Faculty Highlights

Commerce

The Motherload Project levels up – includes fathers’ voices to effect change

Spearheaded by Professor Ameeta Jaga at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) School of Management Studies, the Motherload Project is committed to addressing complex social changes through transdisciplinary collaboration between academia, government, and civil society. Phase one (funded by the UCT Grand Challenges pilot grant) premiered as an exhibition in November 2023. Using photovoice as a decolonial research approach to amplify the voices of low-income women in Cape Town, it foregrounded how they experienced the motherload – the highly gendered, often invisible, undervalued work that individuals who perform mothering undertake. This work hinders their economic security, safety and well-being. Phase two will include the perspectives of a valuable figure in the family: the father.

Celebrating 10 years of AIFMRM

AIFMRM celebrated its 10th birthday in style at one of Cape Town’s premier hotels. Academics, associates, donors, founders and staff members gathered at the Cellars-Hohenort on 11 July, along with many others who had been a part of the AIFMRM journey over the past decade. AIFMRM focuses on risk management and quantitative finance. AIFMRM is part of the Department of Finance and Tax in the Faculty of Commerce at UCT, where it conducts research and delivers postgraduate education and training. The Institute was launched in January 2014 and is funded by corporate partners in the banking and insurance sectors.

Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance – a decade on

The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance reached a significant milestone in 2024: 10 years of teaching and learning. To mark the milestone, staff, students and alumni gathered at the UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) on 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day. Businessperson and activist Cheryl Carolus delivered the keynote address.

Nelson Mandela Memorial Centre will make significant contribution to scholarship

The Nelson Mandela Memorial Centre and School of Public Governance broke new ground on Friday, 17 May 2024, as a grant of US$21.5 million from Atlantic Philanthropies was announced. The proposal is to create a vibrant convening space located within a memorial centre curated with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The Nelson Mandela Memorial Centre and School of Public Governance will serve emerging leaders across Africa.

Trevor Manuel delivers the second annual Francis Wilson Memorial Lecture

In April 2024, former finance minister Trevor Manuel presented the second annual Francis Wilson Memorial Lecture at UCT. The event was hosted in association with the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) and research data service unit DataFirst, both based at UCT. The annual lecture is held in honour of the late Professor Francis Wilson, who taught at UCT’s School of Economics for over 30 years. He was the founding director of SALDRU (in 1975) and DataFirst (in 2001), and one of the most pre-eminent economic researchers of his time.

Engineering & the Built Environment

Formula Student Africa launches at UCT

The Formula Student Africa (FSA) Team at UCT, formed within the Department of Electrical Engineering, had its formal launch event in July 2024. FSA extends the global Formula Student initiative, challenging university students to design and build electric, formula-style race cars. FSA UCT emphasises innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustainability among African students. The electrical engineering department plays a pivotal role in supporting the FSA UCT project. It provides the resources necessary for students to explore innovative solutions and refine their engineering designs. Technical support from experienced faculty and staff, under the supervision of Associate Professor David Oyedokun, is crucial to the project’s success.

Global Digital Heritage Afrika partners with UCT

In a move to preserve and democratise architectural heritage, the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment (EBE) has partnered with Global Digital Heritage Afrika (GDHA), a research grouping dedicated to the digital documentation of heritage. GDHA is an affiliate of Global Digital Heritage, an international non-profit organisation based in the United States and Europe, which works collaboratively with the faculty on projects in Africa and around the world. GDHA is dedicated to the digital documentation of heritage landscapes, sites, monuments, and museum collections for research, conservation, and interpretation.

EBE Future Dreamers Programme and launch of EBE Vision 2050

Looking to the future, the faculty launched EBE Vision 2050 project, which envisions what the faculty landscape will look like by 2050. This exciting project serves as a roadmap to guide the faculty in all aspects of its work, including academics, operations, technical services, and support functions. The group, consisting of academic and PASS staff from all EBE departments, was facilitated by Dr Craig Wing and attended a series of workshops to conceptualise the vision.

