Witsies shine on M&G’s list of notables
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Congratulations to our Wits alumni recognised in the annual Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans list.
The list includes most notable young citizens under the age of 35. Now in its 15th year, the supplement showcases individuals who are making contributions in their respective fields. It celebrates talent in the fields of Arts and Entertainment, Business, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Civil Society, Education, Environment, Film and Media, Health, Justice, Politics and Government, Science and Technology and Sport. There is a special COVID-19 heroes category this year. Alumni who made the list in their respective fields are:
COVID-19 heroes
Vukosi Marivate (BSc Eng 2007, MSc Eng 2009) is the Chair of Data Science at Pretoria University and the principal investigator at its Data Science for Social Impact Research Group. He helped to create a detailed database collating COVID-19 data and analysing it in useful ways to help scientists and the public navigate the pandemic.
Nomhle Ngwenya (BA 2018, BSc 2019) is a PhD candidate, whose work has been published in two journals this year. She is interested in how the pandemic affects African countries with weak healthcare systems and limited budgets. She looks at creative ways to fund projects that benefit the environment and stimulate the economy.
Arts and entertainment
Lehlohonolo Peega (BMus 2020) is the founder and principal of Music Is Joy, based in Orlando Soweto. He helps kids find their own voice through music.
Business, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
Olebogeng Sentsho (MSc 2019, LLB 2009) is CEO of Simba Mgodi Mining Incubation Fund, a development fund that supports emerging entrepreneurs.
Valentine Mboweni (BA 2018, PDBA 2017) is co-founder and chief executive of L?LA, a ride-share shuttle service. It has transported essential service workers during lockdown as well as delivered goods for people isolating at home.
Palesa Moloi (BAccSci 2014, HDip Acc 2015) is CEO of ParkUpp, a unique solution to parking problems. The service connects drivers to unused parking space in private lots, empty driveways and garages.
Civil Society
Alia Kajee (BSc 2011, BSc Hons 2012) is a Climate Support Programme Technical Advisor at GIZ, an organisation which involves German development cooperation with South Africa on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Palesa Madi (LLB 2013) is an Attorney and Acting Deputy Director at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies. She told the M&G: “I want to see a better functioning state and government, where human rights are equally protected and where state resources are used to serve the country and particularly those who are most vulnerable.” 
Ian Xoli Mangenga (BSc 2014) is founder and designer of digital hub at Digital Girl Africa. She is passionate about educating and connecting young African women digitally.
Tsiesti Morobi (BA DA 2014) is a performer and drama teacher at Kids Haven Drama Group. He runs weekly drama programme using drama as vehicle for social change.
Karabo Mokgonyana (BCom 2019) is a Youth Ambassador for Peace by the African Union.
Education
Sicelo Bhengu (BEdHons 2017) is the Senior Deputy Headmaster at Southdowns College and wants young people to take their education seriously.
Zandile Keebine Mkwanazi (BSc 2012, BSc Hon 2013) is CEO and Chairwoman at GirlCode, which creates a network of women who use digital skills to create innovative and sustainable solutions close to home.
Moeletjie Mapheto (BCom 2014) is the founder of Ga-Mphahlele Home-coming, a community initiative to address problems faced in this community.
Environment
Shaakira Chohan (BArch 2009) is an architect and urbanist. She is a Mandela Washington Fellow as part of the Young African Leaders Initiative. She’s a TEDx speaker, and a previous finalist for the Pioneer in Innovation for Women in Construction Award, and won a Standard Bank Rising Star Award in 2016.
Film and Media
Dineo Lusenga (BA DA 2009) is an actor and film producer, with an acting for film qualification from New York Film Academy. She is working on her first feature film based on the Kopano Matlwa’s novel Coconut through her production company KIWI Films.
Bessie Lesabane (MAP from WBS) is a rugby production manager at SuperSport International.
Reitumetse Mpholle (BA 2014, BA Hons 2016, MA 2018) is Head of Research and Development at KayaFM and working towards her PhD in media studies at Wits.
Rufaro Samanga (BSc 2016, BSc Hons 2017) was an Allan Gray fellow, a Mandela Rhodes scholar in 2018. She is as a features writer for OkayAfrica, a digital media platform dedicated to African culture.
Anelise Tuswa (BA 2015, BA Hons 2016) is a business journalist at etv. She was named the most valuable and resourceful alumni by the Wits Xhosa Cultural Union of Students in 2015 and has mentored many to become more financially literate.
Health
Leigh-Ann Carey (BA Hons 2014) although she is a Communications Officer at Massmart, she has been actively involved in advocating safe abortions for women in impoverished areas.
Huzaifah Khan (BPharm 2014) is a pharmacy manager at Lenmed, but is also passionate about vaccine education through his community work with the Islamic Medical Association of South Africa.
Chalsea Zindoga (MBBCh 2017) is doctor at South Rand Hospital and Thalitha Children’s Trust, where she advocates for babies abandoned in state hospitals and offering crucial assistance and care.
Thomzama Siyotula (MBBCh 2011) is a Paediatric Registrar at The Red Cross Children’s Hospital. She is also the president of the South African Paediatric Surgical Trainees Association.
Justice
Thando Gumede (LLB 2016) specialises in human rights law and social justice. She is currently completing her Master’s at UCT. She is the creator behind the M-Teto educational app, which helps children learn more about gender-based violence. The app identifies high-risk children, schools and regions.
Science and Technology
Cebisa Mdekazi (BSc 2017, BSc Hons 2018) is the Assistant director: integrated environment and conservation management at the Cradle of Humankind Heritage Site. She is also a mentor for young women through a group called Girls Lunch with Dr Lulu Gwanga to help youngster navigate their careers.
Kimberley Chapelle (BSc 2013, BSc Hons 2014, MSc 2016, PhD 2019) is a postdoctoral fellow at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits. In 2019 she identified a new dinosaur species in the University’s vaults, after it had been laying misidentified in a collection for 30 years. 
Kimberleigh Ashely Tommy (BSc 2015, BSc Hons 2016, MSc 2018) is a biological anthropology PhD candidate with the Human Variation and Identification Research Unit in the School of Anatomical Sciences at Wits.
Ruby-Anne Birin (BSc 2017, BSc 2018) is an archaeological science student at Oxford University. She is an optically stimulated luminescence OSL dating specialist, which is a scarce skill. She wants people from all backgrounds to have access to their heritage.
Stephanie Baker (BSc 2010, BSc Hons 2011, MSc 2013) is a Principal investigator and Palaeo-anthropologist at the Drimolen Hominin Site, 40km north of Johannesburg. In April this year she was part of the team who found the oldest known fossil fragments of Homo erectus, a direct ancestor of our species, living around the same time as other extinct hominins.
Thulile Khanyile (MSc Med 2015) is a lecturer at Wits and doing her research towards developing an HIV vaccine. She has a master’s in molecular medicine and haematology from Wits and a certificate in bio-innovation and entrepreneurship from Stanford University’s Spark programmer. She is the co-founder and co-director of Nka’Thuto EduPropeller. The organisation prepares students for science expos and educates them about business concepts. She is also involved in Black Science, Technology and Engineering Professionals, an advocacy organisation.
Siewla Jeffery Baloyi (PhD 2019) is a science researcher at Mintek. He wants to help eliminate fuel emissions and ensure that all South Africans have access to safe and clean water.
See full list here: https://200youngsouthafricans.co.za/