Trailblazers’ profiles
The 2023 Africa’s Travel Indaba is thrilled to announce the exceptional individuals participating in the upcoming Thought Leadership Sessions. Piloted at the 2023 edition of Meetings Africa, these Thought Leadership Sessions aim to showcase the role of business events in advancing the knowledge economy. These trailblazers are leaders in their respective fields, bringing years of experience and impressive qualifications.
Dr John Molepo is a Senior Lecturer for Public Administration at the University of Mpumalanga and the Programme Leader for the Bachelor of Administration. He is also the Executive Director of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM). He has received recognition from the Parliament of South Africa and the Presidency for his compassionate work. He holds a Doctoral Degree in Public Affairs and has presented research papers at national and international conferences and published scientific papers in numerous journals.
Professor Thulani Makhalanyane is a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, focusing on understanding the ecology of microbial communities in extreme environments. His work in this field has resulted in over 60 publications since 2012, presented at various international meetings. Makhalanyane serves on national and international panels, including the Executive Advisory Board of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), where he was elected to the board in October 2018. He holds the DSI/NRF SARChI Chair in Marine Microbiomics and has received awards such as the TW-Kambule-NSTF Award (Emerging Researcher) and a prestigious NRF P rating.
Sinqobile Khuluse is Chairperson of the Manufacturing Forum and Head of Human Resources at Sandock Austral Shipyards, the largest shipyard in Southern Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Legal Studies) and an LLB and is pursuing a Masters in Labour Law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion and cares deeply about people. She has received numerous awards, including the Imbokodo in Maritime Transformation Agenda Award. She serves on the Knowledge Resources Advisory Board and is a member of the South African Labour Lawyers Association, South African Women in Law, and the Black Management Forum.
Dr Kgao Edward Legodi is a highly respected ophthalmologist who graduated from Medunsa in 1996 and completed his ophthalmology residency at Nelson Mandela Medical School. He currently practises at Medforum Mediclinic in Pretoria and specialises in training retina specialists. Dr Legodi has held leadership positions in various organisations dedicated to improving ophthalmology services in Africa, including the Ophthalmology Society of South Africa, the African Ophthalmology Council, and the International Council of Ophthalmology. He has received recognition for his contributions to the field of ophthalmology, including the Nelson Mandela Award and the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa’s recognition. He has been invited to speak at national and international conferences on ophthalmology.
The following is the schedule for our trailblazers to be held at the Media Centre:
Dr Molepo presented on Business Process Outsourcing on May 9. He attended the Tourism Investment Forum Africa media launch on the same day.
On May 10, Makhalanyane will present on Life Sciences, especially understanding African microbiomes from 12:30–13:00, while Khuluse will present on manufacturing from 15:30–16:00. Dr Legodi will present on Medical Sciences, especially care, on May 11, from 11:00-11:30.