Every year, the Mail & Guardian (M&G) honours 200 Young South African changemakers and influencers who are making an impact in their respective industries. EBE is proud to share that the following EBE alumni were recognised in 2024:

• Tshilidzi Samuel Ramunenyiwa (28) is a project energy engineer at Reonet, which focuses on smarter management of water and energy resources. He focuses on conducting energy audits, as well as designing, developing and implementing energy-efficient systems. He holds an electrical engineering degree from UCT.
• Bevan Mongwe (25) also holds an electrical engineering degree from UCT and works for Anglo American Platinum. His practical training involves learning how to use engineering equipment in mines and process plants and shadowing and assisting engineers on site. He is also the co-founder of the Valhuri Community Development Organisation, which teaches learners about the importance of maths and science. He believes that the future of engineering is bright in our country and has myriad employment opportunities for the youth.
• Sange Maxaku (27) is the co-founder and chief product officer at Botlhale AI. The UCT BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate heads product development, focusing on creating solutions that seamlessly integrate African languages. This involves researching user needs, designing user-friendly interfaces, developing code and overseeing the implementation of the company’s language-inclusive product suite.

Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering Students wins prestigious international award

A team of mechanical and mechatronic engineering students, supervised by James Hepworth, won 1st place in the international Lufthansa Technik InnovAero competition. Open to engineering students worldwide, the competition challenges participants to propose innovative solutions to vapour-trail formation by wide-body aircraft – a known contributor to aviation-related global warming. Competing against 40 universities, the team impressed with their sustainability-focused project. The students were Paurav Vaidya, Sam Schlesinger, Rivoo Bagchi, Trent Holm (all final-year MMT students), Liam Goodfellow (final-year MEC student), and Abhinav Iyer (MMT, 3rd year student). The Lufthansa Technik InnovAero international competition is open to engineering students worldwide to submit a 15-page report on a proposed innovative solution to the problem of vapour-trail formation by wide-body aircraft; an established cause of global warming from the aviation industry.

UCT brewing team triumphs at national intervarsity competition

The South African Intervarsity Brewing Challenge is an annual showcase of brewing talent from universities across South Africa. It has grown from six participating universities at its inception to 18 this year. Established in 2006, the team has its home in the Department of Chemical Engineering but has members from various departments and operates under the guidance of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER). UCT was one of the six universities that first competed in the brewing challenge, and to date has won the overall “Best of Show” category seven times, with the last three wins happening consecutively.

Faculty of Health Sciences

Student earns prestigious award

Fisokuhle Makhanya, a third-year BSc Audiology student, earned a National Medical Award under the Health Sciences Student category by Alliance of South African Independent Practitioners Associations (ASAIPA) in June 2024. Makhanya is the only audiology student in the country and the only UCT student to receive the prestigious award for 2024. The award acknowledges his exemplary leadership qualities that have led to impactful solutions within South Africa’s healthcare system, benefiting patients and colleagues alike.

VC recognises PASS staff for winning proposal

The UCT Staff Excellence Awards is a premier event hosted by the vice-chancellor annually, with Professor Mosa Moshabela hosting his first such one at the end of 2024.

A highlight is his recognition of the contribution of a team of PASS staff that have conceptualised, coordinated and developed a winning proposal to establish a Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/National Research Foundation-funded (NRF) national Institute for the Preparedness and Prevention of Pandemics. The proposal reflects a national vision to strengthen South Africa’s, and later Africa’s, research capacity to anticipate, respond to and recover from pandemics, characterised by rapid responsiveness, agility in response to real-time data and broad engagement.

Professor receives Order of the British Empire

Professor Robert Wilkinson, honorary professor in UCT’s Department of Medicine, received an Order of the British Empire in December 2024 for services to infectious disease research.

