Board and Management
Board and Management
Appointed by the Minister: Higher Education, Science and Innovation, the Board maintains overall responsibility of the organisation and delegates some of its work to various committees. The Board sets the strategy for the organisation and monitors its implementation.
Board ChairpersonVacant
Interim Board ChairpersonDr James Keevy
Deputy Board Chairperson
Dr James Keevy
Dr James Keevy is an experienced policy researcher that has worked in South Africa, Africa and internationally for the last 25 years. Following 13 years at the South African Qualifications Authority in Research Policy and International Liaison capacities, he joined JET Education Services in 2014 as the Chief Executive. His specific areas of expertise include qualifications, the recognition of learning, digitalisation, and the professionalisation and migration of teachers. He has worked closely with several international agencies, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Labour Organisation, World Bank, Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth of Learning, SADC Secretariat, African Union Commission, and others.
At present his main expertise lies in the ability to oversee large multinational research and evaluation teams to execute programmes in a robust and efficient manner. He brings a strong international network and perspective that has translated into a wide range of published research, most recently, this includes a mapping study on qualifications for the African Union Commission as well as a review of the research response in South Africa to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Anne Kathleen Oberholzer
Ms Anne Kathleen Oberholzer
Ms Anne Kathleen Oberholzer is the CEO of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB). She started her career as a full-time lecturer in Latin at the University of Natal in 1979. She taught at Durban High School from 1980 to 1987, and held several positions in the education and training field before joining SAQA in 1999. She was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SAQA and served in this position from 2002 to 2005. She then joined the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and was appointed its Chief Executive Officer in April 2007. Ms Oberhozer obtained a Master of Education from the University of Natal.
Ms Trudi van Wyk
Ms Trudi van Wyk
Ms Trudi van Wyk is the Chief Director: Social Inclusion and Quality in the Department of Higher Education and Training and is responsible for Social Inclusion and Equity, the National Qualifications Framework, Career Development Services, ICT in education and Open Learning. She previously served as the Director: Career Development and Open Learning where she set up a fully-fledged National Career Development Service in 2014 and was responsible for managing the implementation of open and distance learning policies and frameworks in the post-school sector.
From 1 September 2009 – 31 August 2012 she was the Education Specialist: eLearning at the Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada where she worked mainly with governments and institutions at strategic and implementation levels in the Caribbean, Africa, South-East Asia and Pacific to implement Open and Distance Learning, ICT and Open Educational Resources (OER) into schools, teacher education, higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
She has 37 years experience in Education and Training and published in the areas of Open Educational Resources; Digital Health Literacy, ICT in Education and ICT Competencies for Teachers.
Dr Mafu Rakometsi
Dr Mafu Rakometsi
Dr Mafu Rakometsi is an accomplished administrator whose career spans 40 years of uninterrupted service in the public sector with a special focus on basic education as his field of specialization.
He was raised in Welkom, Free State – South Africa.
He started his career in 1983 as a secondary school teacher.
He served as a lecturer, senior lecturer and head of department at Tshiya College of Education – whilst simultaneously serving as a History lecturer at the QwaQwa branch of the then University of the North.
Thereafter, Dr Rakometsi accepted the following positions:
- Head of subject advisory services at the Welkom education district.
- Head of Examinations at the North-West Department of Education.
- Director and Chief Director for educational development and professional services at the Free State Department of Education.
- Superintendent-General (Head of Department) at the Free State Department of Education (successfully lead a department with 32 000 employees across the province).
Since 2009 to date, Dr Mafu Rakometsi has served as the CEO of Umalusi, Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training in South Africa.
Dr Rakometsi is a member of the following Councils and Boards since 2009: Umalusi Council, SAQA, CHE, Helderberg College for Higher Education (since 2005), QCTO (since 2011)
Dr Rakometsi holds the following qualifications: BA and BA (Hons) – University of the North; MA University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg) and PhD (University of the Free State.
Notably, Dr Rakometsi received the University of the Free State’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award in September 2018.
Mr Bonisile McLaren Gantile
Mr Bonisile McLaren Gantile
Mr Bonisile McLaren Gantile is the founding member of Supreme ICT Academy. His career began as a trainee Telecommunications electrician in 1979, his experience includes a functional role as technician in Telegraph and Data networks, leadership role in Technology and Network Operations, Telkom Business Solutions, Corporate Strategy Development, before joining HR Learning & Development as an Executive. He spent more than 10 years as an Executive Learning and Development with Telkom SA, where he served from 1984 to 2016.
