Leadership

Dr Tara Polzer Ngwato

Dr Tara Polzer Ngwato has twenty years of experience as a social development researcher, monitoring & evaluation professional, data storyteller and systems change facilitator. Her thematic focus areas include social cohesion, conflict transformation, migration and mining communities.

Seara Mkhabela

Seara is a seasoned business executive with over 21 years’ experience, having served as such at various corporations, including Merck Sharpe and Dohme, a multinational pharmaceutical company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Altron Group, a South African based information technology and services company listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE), Anglo American Platinum, a multinational mining company which has its roots in South Africa, listed on the JSE and Anglo America SA,  where she has been for the past 8 years, presently occupying the position of Executive Group Head: Corporate Affairs. she served as an independent director of the Outotec SA board from 2013-2021. Currently, she is a trustee on the Outotec SA trust and chairs the Social Ethics Committee.

Prior to her entry into the business world, Seara practiced Intellectual Property Law at Spoor and Fisher, a leading specialist firm in SA. She was also active in the protection of Indigenous knowledge systems and served as an independent director on the World Culture Forum.

In the various capacities stated above, Seara has contributed to the Southern African policy discourse in mining, manufacturing, pharmaceutical pricing, renewables energy, access to clean water, community farming and trust building.

She is enthusiastic about mentoring and uplifting younger managers and entrepreneurs and she is patron of Women in Mining.

Xolelwa Kashe-Katiya

Xolelwa Kashe-Katiya has for over twenty years worked as a researcher,  project manager and director in donor-funded, public and academic environments. At the beginning of 2023, she was appointed as the Managing Director of Maropeng A’ Afrika, the official Interpretation Centre of the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site in Gauteng. Xolelwa is  also the Executive Committee member of the Indlulamithi South African Scenarios initiative, and a Board member of South African History Online (SAHO).

She studied towards a Bachelor of Science (BSc.), where she majored in Archaeology. After completing her undergraduate studies, she went on to complete an Honours degree in Physical Anthropology, at the University of Pretoria. It was in 2010 when she was awarded a fellowship with UCT’s Archives and Public Culture Research Initiative, which enabled the attainment of her MPhil in Heritage and Public Culture. Xolelwa is currently enrolled for a PhD at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Her research interests are in the areas of Knowledge Production, World Heritage Management, and the role of African Studies in problematising the political economy of the African past

Nosipho Singiswa

Nosipho Singiswa started working at Indlulamithi SA Scenarios 2030 as a communication specialist before moving into her current role as Project Manager. Over the years, she has worked in a variety of public relations and project management roles, where she created strategies for communicating messages clearly and effectively. She holds a qualification from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Public Relations Management, Advertising and Applied Communication. Additionally, she earned a certificate in Project Management from Red & Yellow Creative School of Business.

Pali Lehohla

Mr Lehohla is the former statistician-general at Statistics South Africa and has served as the chair of the United Nations Statistics Commission. Mr Lehohla is a development researcher for Agicor. He managed censuses for Bophuthatswana in 1985 and 1991, and was responsible for directing the South African Census in 1996. He holds qualifications from University of Ghana and University of Lesotho.

Joel Netshitenzhe

Mr Netshitenzhe is the executive director of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA). He is a member of the boards of the CSIR, Nedbank Group and Life Healthcare Group. He is a member of the ANC National Executive Committee, and also served as a member of the National Planning Commission. He guided the two presidency scenarios in 2002/03 and 2007/08. He holds a Master of Science in financial economics and a postgraduate diploma in economic principles from the University of London.

Yacoob Abba Omar

Dr Omar is head of strategy and communications at the Banking Association of South Africa. Previously, he served as director of operations at MISTRA and as chief facilitator of two presidency scenarios. He has written and lectured on the risks and scenarios model at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU). He has also utilised the scenarios approach for several other clients. He holds a PhD from the University of Witwatersrand.

Na’eem Jeenah

Na’eem Jeenah is Senior Researcher: Humanity at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA). He is the former Executive Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre. Na’eem is Deputy Chair of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute, Advisory Board member of the World Congress for Middle East Studies, and Advisory Board member of the Centre for China-Africa Studies. He has written and edited several articles and books on the Middle East, feminisms, and South African politics, among other topics. He holds an MA in Social Sciences from the University of the Witwatersrand.