Academic awarded Harvard South Africa Fellowship

Dr Marvin Jansen, who leads the Health Sciences clinical skills programme, was awarded the Harvard South Africa Fellowship, enabling him to attend the General Management Programme from August to November 2025 at Harvard University’s Business School.

Professor Linda-Gail Bekker retains her #1 female South African scientist ranking

Professor Linda-Gail Bekker was once again ranked the number one female scientist in South Africa, according to the 2024 edition of Research.com’s ranking of top female scientists in the world. This is based on a scientist’s general H-index, reflecting Professor Bekker’s outstanding contributions to science and global health.

Professor Cathy Ward: Championing child safety and global parenting innovation

Professor Cathy Ward from the Department of Psychology continues to shape international policy on violence prevention and child well-being. In 2024, her open-source “Parenting for Lifelong Health” programme was active in 29 countries and reached more than 60 000 families. Developed in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), her research provides parents, especially in low-income settings, with free, accessible tools to raise children in non-violent homes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the transformation of these resources into digital formats, including WhatsApp support, social media content, and chatbot systems – dramatically expanding their reach. Her contributions earned her induction into the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). Professor Ward’s work exemplifies the faculty’s global impact and its commitment to evidence-based, socially responsive research.

Humanities

Boomerang: From UCT classroom to national recognition

Final-year film & media production students made history in 2024 when their short film Boomerang was nominated for a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA). This nomination, one of the highest accolades in the local film industry, recognised not only the students’ artistic achievement but also the Department of Film and Media Studies’ commitment to practical, real-world learning. Under the mentorship of industry professionals, students worked in teams to script, shoot, and produce their own films as part of a senior capstone project. Beyond technical mastery, the project fostered deep personal growth in collaboration, leadership, and critical thinking. The success of Boomerang illustrates the transformative power of UCT’s creative pedagogy and its ability to launch students into the national spotlight.

Opera UCT premieres lost Donizetti opera to global acclaim

Opera UCT achieved a world first by staging the long-lost opera Dalinda by Gaetano Donizetti, an event of international historical and artistic significance. Rediscovered in 2019 after being censored and lost for nearly 180 years, the opera’s world premiere was entrusted to Opera UCT director, Jeremy Silver, due to his global reputation. The production required the creation of new translations, pronunciation guides, and supertitles, establishing UCT as the official global authority on Dalinda. Performed at the Baxter Theatre, the production drew critical praise in the New York Times, Opera Magazine, and Italian press. It also received national attention with the minister of Sports, Arts and Culture in attendance. This historic production underscores the faculty’s global influence in music and performance education.

Distinguished Teacher Awards: Celebrating excellence in inclusive and decolonial pedagogy

Three exceptional educators from the Humanities received UCT’s Distinguished Teacher Award in 2024, affirming the faculty’s leadership in transformative teaching.

• Associate Professor George Hull from the Department of Philosophy was recognised for his groundbreaking course on the Philosophy of Race and his work making philosophy accessible through public engagement and national curriculum renewal.
• Dr Yunus Omar from the School of Education was honoured for his feminist pedagogy, inclusive classroom environments, and leadership in events like the Neville Alexander conference.
• Dr Bianca Tame from the Department of Sociology was celebrated for her use of decolonial and Freirean frameworks, her student-led classroom culture, and her dedication to tutor and curriculum development.

These educators embody the values of academic excellence, inclusion, and social justice that define UCT’s teaching philosophy.

UCT Meritorious Book Prize 2024: Professor Wahbie Long’s Nation on the Couch

Professor Wahbie Long was awarded the UCT Meritorious Book Prize 2024 for his acclaimed book Nation on the Couch: Inside South Africa’s Mind. This prestigious award honours UCT-authored works that make a substantial contribution to their field. In Nation on the Couch, Professor Long combines psychology, political commentary, and critical theory to explore the collective psyche of post-apartheid South Africa.

