significantly enhancing its impact.
Key Contributions
Darryl has established a trusted reputation in public policy development, fostered relationships between key government officials and senior executives and driven strategic business initiatives. He has been instrumental in establishing the Nelson Mandela Innovation Hub as a key player in the incubation and acceleration space, developing world-class incubators and building, executing and scaling incubation programs. His efforts include identifying and attracting suitable startups and entrepreneurs, promoting a culture of innovation and facilitating the growth of startups to help them become successful. He has also developed and strengthened relationships with government agencies, academia, other incubators, venture capitalists and angel/seed funding institutions in South Africa and abroad.
Darryl Dennis' dedication to fostering innovation and advocating for the IT community has solidified his standing as a visionary leader in the technology sector, shaping the future of innovation and public policy.
Prof. Nkosivile Madinga
Prof. Nkosivile Madinga is the Deputy Dean of Research, Internationalization, and Social Responsiveness at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he oversees socially responsive scholarship and drives research excellence within the Faculty of Commerce. Prior to this role, he served as the Head of Section: Marketing, where he played a key role in advancing the department’s academic programs and research initiatives. His expertise spans a wide range of marketing disciplines, including marketing communication, marketing research, and applied marketing, with a particular focus on inclusive marketing strategies, the application of artificial intelligence in marketing, and sustainable marketing practices.
In addition to his academic responsibilities, Prof. Madinga is the Chairperson of the Marketing Advisory Board at UCT, where he has been instrumental in fostering stronger ties between academia and industry. Under his leadership, the board—which includes professionals from sectors such as technology, finance, retail, and advertising—ensures that the department’s programs are relevant and aligned with current industry needs. This initiative has significantly enhanced the employability of marketing graduates and strengthened the department's connections with the business community.
Prof. Madinga is also a sought-after speaker and panelist, frequently invited to share his insights on contemporary marketing trends and the impact of technology on consumer behavior. He has participated in various events, including workshops and panel discussions, where he addresses topics such as artificial intelligence's role in marketing and the importance of inclusive strategies in today's diverse market landscape.
His contributions to the field of marketing have made him a respected voice both within South Africa and internationally. With a strong background in marketing education and extensive experience in leadership roles, Prof. Madinga continues to make significant contributions to both academia and industry, demonstrating a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability in marketing practices.
Ms. Nosipho Khonkwane
Nosipho Khonkwane Have over 20 years of diverse experience in the SMME development sector having grown from the lower ranks of working directly with SMMEs in the coaching and advisory role to establishing institutional network required for the support of SMMEs, to managing the regional support to SMMEs and national strategies for ensuring that SMMEs in South Africa improve their growth and competitiveness. In provision of consulting and advisory support to SMMEs, She has completed technical projects such as Productivity improvement of Small and Medium enterprises in the manufacturing sector, managing implementation of quality management systems, developing factory layouts, facilitating export market development, Business assessments/diagnosis for the purposes of developing growth strategic plans for SMMEs and turnaround plans.
Have experience in establishing institutional network, during the period 2005-2008, Nosipho was responsible for the management of the roll-out of the Seda branch network, operating policies, systems and management of performance information including Monitoring and evaluation. She was further responsible for the development and implementation of the Gauteng roll-out strategy, which involved leveraging funding from various stakeholders.
She has implemented strategies such as the Seda technology programme strategy , Seda technology programme ecosystem facilitation model, Incubation Governance and Management Development programme in partnership with the university of Pretoria and DTI, the digital hub model responding to the priorities of the 6th Administration, Female in Tech programme (FEM-IN-TECH), national business incubation standard requirements with SABS and ecosystem partners, benchmarked incubation business models internationally and ensured continuous improvement of own programmes for impactful results. She has participated in boards of various Not for Profit entities supported by government, EXCO, investment committees and have good experience in chairing fund adjudication panels (Business incubation fund and technology transfer fund). Nosipho joined the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller in 2022 as the Executive responsible for Strategic Partnerships and Revenue Generation. During 2024, she has move on to the role of the Executive responsible for Strategy, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Dr. Lunga Xolisa Mantashe
Lunga Xolisa Mantashe holds a PhD in Education and currently lectures Ethics and Professional Communication at the University of Fort Hare. His research area is on higher education with a focus on articulation between colleges and universities and recognition of prior learning. The related research he engages in also concerns knowledge structure, curriculum, and pedagogy.
Outside the academy, Dr Mantashe is also a self-taught student of history, philosophy, economics, and politics and often weaves these fields when engaged in dialogues often apparently detached from them. He is the President of WSU Convocation and serves as a member of WSU Council.
Dr. Ncebakazi Galada
Dr. Ncebakazi Galada is a transformational leader with an interest in the translation of research
and innovation outputs into commercialisable assets and business development. For the past
decade she has served in various portfolios within the public service and academia. These
include serving at the National Advisory Council on Innovation in areas such as innovation for
development, strengthening skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),
as well as gender mainstreaming in STEM based initiatives. She has also served within the
Industry and Environment Directorate of the Department of Science and Technology (now
Department of Science and Innovation) where she was part of the team responsible for the
implementation of the Bio-economy Strategy.
