Past Speakers

Our past Speakers​

Dr Lieketseng Ned,Occupational Therapist

Dr Lieketseng Ned is an Occupational Therapist (BSc OT, UWC) with an MPhil in Disability Studies (UCT) and a PhD in Health Sciences Rehabilitation (SU). She is a Lecturer at the Centre for Disability & Rehabilitation Studies within the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University. She convenes the Post Graduate Diploma in Disability and Rehabilitation and the short course portfolio. Her research interests are critical disability studies and community integration, community based rehabilitation, Indigenous knowledge and methodologies, and decolonial health and education. She is part of an international collaboration with the University of Helsinki for a research project themed methods and practices of doing disability research in the global scale. She is a deputy chairperson of the advisory board to the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre and is part of the awarded 2019 top 200 Mail and Guardian South African young leaders.

Hlengiwe Radebe,Sustainable Energy Advisor

Hlengiwe is Sustainable Energy Advisor at Sustainable Energy Africa. She works with local governments around sustainable energy and alternative energy approaches, including project implementation of energy services partnerships. She has worked in sub Saharan Africa in programmes supporting cities to transition to a sustainable energy future. Currently her work looks at addressing issues around the energy crisis in the country by supporting municipalities with implementation of coordinated Small-Scale Embedded Generation permitting systems and energy efficiency policies. Hlengiwe holds a Master’s degree from Wits University in Interdisciplinary Global Change Studies. Hlengiwe is a feminist and strongly believes in youth development. She hopes her work will contribute in addressing energy poverty in Africa. In 2016 she was selected as part of the Barclays Top 100 Brightest Young Minds in recognition of her community development work and leadership attributes. In 2019 she was awarded as one of the Mail and Guardian Young South Africans.

Vera-Genevey Hlayisi,Audiologist

Vera-Genevey is an audiologist and lecturer and researcher in Communication Rehabilitation at the University of Cape Town. Her professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Science (hons) degree in Audiology and a Master of Science degree in Audiology. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies in Audiology and is a National Research Foundation grant-holder for her doctoral research on Person-Centred Care. As researcher, she has been published in international peer-reviewed academic journals as well as congresses. Most recently, she has been listed as one of the top 200 young leading South Africans in the healthcare industry. Outside of research, she is passionately involved in the audiology profession locally, as a management member of the South African Audiologists Association and internationally, as a contributor and collaborator with the Child Language Africa program. Before working in academia and research, Vera was a fervent contributor in rural public health care in Limpopo South Africa where she worked with many underserved communities.

Andile Human,Student, Bachelor of Social Sciences

Andile Human is a 23 year old from the township of Mbekweni in Paarl. Raised by his mother and grandmother. He is currently a 3rd year student at the University of Cape Town studying towards a Bachelor of Social Sciences specialising in Film & Media and Political Sciences. When he is not busy with academic work he is a youth leader, mentoring and motivating young people from his community. Andile is also a Master of Ceremony at events. He still makes time over weekends to do work on Western Cape FM, he is also a singer and composer and belongs to Korus and Bantwanas music groups. One of his many ambitious dreams is to one day own a Media company and a recording label driven by his passion for both media and music industry.

Luvuyo Rani,Director, Silulo Ulutho Technologies

Luvuyo Rani is an award winning entrepreneur. He is a graduate of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business and holds degrees in Business Administration and Economics. Luvuyo is director of the award winning Silulo Ulutho Technologies, a Cape Town based IT Services Company with over forty branches. For his extraordinary work providing access to technology, he was awarded the 2007 KPMG and Cape Times entrepreneur award. Luvuyo was part of the 2014 JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (JCI TOYP) recipients in the category business, economic, and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment and was awarded Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2016.

Nathan Nyembo,Radio host, UCT Radio

Nathan Nyembo was born and raised in South Africa by Congolese parents. He is better known on the airwaves as Freshcutt by his fellow University of Cape Town students. Nathan is an up and coming radio presenter of note and currently is with UCT radio – to date he has few shows under his belt. Recently he joined Monate show on Friday afternoons. Nathan is also a voice over artist, model and full time Marketing student with passion for Hip Hop and all things urban culture.

