Members


The CCC has a diverse membership, bringing together expertise from various faculties, fields and disciplines. These include the visual arts, engineering,
health sciences, communications technology, economics, science, communications and marketing, human settlements, water and sanitation, alongside broader university functions such as student governance, research and innovation, and engagement and transformation. The CCC thus
represents a transdisciplinary approach to engaging with society on different levels, working to cross boundaries and share capacities and skills.

 

Zandile Mbabela | Communication and Marketing
CCC involvement: Communication and Marketing support

Advocate Daryl Newton | Legal Services - Director
CCC involvement: Legal advice
 
Prof Darelle van Greunen | Centre for Community Technologies
CCC involvement: ICT Solutions
 
Dr Denver Webb | Strategic Resource Mobilisation and Advancement (SRMA)
CCC involvement: Government, University and Civil Society Interface and Mandela University Convergence Fund
 
Dr Thandi Mgwebi | DVC – Research, Innovation and Internationalisation
CCC involvement: COVID-19 research and research collaboration
 
Mr Luthando Jack | Student Affairs - Dean of Students
CCC involvement: Student engagement
 
Prof Sijekula Mbanga | Building and Human Settlement Development
CCC involvement: Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
 
Prof Azwinndini Muronga | Faculty of Science - ED
CCC involvement: Science Communication, COVID-19 Data Modelling, Sanitizer Production
 
Dr Laura Best | Vice-Chancellor’s office
CCC involvement: Public sector liaison and engagement
 
Prof Ronney Ncwadi | School of Economics, Development Studies and Tourism - Director
CCC involvement: Economic modelling
 
Chantal Janneker | People and Operations
CCC involvement: Communication and Marketing
 
Prof Fikile Nomvete | School of Medicine - Director
CCC involvement: Faculty of Health Sciences representative and Health Specialist
 
Dr Bruce Damons | Hubs of Convergence: Engagement and Transformation Portfolio
CCC involvement: Convenor of Community Convergence Workstream (CCW)
 
Prof Danie Hattingh | eNtsa: Faculty of Engineering, the Build Environment and Technology
CCC involvement:
Engineering Support
 

     Prof Pieter Binsbergen | School of Visual and Performing Arts - Director
     CCC involvement: #MaskUpMandela

Mr Mike Monaghan | Finance - ED
CCC involvement: Advice on financial matters
 
Dr Jenny du Preez | Chair for Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation (CriSHET)
CCC involvement: Secretariat
 
Prof André Keet | DVC: Engagement and Transformation Portfolio
CCC involvement: Chairperson
 
Mrs Nicole Collier-Naidoo | Community Convergence Workstream
CCC involvement: CCW Coordinator
 
Prof Zukiswa Zingela | Executive Dean of Health Sciences
CCC involvement: Health Sciences
 
 

 

In Memorium

 

Tribute to Wara Fana

In 2020, Mr Fana initiated the University’s Ubuso Bethu community journalism project as part of the work
supported by the Community Convergence Workstream (CCW) and in March 2021, joined the Centre for
Integrated Post-School Education and Training (CIPSET).

The message from his colleagues at the Hubs of Convergence, CCW and CIPSET is as follows:

Hamba kahle,

Wandile Fana UWandile Fana, umntu owayelwela ubulungisa, umcholacholi nompapashi weendaba, umcebisi, nomhlobo kuninzi lwabantu, ubhubhe ngoLwesihlanu umhla we-11 kuJun esutywa ziingxaki zeCovid-19.

Wayengumseki nonompapashi weSkawara, iphephandaba labahlali kuCofimvaba, ekwangusihlalo weAssociation of Independent Publishers.Waphinda waba ngomnye wabachophela umcimbi weSouth African National Editors Forum Media Relief Fund, ingxowa-mali eyayinceda bacholacholi nabapapashi beendaba ababetsala nzima ngexesha lesifo seCovid-19.

Ngenyanga yoKwindla (Matsh)_ ngo-2020, iNelson Mandela University yamkela iiprojekthi ezininzi isabela kwesi sifo seCOVID-19. UWandile – okanye uWara, ngendlela esasimbiza ngayo – waba lilungu le-Community Convergence Workstream, ekhokhela iprojekthi yabahlali eyayixhasa ukuchola-cholwa nokupapashwa kweendaba. UWara neqela lakhe bavuselela Ubuso Bethu – bevakalisa amazwi nokuthethwa ngabantu ezidolophini nasezilalini kulo lonke eli leMpuma Koloni nangaphaya kwayo, kwaye licebisa abacholacholi nabapapashi beendaba abasakhulayo nabazinikezela ekubaliseni amabali adla ngokungahoywa ngabeendaba abaziwayo. UWara wayewuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi wakhe, kwaye ukuzinikela kwakhe kubulungisa nakubuchule bokwenza abantu anxibelelana nabo bancume, kwamenza wangumntu onefuthe nekuluvuyo ukusebenza naye. Uza kukhunjulwa kakhuku ngabalingane bakhe kwiCommunity Convergence Workstream.

