Siqhamo Ntola, 34, senior lecturer in environmental and international law at the University of South Africa (Unisa), and Mandela University’s Professor Noluxolo Gcaza, 32, from the School of ICT have been named on the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans for 2023 list.
Siqhamo Ntola has been named in the Environment category of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans for 2023.
He holds an LLB and LLM in Public Law from Mandela University and is studying for his MPhil, specialising in sustainable mineral resource development at the University of Cape Town and his LLD at the University of Pretoria.
Siqhamo’s research focuses on the international law of the sea and the relationship African states have with this branch of law.
Siqhamo is the co-founder of the African Ocean Governance Institute, a non-profit company aimed at developing and disseminating expert insights on law and policy matters pertaining to Africa’s maritime domain. His professional career is geared towards advancing Africa’s sustainable development.
Previously, as the water and environment portfolio manager for the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), Siqhamo exposed over-expenditure and under-delivery by the Department of Water and Sanitation on its bucket eradication programme.
He also successfully advocated for the prosecution of directors of Aurora Empowerment Systems for environmental damage from acid mine water in their Grootvlei gold mine. And assisted with oral and written submissions for the South African Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into the sewage problem in the Vaal River.
Mandela University’s Professor Noluxolo Gcaza was named in the Education category, similar to Mandela University’s Dr Zithulele Tshabalala.
Motivated by her desire to make a positive change, she took action and founded The Cyberculture Foundation to promote responsible internet use and digital wellness among children and youth. The foundation offers digital citizenship training, digital wellness education, a digital mentorship programme, community workshops, as well as research and advocacy.
As an associate professor at Mandela University, she is leading a new accredited cybersecurity postgraduate course. She has also mentored and coached young girls and women in IT on Heels.
Noluxolo serves as an independent non-executive director for the South African Banking Risk Information Centre.
Noloxuolo holds a PhD in Information Technology on Strategy Development for a Cyber Security Culture, an MTech (cum laude), a BTech (cum laude) and a Diploma in software development, all from Mandela University.
(for their individual stories go to NMU Website)
Leave a Reply