Dr Galada holds a PhD from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and an MBA from the
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer at the
Township Cannabis Incubator. Her portfolio involves among other things support of researchers,
innovators and entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship training, business development support and
translation of intellectual property stemming from cannabis and hemp-based research into
innovative products, particularly for medicinal, cosmetics and build environment.
As a former technology transfer specialist, she has expertise in technology transfer, intellectual
property identification, protection, and commercialization thereof. She has for the past few years
been actively involved in research and innovation management support, business development,
consultation and mentoring services for start-up companies.
Ms. Andiswa Mrasi
Andiswa Mrasi is public speaker, academic and researcher who currently serves as the Manager: Strategic Initiatives and Projects in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In this this role she is responsible for establishing strategic partnerships as well as internationalisation activities. With 15+ years in academia and industry, she specialises in strategic management, stakeholder engagement, retail and brand management, corporate affairs, and Small Medium Micro Enterprises research. Holding a Master’s degree in Retail Business Management, she is pursuing a Doctoral degree in Marketing (Co-branding). Mrasi is an active philanthropist who mentors young entrepreneurs and serves as a Trustee in the Carel Dutoit Trust, an NGO that advocates for early detection and treatment of hearing impairment in new born babies.
Mr. Lwandile Socikwa
Lwandile Socikwa is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in Programme Management and Strategy. He is the founder and CEO of Socikwa Management Pty Ltd, whose niche lies in designing, advising, and supporting clients to identify their business challenges and solve business deficiencies by implementing new and innovative solutions that lead to performance improvement, organisational growth, and sustainable revenue streams.
He has held senior positions in organisations in the public and private sectors respectively such as the Presidency as a Director, Public Works as a Deputy Director, SAPO, and Chase Africa among others. He is a leading facilitator that is skilled in ideation, design and systems thinking, and interested in working with clients to ensure that their reasons for undertaking major investment programmes are well understood and aligned with their strategic objectives.
Mr Socikwa holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Business School, a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA), and a Bachelor of Technology in Project Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) including memberships with APMG International, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Project Management South Africa (PMSA) among others.
He serves on boards of various institutions serves, which include him being a CPUT Council Member and the Convocation Executive as President, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Capability Advisory Services as a Panel member and the Chairperson of the SSETA Ngqeleni Community Skills Centre Advisory Committee.
Apart from his professional career, he is very passionate about mentorship and youth development. He dedicates his time to offering free career guidance to secondary school children, mentorship, and coaching to young people who are starting their professional careers, and young entrepreneurs in townships and rural communities. Organisations he has worked with on some of the initiatives include the eThekwini Disability Business Chamber mentoring entrepreneurs living with disabilities, Unite 2030 on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and Make a Mark Africa Youth Development on youth mentorship.
Prof. André Keet
André is a university-based practitioner who (tries to) merge/s practical experience and experiments with the vocations of scholarship, executive management, and strategic leadership. Working relationally and intergenerationally in managing complex and dynamic work spheres and networks, he pursues the interplay between friendship, politics, love, and justness to ‘steer’ his praxes on higher education transformation; democracy and human rights education; decentred critical university studies; and the nexus between university, science, and society.
Mr. Thabelo Mohlala
Thabelo Mohlala is an entrepreneur, engineer, and researcher who continues to make a significant impact in the field of mechatronics and beyond. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in mechatronics and is currently completing his master's in mechatronics at Nelson Mandela University.
With a passion for innovation and a commitment to excellence, Thabelo Mohlala leads a tech and innovation start-up called Mechatech Engineering Solutions as CEO & Director, spearheading cutting-edge projects and solutions in engineering. One of those projects is South Africa and Africa’s first Large Scale Cement 3D Printer aimed at printing houses and civil structures.
Mechatech Engineering Solutions is a product of Propella Incubation Hub based in Port Elizabeth.
He is a Siemens PLC Trainer at the Advanced Mechatronic Technology Centre (AMTC). His dedication to education and mentorship is evident in his commitment to empowering aspiring engineers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.
Thabelo is a former chairperson of the Nelson Mandela University Youth Quake Society. He continues to make a difference in the lives of young people through Youth Quake, where he serves as a youth leader and a volunteer, demonstrating his passion for working with the South African youth on various educational and socioeconomic initiatives.
Prof Mxunyelwa
Professor Mxunyelwa is an Acting Director: Research and Innovation as Walter Sisulu University. Professor Mxunyelwa is an Academic Entrepreneur, he obtained his PhD from Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences at Nelson Mandela University, specialising in Management Capacity within the small businesses in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is passionate about creating synergy between business and academia.
On the surface, Professor Siyabonga Mxunyelwa is an accomplished academic and a researcher with over 18 years of experience in academia. Prof Mxunyelwa research interests are embedded Small Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Local Economic Development (LED), Events Tourism.
Prof Mxunyelwa is a published scholar in both national and international journals. He has published over 20 journal articles and written a book chapter with colleagues from Australia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Sweden and Germany.
Professor Mxunyelwa travels around the world a presenting research papers at business research conferences, he has travelled over 15 countries within the African continent and beyond. Furthermore, he has supervised more than 30 student’s research projects.
