The Board welcomed Prof Sibongile Muthwa into their midst, following her assumption of the Vice-Chancellorship at Nelson Mandela University as of 1 January 2018.

Prof Sibongile Muthwa, recently appointed VC at Nelson Mandela University, was also warmly welcomed into the USAf Board. Photo: Courtesy of Nelson Mandela University (NMU).

The Board welcomed in their midst, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, newly-appointed VC at the University of Johannesburg. Photo: courtesy of the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

New appointments to strategy groups and governance structures

• Considering Dr Max Price’s ending term in May 2018 as Chair of the Funding Strategy Group, it was suggested that a successor be nominated to facilitate a gradual handover until Dr Price vacated the position of Vice-Chancellor at UCT. Prof Sibongile Muthwa, newly-appointed VC at Nelson Mandela University, was nominated and supported.
• The Board approved the appointment to the Research and Innovation Strategy group, of Prof Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation at the North-West University. Prof Phaswana-Mafuya takes the place in the RISG, of Prof Frikkie van Niekerk, whose membership ceased by virtue of his term of office as DVC Research at NWU, ending recently.
• The Board granted its approval for the appointment of Prof Henk de Jager, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Technology, as a member and Chairperson of the Admissions Committee, succeeding Prof Peter Mbati, former VC of the University of Venda, who retired at the end of 2017.
• The Board also welcomed the appointment of Ms Faiza Maijet as Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee. Ms Maijet replaces Mr Jaco van Schoor, former DVC: Finance at the University of Johannesburg.