Law

UCT Law Students shining in the world of prestigious scholarships

A recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship for 2024, Daniel Erasmus is particularly interested in the philosophical and political challenges facing the field in modern South Africa and globally. They are motivated by a desire to create a more caring world.

During their studies at UCT, Erasmus served as secretary general of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and participated in both national and international moot competitions. They were part of the winning team in the 2022 Kate O’Reagan Inter-varsity Moot Competition.

LLM student’s international internship ‘opens window of opportunity’

An opportunity to pursue an internship at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Germany was an experience of a lifetime and has solidified John Singbae II’s love and fascination for this niche area of law.

Singbae II completed his master’s in law (LLM), specialising in international law, at UCT. In 2024, in a landmark moment, he was selected as one of only four students from around the world to participate in a three-month internship programme offered by the tribunal in Hamburg in northern Germany. The internship programme started in April until June.

“I am delighted to have been afforded this opportunity to fly UCT’s flag high in Germany and to represent our beautiful continent on this international stage. It’s been an honour and a privilege and most certainly a career highlight that has opened a window of opportunity for me,” Singbae II said.

College of Fellows Young Researcher Awards

The Young Researcher Award is offered annually in recognition of outstanding scholarly work by young academics who have made significant independent contributions to research in their field. In 2024, two academics were awarded this prestigious accolade.

Dr Leo Boonzaier, senior lecturer in the Department of Private Law, is focused on the law of obligations, private law theory, and the interaction between private law and human rights. He is particularly interested in judicial reasoning and the way the common law develops. Two-time winner of the UCT Law’s Annual Research Prize and holder of a Y1 rating from the NRF, his work has been cited at all levels of the South African judiciary and has been applied and rebuked by the Constitutional Court. At the age of 28, Dr Gaopalelwe Mathiba, senior lecturer in the Department of Private Law, is one of the youngest UCT academics ever to receive this recognition. Dr Mathiba’s research interests include property law; land policy and governance; mining and human rights; meaningful stakeholder engagement and company-community conflicts in the extractive industries. His body of work on these topics and others has culminated in over 20 publications in peer-reviewed and refereed journals. His commitment to impactful and socially responsive scholarship is most evident in his significant contributions towards the development of sector-specific regulations and policy guidelines for various government departments including the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, as well as public works department.

Kenyan lawyer gets PhD in Air Law

Dr William Kiema is among a very small number of UCT graduates who attained a PhD in Air Law. Prior to pursuing a PhD in Aviation Law, Dr Kiema had already started carving his niche in academia. He undertook his undergraduate studies in Bachelor of Laws at the University of Nairobi and graduated in 2018. In a bid to further his education in the field of law, Kiema sought to pursue a Master of Laws degree at UCT. With a desire to benefit from the wealth of knowledge that UCT has to offer, he also sought to interact with people from different milieu, and thus he applied for and was successful in becoming a beneficiary of the MasterCard Foundation Scholarship Program, a merit-based scholarship granted to promising African scholars.

His unquenchable thirst for research and the creation of a stable and properly regulated African airspace led him to notice several gaps within the African civil aviation industry. As a legal scholar, he sought to better understand the aviation industry from a legal perspective? In January 2021, Kiema got admitted to the Faculty of Law to pursue his PhD, which was awarded in 2024.

Law researchers develop Constitutional Court monitoring platform

A unique platform, designed collaboratively by two UCT law academics – Nurina Ally and Dr Leo Boonzaier – and a data scientist Neil du Toit, is the answer law scholars, journalists and the general public have been looking for. It provides valuable insight into the work of the Constitutional Court, including its functionality and jurisprudence and offers users an opportunity to access and view statistics directly related to South Africa’s highest court.

The platform is intended to spark discussion and debate on Constitutional Court trends and showcase research tools that law scholars, the media and the public are guaranteed to find useful. The initiative is coordinated by Ally and Dr Boonzaier, in partnership with the Centre for Law and Society and the iNtaka Centre for Law and Technology both at UCT. Initially, the platform included information on judgements from 2010 to 2019 but will be updated to include recent statistics.