Prof. Keolebogile Motaung
Prof. Keolebogile Motaung is a Full Professor, Biomedical Scientist and Founder and CEO of Global Health Biotech (PTY) Ltd with more than 25 years’ experience in Higher Education. Professor Keo Motaung is a well-established scientist with international recognition in her field of stem cells, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. She is the president of African Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (ATERMIS). She has published extensively in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Prof. Motaung is passionate about capacity building, has successfully supervised postgraduate students, and continues mentoring emerging researchers. She is a passionate about science, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and commercialisation of research, often assisting the DSI in redefining international relations for women in STEM research.
As a Professor, research scientist and entrepreneur, she trains her postgraduate students not just on how to do research, and become a scientist, but also on how to become entrepreneurs. By becoming entrepreneurs, they can create jobs for themselves after completing their studies at a time, when jobs are scarce, and unemployment is high. Based on her own scientific exploration into the use of medicinal plants in tissue engineering of bone and cartilage, she founded a company called Global Health Biotech (PTY) Ltd in 2016. Global Health Biotech has developed a natural anti-inflammatory ointment named La-Africa Soother (LAS) from medicinal plants which helps relieve muscle and joint aches, thus offering athletes, sportsmen and women an alternative natural anti-inflammatory ointment. This is the first product of its kind aimed at preventative care, meaning it is applied ahead before and after physical activity to prevent anticipated muscle aches. This product, packaged in a green and white tube, is already available on the market.
Motaung has also licensed a technology from other Universities to develop a second product named pump protein shake (vegan friendly plant-based). The product simultaneously leads to decreased muscle inflammation, which leads to accelerated regeneration and may be more effective as an anti-inflammatory agent than known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and with less side effect. For her ground-breaking innovation, she has received recognition from a wide spectrum of institutions because she has thrown the gauntlet in bridging the gap between science, commercialisation and entrepreneurship.
Prof Motaung has received a number of prestigious awards, namely:
- Winner of Strategic African Women in Leadership (SAWIL) Trailblazers Top 2022/2023. Women who have made remarkable achievements in their fields, inspiring leadership and contributions to the advancement of women in their industries.
- Chancellor’s Awards under Impactful: Collaborative Entrepreneurial Project between Technology Transfer & Innovation, Food Technology and Somatology Students,2022 -Durban University of Technology
- Award for Project titled “Plant based morphogenetic factors (PBMF) in tissue engineering of bone and cartilage” by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).SAMRC 2022
- Shining Light Award for Science and Technology- Motsepe, Foundation, 2020
- Winner of the Institute People Management (IPM) Business Leader of the Year Award, 2019.
- Winner of the Top Women in Science at the16th annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards by Topco Media and Communications 2019
- Awarded a grant from DTI/THRIP to develop a chronic wound healing dressing using plant extracts and nanoparticles 2019
- Winner of the Black Management Forum (BMF) in partnership with Standard Bank Top Inventor of the year award 2018.
- Winner of the Distinguished Woman Scientist under the category Research and Innovation, South African Women in Science Awards (SAWISA) 2018
- Recipient of the #Inspiring Fifty SA Women 2018.
- Winner of the 2017/2018 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) South32 Awards under the category: Innovation Awards: Cooperate Organization.
- Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Gauteng in 2018
- Winner, Gauteng Legislature’s Community Heroine award of the VITA BASADI Awards in 2017
- Winner of the 2017 FemBioBiz Pitching Den, she received an all-expenses paid trip to Finland to upscale her business.
- Winner of the Biotech Fundi Research Award in 2017 and the Gauteng Accelerator Programme (GAP) Biosciences Competition in 2015.
Mr. Chris Cupido
Chris Cupido is a seasoned academic and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMME) management. He currently serves as a lecturer in the Department of Entrepreneurship and Business Management within the Faculty of Business Management and Sciences at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Chris joined the university in 2006 and has been actively involved in teaching, mentorship, and community development, shaping the future of young entrepreneurs.
With a teaching philosophy rooted in nurturing life-long learning and critical thinking, Chris inspires his students to engage with industry-relevant content, fostering creativity and a growth mindset. He uses hands-on activities, classroom discussions, and even humour to develop a collaborative learning environment. He has also facilitated short courses in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, focusing on enterprise development, SMME coaching, and mentoring.
Chris holds a National Diploma in Management, a B.Tech Degree in Business Administration, and an MBA. In addition, he is a certified Pastel Trainer and has been a lecturer at the Cape Technikon since 2003. His role as a lecturer goes beyond the classroom, as he has served as Acting Head of Department (2008-2009), subject coordinator for Entrepreneurship and Financial Management, and Faculty Advisor for the CPUT chapter of ENACTUS.
In his work, Chris has contributed significantly to community engagement projects, particularly within the CPUT spatial community and surrounding rural areas, focusing on enterprise development for subsistence farmers, startups, and SMMEs. His research interests include entrepreneurship education and the unique role of survivalist entrepreneurs in job creation and poverty reduction.
Research and Publications
Chris has supervised four master’s theses and has been an external examiner for UCT. He has contributed to several notable academic publications, including studies on service quality in South African retailers, challenges to sustainable enterprise development in Gabon, and the role of survivalist entrepreneurs in job creation. His work has been featured in respected journals such as the Journal of Business and Retail Management Research and Acta Universitatis Danubius.
Industry Engagement and Leadership
Beyond academia, Chris has been actively involved in research projects that aim to empower entrepreneurs, including a comprehensive survey for the Western Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, which informed the development of enterprise-focused modules at CPUT. His MBA thesis explored barriers to entrepreneurship in the Western Cape, which continues to be a focal point in his ongoing PhD studies.