Mr Gantile is the former Vice President and CEO of the Southern African Society for Cooperative Education (SASCE), he served on the Boards of the World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE) and MICT SETA. He is a registered Master HR Professional with SA Board of People Practices, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa, and a Master of Science degree in Management of Technology and Innovation from the Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management. He also completed Executive Development Programme with Wits Business School and HR Executive Programme with University of Stellenbosch Business School
Mr Mark Mamello Mafisa
Mr Mark Mamello Mafisa
Mr Mark Mamello Mafisa brings a balanced understanding of using technology as an enabler to the business. He has good governance and business skills gained in the private and public sector, spanning over 19 years of Information Technology consulting experience in these industries: Information Technology, Energy, Education, Government, and Financial Services (in Banking & Insurance).
He currently oversees the strategic technology development, implementation and IT services provided within the Research Office Department. Since 2017, he has been serving in the University Research & Innovation Committee, and the Transformation and Employment Equity committee. He is passionate about technology and the ability to support digital transformation in business functions and operations.
He completed BSc Computer Science degree (UCT), PDBA from GIBS, Leadership Development and MBA from Wits Business School. He also holds various professional IT certifications in IT Management, Business Analysis, Project Management, Analytics, and Research Management and Leadership.
Mr Vijayen Naidoo
Mr Vijayen Naidoo
Mr Vijayen Naidoo was appointed as the CEO of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations on 1 June 2017 having previously held the post of Chief Director for Occupational Quality Assurance since 2014. Prior to this, Mr Naidoo worked for Umalusi (Council for General and Further Education and Training). As the Senior Manager: Quality Assurance of Assessment, he was responsible for managing the development and implementation of the Umalusi quality assurance systems to support the introduction of the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) in 2007 and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in 2008.
Mr Naidoo has almost 30 years of experience in the education and training sector and has held various positions including teacher, technical college lecturer, Deputy Principal of a Technical College, and Deputy Chief Educational Specialist at the Gauteng Department of Education. Mr Naidoo serves on the Board of SAQA, the NSA, and the Quality Councils as well as on various task teams and structures which contribute to the development of key policies in the education and training sectors. His areas of expertise are in Quality Assurance and Assessment.
Mr Ashley Benjamin
Mr Ashley Benjamin
Mr. Ashley Benjamin is the General Secretary of the National Union of Leather and Allied Workers and the latest addition to SAQA’s Board. In addition, he is:
- The Current FEDUSA Vice President of Training and Education
- The Chairperson of FEDUSA’s Training and Education Committee
- A Member of the Ditsela Board of Directors
- A Trustee of the Labour Job Creation Trust representing FEDUSA
- A Labour Representative in the Trade and Industry Chamber of NEDLAC
- A Labour Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Leather Industry Provident Fund
- A Representative on the Leather Industry Bargaining Council
- The Management Committee Delegate of the Leather Industry Bargaining Council of South Africa
- The Director of Nilaflex Pty Ltd, a wholly owned company of the Labour Job Creation Trust
- A Director on the Board of Proudly South Africa (PSA)
- A Board Member of the National Skills Authority (NSA)
Ms Jo-Ann Christine Agulhas
Ms Jo-Ann Christine Agulhas
Ms Jo-Ann Christine Agulhas is the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporate Secretaries International Association Limited (CSIA) and works with international bodies and member countries across 5 continents to drive the global recognition and professionalisation of Corporate Secretaries and governance professionals.
Ms Jo-Ann Christine Agulhas obtained a B. Comm degree and Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, at Rhodes University and her early career includes lecturing and research in skills development.
In November 1999, she joined the Institute for Public Finance and Auditing (IPFA) as the Professional Development Director responsible for developing and implementing the qualifications framework and tiered membership structure of the Institute. She was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2005 and Group Chief Executive of the Institute and its subsidiary, Public Finance IQ (PFiQ) on 1 April 2008. Jo-Ann joined The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) on 2 July 2012 as the Head of South Africa, responsible for driving the long term country strategy of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
She has served on various skills development committees and boards, advising on matters relating to education, training, career opportunities and vocational trends. Her career experience provided the opportunity to work extensively with stakeholders in government and education in Southern Africa as well as international bodies such as the World Bank and IFAC and includes serving as a Management Board member of FASSET (a Sector Education and Training Authority for Finance in South Africa) and being a Technical Advisor on the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) of IFAC from 2005 – 2007.
Jo-Ann is passionate about developing people and promoting the recognition of specialist skills. She is keen to apply her skills and experience to expand the national and international footprint of SAQA while maintaining the organizational culture of excellence and integrity.
