Our staff – helping to make it happen
Behind every good organisation are special people who help make it happen. We spoke briefly to two of them:
Nelisiwe Mncube
Neli BhenguNelisiwe (known to most as Neli) Mncube started more than ten years ago as Administrator for what was then NITheP. She remained part of the team as NITheP became NITheCS, serving as Senior Administrator for both the NITheCS KZN Node and the NITheCS Hub. Today, she is based full time at the Hub in Stellenbosch as a Senior Administrative Officer.
Neli grew up in Eshowe, northern KZN, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an Honours degree in Supply Chain Management.
Outlining her work, Neli explains: ‘My key role is that of committee officer for all NITheCS committees, including the EXCO, the Steering Committee, and the Scientific Advisory Committee. I am also responsible for supporting the research focus areas, issuing funding notice letters, and organising in-house workshops for all research focus areas.’
She adds: ‘The 10 September event symbolises a great milestone for NITheCS as a research institute in South Africa. We are also really looking forward to working in the new offices of NITheCS.’
Neli’s favourite quote is from Henry Ford: ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.’
Therese Mitchell
Therese MitchellA welcome and very recent addition to the NITheCS team is accountant Therese Mitchell, who is responsible for most financial matters at NITheCS, including purchase orders, payments, reports, budgets, and business plan finances.
‘I grew up all over South Africa and matriculated in Vryburg,’ Therese says. ‘I studied at NWU Potchefstroom, where I obtained most of my degrees in Cost & Management Accounting (B.Com, B.Com Honours, and M.Com), as well as my PGCE and a Project Management Diploma. I also hold a Life Coaching and Neuro-Life Coaching certificate (NQF 5).
Over the past 20 years, I’ve gained extensive experience in project management, strategic and financial management, process management, business consulting, and lecturing at both school and tertiary level. More recently – for the past two years – I transitioned into entrepreneurship, undertaking business consulting for various companies. I joined NITheCS on 1 September.’
Therese comments: ‘It’s a privilege to be part of the opening of the new NITheCS offices at Stellenbosch University. It will be a space that fosters collaboration, innovation, and the advancement of cutting-edge research.’
The NITheCS family is delighted to welcome Therese, who counts among her favourite quotes one by Fred DeVito: ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you!’