Chris Cupido’s extensive experience in both academia and industry makes him a leading figure in business management and entrepreneurship, and his passion for nurturing future business leaders remains at the core of his work.
Commissioner Tervern Jaftha
Mr. Jaftha hold a Bachelor’s of Administration Degree in Business Management and post degree qualification in Quality Management and Conformity Assessment. His qualifications is supported by 24 years of experience in enterprise development, conformity assessment, technology transfer and commercialization, as well as business incubation and startup acceleration. He also has expertise in corporate governance, having served on board committees for human resources, remuneration, technical and compliance at the South African Accreditation Systems (SANAS) and Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV). Additionally, he has served on various national incubation and accelerator boards. His experience includes executive roles in both the private sector with South African Breweries (SAB) and in the public sector with the South African Quality Institute (SAQI), a division of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), as well as the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), part of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD).
Mr. Jaftha is also the Chairperson of the Investment Committee at the Northern Cape Agriculture Incubator (NCAI), Lead Partner for the Co. Space Entrepreneurship Village (with 3 Gauteng base campuses that collectively supports over 600 enterprises and Lead Developer and Advisor for the Namakwa Digital and Upington 4IR Hubs.
Mr. Jaftha is a member of The Presidential Commission on the 4TH Industrial Revolution (PC4IR) responsible for Reimagined Industrial Policy & Capital Markets. He is also a member the following working groups.
- The new Southern Africa Business Incubation Accelerator Association (SABIAA)
- Founder of the College Entrepreneurship / Incubation Development professional body (CED).
- TIA technology commercialization, enterprise development and the development of high-tech incubation and Incubation Seed Fund Implementation (SFIP).
- Implementing Partner of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) Cleantech Accelerator Program “Strengthened adaptation capacity of Industry for a green and resilient economy in South Africa (SAIA)”
Mr. Jaftha holds international experience with short stints in the USA – California -Silicon Valley and Florida studying Incubation and Accelerators at (Plug and Play, The Vault, Y Combinator and 500 Start), Venture Capital and Corporate Enterprise Development and Accelerator Programmes (Facebook, IBM, Intel, Google and 42Silicon Valley) University and College Incubation ecosystems in the US, South America – (Brazil), Europe and Asia.
He is the Founder and Chairperson of The Asher Group of Companies with interest in Construction, Architecture and Infrastructure Design, Cosmetics, Hair and Personal Care, Agriculture and Agro-Processing, Information and Telecommunication (ICTs). He is also the founder and CEO of SA Start-Up Culture Incubation and E Accelerator with bespoke accelerator programs in Cleantech, Micro Mobility, 4IR Digital Tech and Renewable Energy. A Husband and Father to his beautiful 13-year-old daughter.
Prof Thabisani Ndlovu
Prof Thabisani Ndlovu is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). He is an Associate Professor of literary and cultural studies. His interdisciplinary work focuses on the intersections of race, class, ethnicity and gender in Southern Africa. Deploying this approach, the overarching subjects he has written on include literary imaginations of human rights, nation and nationhood, monuments and memorialisation, migration, masculinities, black middle-classness, and whiteness. He is a rated researcher by the National Research Foundation and a recipient of several academic fellowships.
Mr Luthando P. Jack
Mr Luthando P. Jack is a Deputy Vice-Chancellor for People and Operations at Nelson Mandela University, which is situated at the Nelson Mandela Bay, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. He is a public discourse figure who is rooted in African student-centricity and an advocate for indigenous knowledge and Afrocentricity. He is a dynamic system thinking and complexity thinker who contributed much to the fields of policy development, youth development and a catalyst for social agency and change. He is the holder of a master’s degree in commerce, and he is currently finalising his PhD in Education.
Mr Rudzani Makheda
Allow us to introduce Mr Rudzani Makheda one of our esteemed delegates who will be in attendance of the upcoming conference. Mr Rudzani Makheda is currently the Centre Manager for Vhembe TVET Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubation where he manages the Cferi operations in manufacturing and Engineering. He has more than 25 years of industry experience, work For Sun International as CSI Officer for 8 years, work for Gauteng Department as Assistant Director Corporate partnerships for 2 years, work for City of Joburg as Programme and Strategy Manager for Two years and work for City of Joburg as Assistant Director Project implementation responsible for Soweto for 7 years.
He Holds a Degree Wits business School , and incubation Governance Development programme University of Pretoria, Project management University of Pretoria and many Certificates, Founder of Mathihune Property management of which now its Liquidated due to my government responsibility
Mr Avuyile Xabadiya
Mr Avuyile Xabadiya is the CEO of Amatole Economic Development Agency (ASPIRE). He is a motivated, resourceful and results-orientated leader. A creative and adaptable self-starter with experience in elegantly navigating through consistent change in business dynamics. He was born in Zagwityi location, Butterworth, Eastern Cape.
In 2021, Mr Xabadiya was awarded the Eastern Cape Youth award as an inspirational educated person in his province (education category). In 2024, he was recognized as the best final year student in his graduate studies by the University of Fort Hare. He subsequently achieved the same feat at national level where the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) gave him the certificate of recognition for being the best final year student.