Science

UCT and IDIA unveil groundbreaking VR software

UCT’s Department of Astronomy and the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) – a partnership between UCT, the University of the Western Cape and the University of Pretoria – released new innovative virtual reality (VR) software.

The release of the immersive Data Visualisation Interactive Explorer (iDaVIE) software by the IDIA Visualisation Lab (IDIA Vislab) marked an important milestone and significant advancement in astronomy data visualisation and analysis, offering researchers a powerful tool to enhance their work using VR.

iDaVIE has been developed by the IDIA Vislab in collaboration with the Astrophysical Observatory of Catania of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF-OACT). It is designed to facilitate the visualisation and interrogation of complex astronomical and multidisciplinary datasets, exploiting the unique capabilities of VR.

UCT academic leads climate change research on ocean systems

Five global science and technology projects were selected to join the Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI) to address gaps in ocean data and modelling efforts by improving the breadth of research in the field and expanding capacity to understand ocean resources.

Associate Professor Sarah Fawcett spearheaded an effort to investigate oxygen and biogeochemical dynamics along the west African margin, as the OBVI pledged US$45 million to fund research over five years, with US$9.5 million awarded to support Associate Professor Fawcett’s project. Fawcett is based in UCT’s Department of Oceanography and the Marine and Antarctic Research Centre for Innovation and Sustainability (UCT-MARiS).

Through OBVI, Schmidt Sciences will bring together 60 scientists from 11 countries to conduct research to advance our understanding of ocean chemistry and the resilience of marine ecosystems in a rapidly warming world.

UCT and MeerKAT make giant strides in unveiling mysteries of the universe

By harnessing the extraordinary capabilities of South Africa’s world-renowned MeerKAT radio telescope, scientists at UCT in partnership with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and several leading global institutions made new, innovative strides in unveiling mysteries of the universe.

Thanks to this partnership, compelling evidence for a low-frequency gravitational wave background – cosmic ripples in spacetime that stretch and squeeze the fabric of the universe – has emerged. The findings stem from MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array Project, a five-year initiative that kicked-off in 2019, using the precision of pulsars as natural cosmic clocks. These celestial bodies are located thousands of light years away, act as the largest galactic gravitational wave detector of its kind and produce the most detailed gravitational wave maps ever created. MeerKAT’s state-of-the-art design, developed by SARAO and operated as a NRF facility, continues to push the boundaries of astronomical research.

UCT academic wins inaugural funding award

In 2024, Senior lecturer in the Department of Physics Dr James Keaveney received the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust’s (OMT) inaugural New Frontiers Research Award. This award is designed to support and reinvigorate South Africa’s reputation for research excellence.

The award was R7.5 million, and the winner received R1.5 million in research funding each year for five years. The New Frontiers Research Award targets early- to mid-career researchers, filling a critical gap in research funding. Of the 101 initial applicants, Dr Keaveney was one of only eight who were called to be interviewed. Applications came from all corners of South Africa and a range of subjects, from English to astrophysics.

“When I got the news that I was the inaugural recipient of the award, I immediately felt humbled; humbled because I felt small in comparison to the huge opportunity that the OMT has provided me, small in comparison to the confidence they have shown in my vision, and small in comparison to the responsibility to deliver a major and crucial technological innovation for South Africa,” Keaveney reflected.

Shaping sustainability from our southern location

Researchers at UCT gain unprecedented access to three oceans, a rich ecological landscape and the endless potential of southern skies. While the official terms of some UCT South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) chair roles have ended, they have established and will continue to build on years’ worth of research based on this unique geography: “Our southern location”, which has inspired new and ground-breaking discoveries. This is one of the five research focal areas devised under UCT’s Vision 2030.

These SARChI chairs were launched as part of the national DSI/NRF initiative to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation across South African universities.

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