Dr Thabo Shadrack Mashongoane
Dr Thabo Shadrack Mashongoane
Dr Thabo Shadrack Mashongoane worked in the automotive industry in the early 80s as a Fitter and Turner apprentice, quality assurance instructor and inspector for six years. He qualified as an artisan then moved to a technical college where he was employed as an instructor and a lecture for the engineering trades and later became the head of the division responsible for 16 different trades.
Exposure to senior management experience started in 1997 as a Principal of a Technical College, as well as a manager for the cluster of colleges for various portfolios such as Student Support Services, Human Resources, Linkages to Industry and Learnerships. He worked as the deputy director in the FET-Policy Planning and curriculum development in the National Department of Education and was later appointed as the Executive Manager for the National Skills Authority (NSA) in the Department of Labour and transferred to the Department of Higher Education and Training in the same portfolio.
He was later appointed as the Executive Officer of the NSA responsible for the coordination of the work of the NSA advising the Minister on strategic and policy matters including National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) and the monitoring of performance and governance of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) as well as the 9 Provincial Skills Development Forums (PSDFs), until April 2021. Thabo joined the Mining Qualifications Authority SETA as its Chief Operations Officer, from May 2021. He was later appointed the Acting Chief Executive Officer from February to November 2022 and later confirmed the Chief Executive Officer from December 2022 to date.
Ms Nyawa Dikwayo CA(SA)
Ms Nyawa Dikwayo is a qualified Chartered Accountant who holds a Masters qualification in Development Finance from University of Stellenbosch. She is the currently the Director of NTGSolutions CC, South African company that provides custom made innovative Geospatial Intelligence Business Solutions.
Ms Dikwayo has worked for public sector institutions where she has over 7years’ experience at senior level positions. She is the former Chief Financial Officer at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) , prior to joining SAHRC she was the Director responsible for Financial Reporting and Planning at the National Skills Fund (NSF) under the Department of Higher Education and Training. She gained experience in skills development and higher education sector during her tenure at NSF.
Ms Dikwayo brings Finance experience focused in the public sector in financial reporting, budgeting, financial management, governance, supply chain management, internal controls and financial systems. She is a member of the SAICA Northern Region Public Sector Committee. Furthermore, Ms Dikwayo sits in several public institutions as an Independent Audit & Risk Committee member.
Dr Linda Meyer
Dr Linda Meyer
Dr Linda Meyer is the Head of Operations at Universities South Africa (USAf). Linda holds a Doctor of Philosophy (RSA), Doctor of Business Administration (USA), Masters of Business Administration (UK), Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies (UK), Bachelor of Business Administration and several other Diplomas and Higher Certificates and professional certifications.
A serving member of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Board and Audit and Risk Committee, the ETDP SETA (HE – Chamber) Board, the QCTO-Occupational Qualifications, Assessment and Certification Committee (OQACC), the Higher Health Technical Task Team (TTT) on Gender-Based Violence and the DHET Future Professors Programme (FPP) National Advisory Board.
Dr Meyer served on various governance structures (past and present) including, the South African Magistrates Commission, South African Qualifications Authority, Higher-Health, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD), Services SETA, SA SMME Foundation, South African Private Higher Education (SAPHE), DHET, ETDP SETA etc.
Former positions include the Head of Justice College (DoJ&CD), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Executive Dean, Dean, Academic Executive, Acting Deputy Director General, Chief Director, CCMA Commissioner and various other senior and executive management and consulting positions.
A published author, thought leader and a regular media guest and speaker at industry conferences.
Dr Whitfield Green
Dr Whitfield Green
Dr Whitfield Green is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Higher Education. Prior to taking up this position in February 2021, Dr Green was the Chief-Director, Teaching, Learning and Research Development in the South African Department of Higher Education and Training, a post he held from 2010. In this position, he led the work of the Department in respect of:
- Supporting the development of a university-based teacher education system.
- Leading the development and implementation of qualifications policies for teachers in the range of education sub-sectors and supporting capacity development to strengthen teacher education in universities.
- Developing, implementing and monitoring policy and programmes to support capacity development at universities for advancing student success, staff development and programme/curriculum development, including through conceptualization, management and oversight of the Department’s University Capacity Development Programme.
- Developing a coordinated system for the management of international postgraduate scholarship partnerships.
Prior to the position of chief director, Dr Green was the Director for Initial Teacher Education in the former Department of Education, a position he held from 2008.
Dr. Green also has extensive experience in a range of education settings, having served as a high school teacher, as a teacher education college lecturer, and as lecturer and senior lecturer at university level.