His academic accolades are:
- BSc in Agricultural Economics, University of Fort Hare (CumLaude)
- BSc in Agricultural Economics Honours, University of Fort Hare (CumLaude)
- Masters Commerce and Agriculture, Graduate School Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Currently studying for Master of Management at Wits Business School
Work Experience:
- Chief Economist of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy
- Economist at Impala Platinum
- Analyst at the Beijing Axis, Beijing China Department of Agriculture
- Forestry and Fisheries Agricultural Research Council
- Lecturer at Walter Sisulu University
Prof Dina Burger
Dina Burger is a distinguished South African academic and research leader with a comprehensive background in public management, research innovation, and international partnership strategy development. With a Doctor of Administration from the University of Pretoria, her thesis on a national policy framework for disaster management in South Africa highlights her commitment to societal challenges. Burger's academic journey is complemented by international qualifications from Cranfield University, UK, and the Said Business School of Oxford University, underlining her global perspective and leadership capabilities.
Currently serving as the Director of Research and Acting Director Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Burger has led significant advancements in research innovation, policy development, and strategic financial management. Her tenure has seen the successful implementation of the CPUT Sisonke Supervision Mentorship Programme, a pioneering initiative in research training and mentorship. With over eight years at CPUT, Burger's leadership extends beyond research to include strategic roles in postgraduate studies and international partnerships.
Previously, Burger contributed her expertise to Monash South Africa as the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Head of the Monash Africa Centre, where she spearheaded research and postgraduate strategy, financial sustainability, and international engagement. Her early career at Technikon SA and UNISA laid the groundwork for her subsequent achievements in higher education leadership.
Burger's contributions extend to national and international committees, including the Senate of CPUT and various strategic roles with the Cape Higher Education Consortium and Universities South Africa. Her commitment to community service, evidenced by her involvement in disaster management and public service training, demonstrates a profound dedication to societal improvement.
Dina Burger brings a wealth of experience, a track record of innovative leadership, and a deep commitment to advancing research, postgraduate education and international partnerships in higher education.
Mr Mzolisi Payi
Mzolisi Payi is the Director of Internationalization and Partnerships at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). In his role, he is responsible for fostering global partnerships, collaborations, and strategies that enhance the university’s international presence. His efforts focus on establishing exchange programs, collaborations with foreign institutions, and attracting international students, as well as promoting WSU’s academic and research initiatives globally. Mr. Payi plays a critical role in driving the university’s global outreach efforts. His main responsibilities involve overseeing and developing international relationships that support WSU's academic, research, and strategic goals. WSU has been involved in partnerships across various disciplines, including health sciences, engineering, technology, natural sciences, and rural development. These partnerships are often aligned with the university’s mission to uplift communities, particularly in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa.
Dr. Cashandra Mara
Cashandra Mara offers a wealth of experience, educational qualifications, a proven success record in education, the corporate world as well as SMME’s. She has highly evolved EQ, IQ and SQ that is a result of many years of life experience. She is creative, articulate, expressive and driven by her desire to succeed.
Her qualities were formed during a university career of 9 years and a work life of 25 years. Upon matriculating from a high school for top performing students, she immediately embarked on a 3-year Bachelor degree in Accounting and Economics, which was complemented by Honours, Masters and PhD degrees.
Her work life started with a career in central banking, after which she went on to life insurance and commercial banking. Education was however always her passion and this dream became a reality in 2007 when she bought a share in Head Up Training Academy, a fast growing training company based in Cape Town. Her training career has since developed further and since January 2011 she is a lecturer in Business Management at the University of Johannesburg. While lecturing students is an important element in academia, other duties include assessments and moderation, supervising Masters’ and doctoral students, evaluating research proposals as well as chairing high level panel discussions. As part of her lecturing duties, she started an exchange programme for lecturers and staff with universities in the Netherlands.
Dr Mara holds a PhD in Business Management, awarded by the University of Johannesburg, for a model on the risk and return in human capital development. She describes her strongest qualities as her management and entrepreneurial skills, ability to research, and analyse, and to transfer knowledge. It was this latter quality that landed her a part-time position teaching on Open Varsity on SABC 2 for 2 seasons running. Recently she has also been lecturing as visiting faculty at the Universities of Groningen and Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the Krakow School of Business in Poland. Very articulate and a Competent Toastmaster, she interacts comfortably with people on all levels. Using her research capabilities and her expertise in dealing with training authorities, she also develops learning material for 3rd parties.
Cashandra is an extrovert who thrives on engagement with other people. She is a Nelson Mandela Day volunteer and NGO’s during community engagement initiatives. She enjoys engaging conversation and believes she has as much to learn as to teach.
Cashandra lives in Randburg with her two boys. She is an avid cyclist but also enjoys yoga. Together with her boys she frequently travels locally and internationally. One of her favourite hobbies is experimenting with healthy cooking, which gives her a creative outlet after a busy day at work.
Summary profile: Cashandra Mara (PhD)
Cashandra Mara offers a wealth of experience, educational qualifications, a proven success record in education, the corporate world as well as SMME’s. She has highly evolved EQ, IQ and SQ that is a result of many years of life experience. She is creative, articulate, expressive and driven by her desire to succeed.
