nGAP Alumni

Phase 1: Lecturer in TVET & Adult Education and Training: Dr Lucky Maluleke

Dr Lucky Maluleke is a highly motivated and dedicated Careership scholar in the Faculty of Education at Nelson Mandela University with a passion for career counselling, guidance, and development. He is adept at conducting extensive research in the field, with a focus on enhancing individuals’ career paths and facilitating their professional growth. Lucky is experienced in teacher education and development, specialising in subjects such as Curriculum Studies and Assessment Practices, Vocational Pedagogy, Workplace-Based Learning, Pedagogical Perspectives, Vocational Education for Social Change, and History of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. As a Careership scholar, he has developed a strong foundation in career counselling, guidance, and development. With his teaching experience in various subjects related to teacher education and vocational pedagogy, Lucky possesses the skills to inspire and educate future educators. He is passionate about making a positive impact on individuals’ career journeys and contributing to the advancement of the field through research and practical application. Furthermore, Lucky oversees activities in the Post-Schooling Department (in the Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching division). Over the years, Lucky has participated in various national projects linked to technical and vocational education and training, research, and curriculum development. Also, Lucky works closely with public TVET colleges to ensure that students are recruited, assisted to apply, and admitted into the above-mentioned programme.

Phase 1: Lecturer in Language and Literature: isiXhosa: Dr Andiswa Mvanyashe

Dr Andiswa Mvanyashe is a Lecturer at Nelson Mandela University who leverages her expertise in IsiXhosa. Additionally, she has served as a former board member of the non-profit organization Unako. As an accomplished author, Andiswa has published two eBooks: "IsiXhosa for Beginners" and "IsiXhosa for Beginners 2" which are both available on Amazon.com. Her educational background includes a Doctoral Degree in Litterarum (isiXhosa), a Masters degree in IsiXhosa (2011), a BA-Honours in IsiXhosa (2009), and a BA-Degree in Media, Culture Communications (2008) from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. One of her notable contributions to academia is the publication of a paper titled "IsiXhosa Proverbs and Idioms as a Reflection of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and an Educational Tool" in Volume 29 of the Southern African Journal for Folklore Studies. She has further demonstrated her scholarly pursuits with an academic paper published in Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, exploring the connotative meaning of the Xhosa word "umlungu" before and during the democratic era. Currently, Andiswa serves as the Acting Head of the Department in the Languages and Literature department at Nelson Mandela University. In her professional journey, she has gained valuable experience, including a role as a Communication Intern at Renault SA from 2010 to 2011, and later as an IsiXhosa Language Practitioner at Translate.org from 2011 to 2012.

Phase 1: Lecturer in Shipping & Ports Management: Dr Nomtha Hadi

Dr Nomtha Hadi joined the Nelson Mandela University in August 2016 as an nGap Lecturer responsible for Ports and Shipping Management. Currently, she is a full-time lecturer at the Nelson Mandela University’s Business School responsible for presenting the Strategic Maritime Management module on the Master of Maritime Programme, Business Strategy module on the MBA Programme, Port Management in the Development Studies MPhil Maritime Studies qualification and coordinating their Master of Maritime Management qualification. She also serves on the Faculty Engagement and Transformation and the Research and Ethics Committees. Her educational background includes a PhD in Development Studies from the Nelson Mandela University, a Masters in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria, MPhil and BPhil in Maritime Studies and a Degree in Public and Development Management from the University of Stellenbosch. Her PhD research explored scenarios for South Africa’s Ocean economy towards 2060. She has keen interest in multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research with a focus on Blue Ocean Economies, Development Planning, Local Economic Development, Long-term Strategic Planning and Mixed Methods Research approaches. She is a true advocate for transformative change that is built on good governance, research, and lifelong learning.