He holds a Bachelor of Science, Higher Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Education Honours and Master of Education, all from the University of Natal/KwaZulu-Natal, and a PhD from the University of Stellenbosch.sch.
Chief Executive OfficerNadia Starr
Chief Executive Officer
Nadia Starr
Ms Nadia Starr is the Chief Executive Officer of SAQA. She assumed this position from 1 December 2022 after having served as Executive: NQF Operations at SAQA since 2021.
Ms Starr has occupied various roles in the education and training sector since 2005. She has been an academic at a private Higher Education Institution, a Project Manager at a public TVET College and a Qualification Developer and Head of Quality Assurance at a Regulatory Authority.
Ms Starr spent the last 10 years in Senior Management and Non-Executive Director roles in the public sector, working with education and training policy development, quality assurance and funding mechanisms. She has previously served as CEO of the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA).
Ms Starr holds a Bachelor and a Postgraduate Degree in Psychology from the University of Cape Town (UCT), and a Master of Education from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) along with several occupational certifications.
Chief Operating OfficerDr Makhapa Makhafola
Chief Operating Officer
Dr Makhapa Makhafola
Dr Makhapa Makhafola is a seasoned scientist and quality assurance expert with a wealth of knowledge of and experience in the higher education sector. His work experience spans over two decades in the public and private sector.
Dr Makhafola was the Director in the Management of the HEQSF Directorate at the Council on Higher Education. He obtained his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Pretoria and has worked for several Higher Education institutions in the Quality Assurance function as a director and recently as an Executive Director at the University of Zululand, Richards Bay Campus.
Dr Makhafola also worked as the General Manager: Research & Development at Mintek. He is a highly accomplished and knowledgeable executive-level management professional, he has a track record of success in driving bottom-line performance of products and services across the mining and research and development industries. He served as a member of Umalusi Council and Chairperson of the DST/MINTEK Nanotechnology Innovation Centre Steering Committee. He is currently a member of the HyPlat Board. Dr Makhafola coordinated the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) programme on behalf of the Department of Science & Innovation.
Coupled with his impressive experience, Dr Makhafola also has a laudable academic profile. In the workplace, he describes himself as a visionary who believes in inclusivity and teamwork. These are the traits he will carry over to his new position at SAQA.
Senior Manager:
Authentication ServicesAnnemarie Janse Van Rensburg
Senior Manager: Authentication Services
Annemarie Janse Van Rensburg
Ms Annemarie Janse van Rensburg is the Senior Manager: Authentication Services, she worked with NQF related issues since 1995 when she joined SAFCERT, which later became Umalusi as Certification Assistant Manager and then joined the University of Pretoria in 2007 for a six-month period in student administration. Annemarie then joined the Department of Education, just as the Department split in to two departments and joined the Department of Basic Education. She headed the certification unit and managed the national coordination of the National Senior Certificate examinations, which was implemented in 2010 for the first time. She moved back to Umalusi to head the certification unit and took up the position of Certification Manager for the National Senior Certificates, Senior Certificate, GETC and Vocational Education.
In 2014 Annemarie was appointed as the Director: Certification at the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) where she established the certification unit and ensured operational certification systems are in place. The launch of the online verification system was one of the highlights at the QCTO.
Annemarie started her career as a teacher and then moved to the Transvaal Education Department, working with Examination Administration matters.
Senior Manager:
Registration and
RecognitionJapie Nel
Senior Manager: Registration and Recognition
Japie Nel
Mr Japie Nel is the Senior Manager: Registration and Recognition, he worked with NQF related issues since 1994. He was part of the National Training Board with the Minister of Labour in the development of a National Training Strategy for South Africa. Out of consultation with Unions and Employer Organisations, the NQF was proposed. In 1998, he joined SAQA as the coordinator of one of the National Standards Bodies.
In April 2000, he started his own business where he consulted with Sector Education Authorities (SETAs), Higher Education Providers (Public and Private), skills development providers and other stakeholders in relation to qualifications development, quality assurance processes and other NQF processes.
Japie also worked in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the Middle East, where he was involved in the development of qualifications, policies and procedures, recognition of prior learning, and accreditation of providers and qualifications. After his stint in Bahrain, he rejoined SAQA in 2018, serving under the Registration and Recognition Division where he is involved in the registration of qualifications, recognition of professional bodies and development of policies and procedures.