Her qualities were formed during a university career of 9 years and a work life of 25 years. Upon matriculating from a high school for top performing students, she immediately embarked on a 3-year Bachelor degree in Accounting and Economics, which was complemented by Honours, Masters and PhD degrees.
Prof Henriette Hay-Swemmer
Professor Hay-Swemmer earned her PhD in 1998. Throughout her career, she has held various positions, including Dean of Academic Development, Dean of Research, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and University President. Notably, she was the first female to hold the position of University President at BA ISAGO University in Botswana. She has an extensive publication record with over 100 peer-reviewed articles and books and has successfully supervised 24 PhD and 35 master’s students to completion. She has served at the university executive level for 25 years.
Prof Hay-Swemmer's unwavering commitment to the development of postgraduate students, particularly women, is truly inspiring. Her research has long been focused on postgraduate supervisory relationships, postdoctoral students, and the creation of supportive research environments for postgraduate students and their supervisors.
As a DVC: Academic, she established a Centre for Teaching and Learning and a Postgraduate School at two institutions and initiated several mentorship programmes. At the University of the Free State, she was responsible for the university’s “Grow our Own Timber Project”, supported by the Mellon Foundation. This project aimed explicitly at young upcoming black scholars and their professional development as researchers. She was instrumental in the OECD review of the Free State province, a first for South Africa. Another “first” for which she took the initiative was the University of the Free State’s participation in the U-Map and U-Ranking Project.
She was privileged to participate in SANPAD’s PhD project for eight years. During this time, she was a senior facilitator for the training of
Supervisors will present various workshops on research methodologies and seminars on writing for publication. Being part of this project meant presenting with colleagues from the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland and with South African colleagues.
She was recently appointed to the Western Cape Education Department’s Council. She is an Honorary Member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and serves on its international board, representing South African universities.
In 2023, she was acknowledged as one of 66 women who contributed towards creating a better South Africa.
Her work is her passion and she loves individuals reaching their full potential.
Mr Pumlani Gqaleni
(MSC. AGRIC UKZN; BSC. ANIMAL & POULTRY SCI. UKZN; PDIP BUSINESS MNGT NWU)
Mr Gqaleni has commercial work experience of over 9 years in the field of agriculture and research on socio-economic matters. He has led teams in both the public (DOA, ECRDC, ORTDM & Seda) and the private sector (Astral entities) assignments. In the normal course business he engages with a wide range of industry players, including growers, traders, manufacturers, distributors and exporters, and is well placed to understand the opportunities and barriers to SME growth in the agriculture sector.
He also seeks to access support for development of the business from public entities, and has developed formal agreements to work with academic institutions. Pumlani was part of the zero hunger research team at university of Kwazulu-Natal from 2012-2014, the project aimed at reducing incidences of food insecurity through improving capabilities of all South Africans to access nutritious food. Mr Gqaleni is the current Managing Director at Ingcali Agricultural Solutions, an agricultural consulting company based in the eastern cape he founded in 2016.
Mr Masa Mlamla
Masa is a leader at Propella Business Incubator, the High-Tech Incubator and Accelerator for innovators and ventures delivering Smart City Solutions and Industry 4.0 Technologies. Before joining Propella, Masa was a Programme Lead at International Youth Foundation (IYF) founded in the United States, leading High Gear's work in the Eastern Cape Province. Over 15 years Masa has worked for various national organizations in multiple sectors across a number of provinces in South Africa serving at different leadership levels. In the last 10 years he has held a number of positions in Human Capital Development, before joining IYF his last role was serving as Provincial Executive Eastern Cape at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.
He provided leadership to set up and to evolve the organization's business model and strategy in increasing impact, building efficiencies and influence in the labour market. Over the years Masa has built strong strategic partnerships which are central to organizational development, stakeholder and donor management. He has also been involved in providing though leadership on youth opportunity transitions in platforms such as national Manufacturing Indaba, COGTA BRICS Summit, Nelson Mandela Youth Summit etc. Masa is also appointed by the Minister in the Department of Higher Education and Training to serve as a Council member providing governance oversight and strategic direction to one of the TVET Colleges in South Africa serving as chairperson of ICT Committee, Student Support Committee and Donor Committee.
Mr Ntando Maduna
Ntando Maduna holds a BTech in Internal Auditing, an Advanced Diploma in Accounting Science, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management. His career in public service began as a Senior Internal Auditor at Umzimkhulu Municipality before transitioning to his current role as a Member of Parliament.
Ntando's journey in leadership and activism began during his time at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), where he became deeply involved in student politics. He eventually rose to lead the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) at all levels and currently serves on the ANCYL National Executive Committee, where he chairs the sub-committee on Youth Development.
In Parliament, Ntando sits on several key committees, including the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), the Transport Committee, and the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General. His experience extends beyond politics, as he previously served as the Chairperson of the Board for St. Margaret Hospital, bringing extensive expertise in public management and governance.
Ntando is committed to advancing youth development and fostering transparency and accountability in the public sector.
Dr Phumuza Langa
Dr Phumuza Langa is currently employed as the Senior Manager: Commercial Analyst and is also
in the interim fulfilling the Acting Director role at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Technology
Transfer Office. He has a PhD in Operations Management from UJ with the study focusing on
dynamic capabilities developed by innovative enterprises from technology business incubation
services. His initial career was in a biotechnology start-up company (Inqaba Biotec) as a
laboratory technician in the DNA sequencing laboratory after completing his studies in life
sciences related qualifications (Diploma in Biotechnology and Btech degree in Pharmaceutical
Sciences). He then moved on to management studies (starting with a Bcom in Management and
a Masters in Organisational Leadership).