Phase 3: Lecturer in Applied Mathematics: Dr Makhuvha Mulalo

Dr Makhuvha Mulalo is a bio-mathematician who serves as a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. She has been serving as an nGAP lecturer at the university since 2018. Her research focuses on the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases, specifically neglected tropical diseases (such as soil-transmitted helminths, sleeping sickness, and dengue) and HIV. Beyond her research, she is a dedicated educator, teaching undergraduate and supervising postgraduate students. She is deeply committed to mentoring emerging scholars and actively participates in initiatives to enhance her department's academic and communal environment. In addition to her research, Dr Makhuvha is an associate of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITHeCS) and serves on the steering committee for the Australia-Africa University Network for Early Career Researchers (AAUN Africa). Looking ahead, Dr Makhuvha aspires to advance policy-driven research that informs and shapes effective public health strategies across Africa.

Phase 3: Lecturer in Foundation Phase Education: Dr Obakeng Kagola

Obakeng Kagola, a Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Nelson Mandela University's Faculty of Education. My teaching philosophy is rooted in my experience across basic and higher education sectors. It centres on the idea that education is a transformative tool that empowers students to become critical thinkers, compassionate individuals, and engaged citizens. Over the past six years, I have focused on crafting modules related to teacher and child in context, philosophy of education and life skills in the B Ed Foundation Phase program, fostering inclusivity and adaptability to diverse learning styles. Additionally, I have developed a scholarship of teaching and learning that prioritizes safe and inclusive environments for vulnerable learner communities. My philosophy is informed by critical and discourse theory, transformational learning theory, and social justice education. As a young academic, I am dedicated to creating inclusive schooling environments that prepare young people for inclusive societies. I have published in international and national journals. I assume various leadership positions in my current institution and other platforms where I provide directions on aspects of inclusion and social justice.

Phase 3: Lecturer in Statistics: Ms Lesego Sepato

Lesego Sepato is a dynamic Ph.D. candidate at Stellenbosch University, majoring in Statistics. I am a person of very few words and my nGap journey began in 2018 at Nelson Mandela University. My research focus is understanding the intersection of credit risk and climate risk and developing innovative statistical models to quantify the financial implications of climate change on credit portfolios. My research aims to provide valuable insights into how financial institutions can effectively manage climate-related risks and promote sustainable investment practices in future. Alongside my academic pursuits, my passion is teaching, quantitative research, promoting mental wellness and advocating for the empowerment of women in academia.

Quote: “The content of a book holds the power of education, and it is with this power that we can shape our future and change lives.” - Malala Yousafzai

Phase 4: Lecturer in Digital Humanities: Dr Johannes Sibeko

Dr Johannes Sibeko is a lecturer in Digital Humanities. In addition to his teaching role, he serves as the Coordinator of the Mandela Digital Humanities Hub and Deputy Chairperson for the Faculty of Humanities Internationalisation and Engagement Committee. He is actively involved in the National Hundzula Workshops for Natural Language Processing thereby reflecting his dedication to collaboration and knowledge exchange. Furthermore, he is an active member of the Digital Humanities Association of Southern Africa and a recent special edition editor for their Journal. As a Program Committee member for various international Digital Humanities conferences, he plays a crucial role in shaping the global academic dialogue. Johannes's participation in these events influences conference agendas and fosters connections among researchers worldwide. Johannes was awarded the Digital Humanities Summer Institute scholarship to attend their Summer Institute at the University of Victoria in summer of 2024. This scholarship provides him with an opportunity to engage with the latest developments in Digital Humanities. Johannes also secured the Global Minds Fund for Short Research Stays, enabling him to undertake a research stay at Ghent University as a visiting doctoral student in 2023. His notable achievements include winning the Emerging Researcher of the Year award in the Faculty of Humanities in 2023 and the Best Paper Award for his paper on measuring text readability in English examination texts presented at the DHASA 2021 conference. Additionally, he represented African associations for Digital Humanities at the CLARIN Europe 2022 conference, with the presented paper selected for publication in the post-conference publications.

Phase 4: Lecturer in Public Law: Dr Anthea Christoffels-Du Plessis

Dr Anthea Christoffels-Du Plessis is an nGAP academic and doctoral candidate at the Law Faculty, Nelson Mandela University. Her research focuses on customary fishing rights in South African fisheries law. Before joining academia in 2019, Anthea was consulting in indirect tax policy and served as a law research clerk to Justice Dikgang Moseneke, Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.