Dr ZAMA KATAMZI,SPACE -PHYSICS RESEARCHER

Zama Katamzi is a space – physicist working in the South African National Space Agency. Katamzi was 15 when she watched an episode of Star Trek and fell in love with outer space. Today she’s a role model for a new generation of female scientists.

TRINITY LEKWETSE NCALA,ENTREPRENEUR - AUTHOR

Trinity is founder of T&T Appointments – a recruitment, human capital and training company. She is also entrepreneur, author, wife and mother of two. Trinity has won many awards, including Businesswoman of Year, Young Business Achiever Award and the Top Young Woman Entrepreneur Award.

ASNATH MAHAPA,FIRST BLACK FEMALE COMMERCIAl PILOT

Asnath Mahapa is a pilot by profession. She was the first African woman in South Africa to become a Commercial pilot. Today, Asnath flies Airbus 319 and 320 for South African Airways (SAA).

SHARON KATE NG'ANG'A,TV PRESENTER

Sharon is a 21-year-old TV presenter, motivational speaker, model, actress, visual artist, dancer, feminist, a dreamer and doer. She is also a student at the University of Nairobi pursuing an undergraduate Bachelors of Economics and Statistics.

DORCAS GICHUHI,COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT

Dorcas started her career as cook for NAS airport services and later joined Kenya airways as a flight attendant. With a dream to captain her own flights, she continued her studies to become a pilot until she joined the flight deck team in 2010. Today, Dorcas lives in Dubai, where she flies the Boeing fleet.

GRACE KILONZI,COMMUNICATION EXPERT

Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Communication as well as an MA in Peace Studies and International relations from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa. Grace is an Alumni of the African Leadership Centre and has been awarded a fellowship on peace and Security for African women 2014/2015.

ESTHER KYOKUNDA,COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT

Esther Kyokunda is a commercial airline pilot. She studied in South Africa and is now based in Uganda. Her dream is to captain a Boeing 777.

GODLIVER BUSINGE,CIVIL ENGINEER

Godliver Businge (1987) is a Ugandan civil engineer and head technology trainer for Global Women’s Water Initiative. She works as head technology trainer for Global Women’s Water Initiative, teaching women and youth in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda how to build water access and conservation technology.

NAOMI KARUNGI,MILITARY HELICOPTER PILOT

Naomi Karungi is a helicopter pilot in the Ugandan Peoples Defence Air Force. She believes the world needs more problem solvers and solution thinkers. Her motto? Believe in yourself & never give up.

Andy MAQONDWANA,RADIO PRESENTER

Andy Maqondwana is originally from the Eastern Cape, and has a BSc degree as well as an honours degree in psychology. Today, she is radio host at 947, one of SA’s leading radio stations – a dream she worked long and hard to achieve!

MICHELENE NAIDOO,COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT

Michelene is passionate about empowering the youth, education, abused kids and the elderly. Her advice to young girls? “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness” (Oprah Winfrey)

Dr NCUMISA JILATA,SPECIALIST NEUROSURGEON

At the age of 29, Dr Ncumisa Jilata became Africa’s youngest neurosurgeon. She is one of only five black female brain surgeons in South Africa. The person she most admires is Dr Judy Dlamini.

Buhle Ngaba ,Actress and Author

Buhle Ngaba is a South African actress, author of The Girl Without A Sound and advocate for the rights of young black women. Buhle studied acting and contemporary performance at Rhodes University before continuing to University of Leeds (UK) to study processes of performance. She’s the director of KaMatla Productions.

MATHEBE MOLISE,FOUNDER - BEAUTY ON TAPP

IT News named her one of the top innovative women in Africa. Mathebe Molise has always known that the African beauty industry is worth billions and she wanted a piece of it. Her brainchild, Beauty On Tapp, is an Africa-focused online store that offers beauty products from across Africa and caters to the beauty needs of women of color.

MASAKE MALEKA ,MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Masake Maleka is a 19-year-old student and founder of “Meisie Muis Motivates”, which aims to motivate students to look beyond their current situation to focus on discovering their purpose and achieving their dream.