He has over a decade of experience within the field of
innovation management where he has played various roles in intellectual property (IP)
commercialisation in several publicly financed research and development (R&D) institutions in
South Africa. These include being previously employed as the R&D Outcomes Manager at the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), responsible for IP commercialisation
matters within the Materials Science Manufacturing unit followed by being a Commercialisation
Manager at the University of Pretoria where he was responsible for a wide range of technology
transfer aspects such as IP licensing, seed fund management and business plan development.
His research interests are within the field of Strategic Management of Technological Innovations,
with a particular focus on IP commercialisation, business incubation, spin-out companies and
technology transfer at large.
Dr Clint Davies
Dr Clint Davies, a PhD graduate in Entrepreneurship from the University of Pretoria (2023), is a program manager and mentor at Mashauri Limited, where he educates, facilitates, and mentors early-stage university student founders through innovative entrepreneurship education platforms. His research, which earned him a Doctoral Research Bursary, focused on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education and training. Clint’s most recent achievement is the US Embassy-backed Impact-oriented Travel Grant, which funded his research on blended- learning entrepreneurship programs at Guilford College in North Carolina. In addition to his work at Mashauri, Clint voluntarily supervises postgraduate students at the University of the Western Cape's Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. He holds a part-time researcher position at the University of Pretoria's Department of Management. His research publications on entrepreneurship and education appear in South African and internationally accredited journals.
Ms Nonzuzo Makanda
Nonzuzo Makanda has more than 14 years experience in the
financial services industry. She is a finance executive with
banking, investment, fintech and asset management experience,
the founder and chairperson of the National Financial Literacy
Association and National Financial Literacy Advocacy (NFLA)
(Pty) Ltd. NFLA is an organisation that crafts enterprise
development strategies for SMMEs operating in townships and
rural areas to assist them with industry compliance, access to
markets and access to finance in order to promote
employment opportunities. NFLA also promotes financial
inclusion through its personal finance management
interventions such as financial literacy training.
Nonzuzo holds a B. Com in Economics and Finance, B.
Com Honours in Business management specializing in
investments. She also holds an M. Com in Economics.
Nonzuzo is a former secretariat of the presidential youth
working group under the economic transformation work
stream. She also served as an Exco member of the Thabo
Mbeki Youth Hub. She is currently serving on the board of Small
Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development
Agency. She is chairing the Audit Committee in both entities
as they are going through the merger. She also serves as an
Executive committee member of the Women Economic
Assembly (WECONA) SMME cluster. She is a member of the
innovation development working group for the BRICS women
business alliance (WBA). The initiative seeks to promote
innovation development for women led businesses in South
Africa in order for them to trade and connect with other
women from other BRICS member states.
Nonzuzo is passionate about inclusive development that
supports financial inclusion of SMMEs operating in remote areas,
women and youth development initiatives
Dr George Acheampong
George is an enterprise scholar and consultant specializing in socio-economic issues in Africa. He leads the Africa Lab for Enterprise Development, focusing on enterprise-driven development, and convenes the Africa Blue Economy Network and Ghana University Hubs (THINK) Network. He was the founding coordinator of the University of Ghana Innovation and Incubation Hub. George has experience in multiple countries, including Ghana, Senegal, Togo, Denmark, the UK, and the US, consulting for private sector, NGOs, governments and international bodies. He has been instrumental in creating the Africa Research and Innovation Commercialization and Innovation Trust Corridor frameworks. George advocates a market-based development approach to drive social and economic change across African communities.
Mr Luxolo Rubushe
Mr Luxolo Rubushe, is the MD of Adapt IT - Education Business, a role he has held for almost a decade. Mr Rubushe has a career spanning 25 years, 18 of which have been at executive leadership positions in the private as well as public sector, including Board representation and participation.
He spent 10 years with Accenture as Senior Manager in ERP, Process and Strategy consulting roles. He was headhunted by Coega Development Corporation (CDC) where he served as executive responsible for strategy and commercialisation of Coega core competencies and capabilities.
Prior to being headhunted by Adapt IT, Mr Rubushe was the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Adapt IT, is a proudly South African Level 1 B-BBEE company, and has 965 employees with over 10 000 Customers across 55 countries worldwide. It was acquired by Volaris in 2022. Volaris Group is a buy-and-hold acquirer of software businesses, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under Constellation Software. Their focus is on the long-term success of their companies and the leaders who choose to join the Group.
Adapt IT - Education business has been a loyal partner to higher education institutions in Africa for 38 years through is purpose built ITS Integrator ERP solution, enabling departmental reporting and compliance to the majority of South Africa’s 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges. Adapt IT Education, through its intentional execution of its Pan-African growth strategy, also serves universities and colleges in ESwatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Nairobi, Uganda, Ghana, as well as Ireland, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The certified partnership with Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) enables Adapt IT to provide a 360 degree view of the student journey.
Mr Rubushe, a commerce graduate, project management specialist and organisational transformation authority, is passionate about creating a better future and legacy for the African child.