Senior Manager:
ResearchDr Heidi Bolton
Senior Manager: Research
Dr Heidi Bolton
Dr Heidi Bolton is the Senior Manager: Research at SAQA. She has held this position since 2009, previously as Director: Research. She leads, oversees, and collaborates in, SAQA’s research and development initiatives, and related events, engagements, and publications. Her research interests include national education systems, qualifications frameworks, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT), assessment, curriculum, learning and teaching, flexible learning pathways and the recognition of learning in all forms. Previously she oversaw research at Umalusi, worked as a publisher of academic textbooks, lectured part-time at a public higher education institution, was involved in adult education, and taught in schools.
Chief Financial OfficerInnocent Gumbochuma
Chief Financial Officer
Innocent Gumbochuma
Mr Innocent Gumbochuma is a Chartered Accountant who also holds an MBA. He has worked for public sector institutions where he has over 10 years’ experience at senior levels positions. Before joining SAQA, he worked for Umalusi and Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). During his nine-year tenure at QCTO, he steered the organisation to achieve eight clean audits.
Innocent is passionate about clean governance and high performance. He currently leads SAQA’s Finance, Supply Chain Management, ICT and Facilities Management.
In his spare time, he enjoys golf and fitness.
Senior Manager:
Information
& Communications
Technology (ICT)Martha Pendu
Ms Martha Pendu is the Senior Manager: Information and Communications Technology. She has occupied various positions in the ICT area in the past 18 years, working for the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), managing Information Systems.
She has served in several committees pertaining to ICT. Ms Pendu possesses a combination of technical and strategic skills.
She holds a Degree in Information Science from the University of Pretoria and a Postgraduate Diploma in Information Management from the University of Johannesburg. She has several other certificates in IT including Business Analysis, COBIT, Prince II and ISO/SANS 27001.
Senior Project Manager:
Information
& Communications
Technology (ICT)Reginald Mazana
Senior Project Manager: Information & Communications Technology (ICT)
Reginald Mazana
Mr Reginald Mazana is the Senior Project Manager: Information and Communications Technology. He holds an MBA and currently studying towards an MSc in Project Management. Mr Mazana has extensive experience in ICT, Fintech, Banking, Telecommunication Industries. He has managed portfolios of up to U$20million with over 15 years of experience. He is well travelled and successfully deployed projects over 15 Countries in Sub-Saharan .
Mr Mazana is PMP, Prince 2 Practitioner Certified and several related certifications. He currently sits on the Project Management Institute South African Chapter Board of Directors as a non-executive Chairman. He specialised in project delivery both Agile, Waterfall methodologies, driving complex projects and setting up Project Management Offices tailored to meet organisational needs.
Mr Mazana enjoys reading and researching on Information Technology ,Project Management and Leadership material. He also enjoys playing golf and watching soccer.
Senior Manager:
Supply Chain
Management
& FacilitiesJeremy Thomas
Mr Jeremy Thomas is a Senior Manager: Supply Chain and Facilities Management. Jeremy has been in the position of Manager: Supply Chain Management at SAQA since February 2019.
He has acted in the capacity of Facilities Manager and advised as extensively in addition to his role of SCM Manager. He holds a BTech degree in Business Administration and an MTech degree in Business Administration from the University of South Africa. Jeremy has held various management and senior and executive management positions throughout his career and has extensive experience in Supply Chain Management and Facilities Management.
Senior Manager:
People ManagementBolekwa Maseti
Senior Manager:
Governance, Risk,
Compliance & LegalNomfundiso Kgomo
Senior Manager: Governance, Risk, Compliance & Legal
Nomfundiso Kgomo
Ms Kgomo is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa, with over 15 years of legal administrative and advisory experience within public sector, 9 of which were spent at middle management level positions in various public entities inclusive of National Gambling Board and Transnet Engineering division of Transnet SOC LTD.
Ms Kgomo brings with substantial experience and exposure in legislative drafting and processing; litigation management; Intellectual Property management, as well as knowledge in compliance and corporate law.
Senior Manager:
Strategic Research ProjectsNolusindiso Kayi
Senior Manager: Strategic Research Projects
Nolusindiso Kayi
Ms Nolusindiso Kayi joined SAQA from Universities South Africa (USAf) where she was Senior Manager Student Success. Prior to that, she was the Director: University Research Support and Policy Development at the Department (Ministry) of Higher Education and Training (South Africa). She has worked for a number of universities in research management including, Stellenbosch University, University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town.
Her portfolios focused on supporting and advancing research in South Africa mainly in research grants management and support for early career researchers, policy development for higher education, supporting internationalization of higher education in South Africa and evaluation of research and creative outputs.
Ms Kayi, holds a MTech: Business Administration Degree from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.