Wara, uzibandakanye ne Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training ese Nelson Mandela University ngo March kwulo nyaka sikuwo ebekwicandelo elincedisa ukususa ingxoxo kulwimi lwesingesi luzisa kulwimi lwe siXhosa kwi online classroom yethu. Njenge tshantliziyo elizingca ngolwimi lwenkobe,u Ta Wara ebekuqonda ukuntsokotha kokutshintsha iilwimi, ixabiso nochulumanco lokufunda. Ebenomonde, esomeleza, ezinikele, ekuguquleni imfundo udlale indima enkulu kuthi sonke.Uzise intliziyo yakhe yonke kumsebenzi ebewenza nakuthi ngokubanzi. Sizohlala simkhumbula, Ta’ Wara, mcebisi no mhlobo kuthi.

Akwaba umphefumlo wakhe ungaphumla ngoxolo, Tshatshu.

Wandile Fana, fighter for justice, journalist, mentor, and friend to many, died on Friday 11 June of Covid-related complications.

He was the founder and publisher of Skawara, a community newspaper in Cofimvaba, and chairperson of the Association of Independent Publishers. He was also one of the panellists of the South African National Editors Forum Media Relief Fund, which has been assisting struggling journalists during the pandemic.

In March 2020, Nelson Mandela University adopted several projects responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wandile - or Wara, as he was known to us - joined the Community Convergence Workstream leading a project supporting community journalism. Wara and his team brought Ubuso Bethu to life – platforming the voices of people from towns and villages across the Eastern Cape and beyond, and mentoring upcoming community journalists committed to telling the stories that the mainstream media often ignores.

Wara brought such passion to his work, and his commitment to justice and ability to bring a smile to the faces to all those he interacted with, made him an inspiration and a pleasure to work alongside. He is sorely missed by his colleagues in the Community Convergence Workstream.

Wara joined the Centre for integrated Post-School Education and Training at Nelson Mandela University in March this year to support shifting the discussion and writing in our online classroom to isiXhosa. As a passionate advocate of mother-tongue learning, Wara understood the complexity of moving between languages, and the value and joy of learning. His patience, encouragement, and commitment to transformative learning made an enormous difference in the lives of us all. He brought his heart to this work and to us as people. We will miss you deeply, Wara, mentor and friend.

May your soul rest in peace, Tshatshu.

Louise Vale’s tribute to Wara can be read here:

https://www.newframe.com/remembering-wara-fana-who-spoke-truth-to-power/

Centre for integrated Post-School Education and Training

 

 

In Memorium

 

Tribute to Professor Lungile Pepeta

Prof Lungile Pepeta was an integral member of the CCC from March 2020 until he fell ill. He tragically passed away on the 7th of August 2020. As Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Pepeta represented Health Sciences and its resources in the CCC, as well as bringing his extensive experience in the field to the committee. He helped to spearhead the University’s response to the pandemic, working closely with communities, government and business stakeholders, and healthcare workers.

During his time serving on the CCC, he worked to mobilise the Faculty of Health Sciences students towards assisting with the COVID-19 response. Under his guidance, an SOP was put together to facilitate volunteers from the faculty, including nursing students, EMT students and those equipped to provide psycho-social support. He also offered the resource of the Zanempilo mobile clinic. He was key in connecting the University’s response to that of the government, chairing both the Academic Governance Committee along with Dr Litah Matiwane to coordinate the relationship between health science departments and the Department of Health; and the Academic Science Advisory Committee, which was established to advise the SG’s office on COVID-19 and to assist with data analysis.


Prof Pepeta was always on hand in CCC meetings to provide the health perspective on the situation and to push for urgent action to combat the pandemic. He brought this to the “When is the Peak? COVID-19 Data Models” webinar, speaking alongside Prof Muronga and Prof Van Greunen. He was passionate and pragmatic; his heart for the people of the Metro and the Eastern Cape always clearly evident.


We appreciated his contributions, his warmth, his advice and his presence and he is dearly missed amongst his colleagues in the CCC.