Mr Sivuyise Mbedla
Sivuyise Mbedla is the CEO and founder of OnlyFriends Entertainment, a cutting-edge event hosting platform that leverages AI to revolutionize the entertainment industry. Currently pursuing a Diploma in Civil Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Sivuyise has always been driven by a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.
His journey as a young entrepreneur is marked by a commitment to utilizing technology to create transformative solutions, particularly within the entertainment sector. As a member of CPUT’s Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (BIIC), he continues to expand his entrepreneurial skills, combining his engineering studies with practical experience in business development.
Sivuyise is dedicated to driving change in the industry, balancing his academic pursuits with a vision for creating impactful and tech-driven entertainment experiences.
Ms. Khensani Shalati Nkuna
Ms. Khensani Shalati Nkuna, an experienced Business Development Specialist, with over a decade of expertise in supporting innovators and entrepreneurs across diverse sectors. Holding a Master of Technology in Textile Design and Technology from the Technical University of Liberec and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of Pretoria.
Throughout her career, Ms. Nkuna has excelled in programme management, project coordination, and enterprise development. Her leadership has guided multiple organizations, from government agencies to technology incubators, in achieving commercialization goals and fostering sustainable business growth. Ms. Nkuna's ability to promote strategic partnerships, providing coaching and mentorship. She is passionate about innovation, with a particular focus on commercialization strategies and supporting SMEs through incubation programs.
Currently, Ms Nkuna is a Business Development Manager at Africa Beyond 4IR, where she leads the enterprise development unit and provide enterprise development support for incubated companies.
Dr. Nqobile Gumede
Dr. Nqobile Gumede is a technology transfer and business development professional with over 20 years of experience spanning the private, and public sector. She currently serves as the Director of the Innovation Office at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Innovolve (Pty) Ltd, the university's technology commercialization company. In these roles, Dr. Gumede oversees the strategic management of intellectual property, heads technology transfer initiatives, and drives the commercialisation of innovative research outputs. She also serves on the board of the university's technology business incubator, Propella. Her previous experience includes serving as Director of Human and Institutional Capacity Development at the National Research Foundation, where she managed national funding instruments aimed at empowering emerging researchers across South Africa's universities.
With over 25 years of experience in various sectors, Dr. Gumede has held diverse roles in biotechnology research and development, business development, and marketing for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and pharmaceutical products, as well as research and innovation management.
She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in biological sciences and business management at the University of Johannesburg, the University of Cape Town, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, respectively.
Mr Neville Naidoo
Neville Naidoo is a seasoned professional with over three decades of multidisciplinary expertise, spanning community development, youth advocacy, political strategy, change management, and IT solutions.
His career is marked by pivotal roles and high-impact projects that underscore his leadership and business acumen. Neville has successfully managed various complex projects and demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive organizational change.
Key Highlights of His Career Include:
- Serving as National Director at the Joint Enrichment Project, where he spearheaded strategic direction, program management, and stakeholder engagement, showcasing his strong organizational leadership.
- Leading the development and implementation of transformative IT solutions for municipalities as a Change Management Specialist at LMMS/GAMATILE, covering areas such as HR, finance, and workflow management.
- Providing strategic consulting for the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and Western Cape Government, demonstrating his proficiency in youth development strategies and high-level stakeholder engagement.
- His involvement in political activism through his work at the ANC Youth League, including his role in coordinating large-scale initiatives at the National Executive Committee level.
- Spearheading socio-economic surveys and research for municipalities, most notably covering 23,000 households in the Eden District.
- Leading registration and accreditation projects for ANC conferences, further illustrating his project management expertise.
Neville is also recognized for his ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, driving results across diverse sectors. His educational background includes a BA in Sociology and Psychology from the University of the Western Cape, alongside ongoing professional development in business leadership, financial management, and project management.
Neville’s expertise in IT solutions, research, and strategic partnerships makes him a versatile and impactful professional in his field.
Dr. Thobekani Lose
At present Dr. Lose is the Head and Senior Researcher for Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CfERI) at Nelson Mandela University (NMU). A founding member and board chairperson for Business Incubation Web Association (BIWA). Honorary Fellowship by the Centre for Business & Economic Research (CBER) at Oxford University, UK. A board chairperson for the township Cannabis Incubator (TCI) and a board member for several incubators across the country and abroad. A member of the Student Entrepreneurship & Youth Employability Working Group at MNU. Dr Lose has over 15 years’ work experience in entrepreneurship and incubation role. Dr. Lose’s academic qualifications span the field of Business Management - a Doctorate in Business, a master’s degree in business administration (full research-based project) and a B degree in Entrepreneurship Management.
Dr. Lose has directly and indirectly mentored more than 1254 small businesses in various provinces throughout South Africa. He has fund raised over 100 million thorough stakeholder engagement and partnership. As an enthusiastic academic, Dr. Lose published over 48 academic articles in peer-reviewed journals. He has over 10 years of participation in community engagement projects and assessor/examiner for UKZN, DUT, VUT, NMU, CPUT and TUT. Dr Lose has been invited to deliver over 11 entrepreneurial talks to national and international conferences, including the United State of America, South Korea, Switzerland, Ireland, United Kingdom, France and Netherlands. In South Korea he has won a distinguished research award for his research work.