Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)

'Knowledge for Quality Health Services'
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Interim Council members

Prof Olive Shisana

(Chairperson)

Professor Olive Shisana holds a Masters of Clinical Psychology from Loyola Colleage in Baltimore, Doctor of Science from Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health and is Chief Executive Officer of the HSRC, Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town, former Professor of the Medunsa School of Public Health, founder of the University of the Western Cape Public Health Programme, first Director General of Health appointed under the former President Nelson Mandela’s administration.

She is also the immediate past President of International Social Science Council (ISSC) and continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the ISSC. Prior to this she served as HSRC’s Executive Director of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health, previously Executive Director, Family and Community Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

She is an authority in HIV surveillance, having been a principal investigator for several second generation surveillance systems for HIV. She was one of the founders of the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey as well as the Maternal and Child Mortality Surveillance.She is well published in international scientific journals and books. She served on many national and international scientific committees and advisory boards, such as the Ministerial Advisory Committee for National Health Insurance, the US Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Methodological Challenges in HIV Prevention Trials, the Emory University Global Health Institute Advisory Board, the South African National AIDS Council and the chair of the Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Board.  She chairs The Committee of Heads of Research and Technology (COHORT) in South Africa. She chairs the South Africa’s BRICS Think Tank as well as the AIDS 2016 Global Conference South African where she is a Co-Chair. She is listed as one of the 2013 City Press’ 100 world class South Africans. Professor Shisana won the South African Academy of Sciences Science-for-Society Gold Medal in 2013. She has recently (2014) been awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws honoriscausaby Monash University.


Dr N. Simelela

Dr Nono Semelela is currently the Advisor to the Deputy President of South Africa, Hon Kgalema Motlante responsible for coordination of the implementation of the new South African National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB and Sexually Transmitted Infections. This comprehensive plan includes 4 key priority areas, which address the structural determinants of the epidemic, preventing new HIV and TB infections, providing a comprehensive package of services for those infected and ensuring retention in care, and mitigation of impact on individuals and communities including programmes for orphaned and vulnerable children and social protection to the most at risk. Dr Simelela occupied various high profile positions in the Public and Private sectors, nationally and internationally, dealing with issues of HIV and AIDS. She is also coordinating the institutional and governance renewal of the South African National AIDS Trust. This requires the development of a more efficient governance and accountability framework that spans all the three spheres of government (national, provincial and local). As the Chief Executive Officer of SANAC she led the NSP development process and currently is tasked with supporting the implementation of the NSP through all three spheres of government. She was the first and only African female in the Senior Management of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). She served as an Executive Board member of the World Health Organization, representing the IPPF as a technical expert on maternal and child health, adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues, increasing access to safe abortion services sustaining commitment to the outcomes of the International Conference on Population and Development. Her management experience includes working as the Head of the HIV/AIDS/STI programme in the Ministry of Health in South Africa at a national level. Dr Semelela was the first black South African woman to qualify as a Specialist Obstetrician Gynaecologist in South Africa in 1990


Ms Sizo Mchunu

Ms Mchunu as Deputy Registrar of South African Nursing Council (SANC) is responsible for the overall management of Professional Nursing Practice. Her direct responsibilities include development and implementation of long term strategy for the Professional practice division established inline with provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005, as proclaimed in 2007 and 2008. In 2009- 2010 Ms Mchunu served as the Acting Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of SANC accountable for driving the overall strategy of SANC. As the Deputy Registrar : Professional Affairs (SANC), the position she held from 2007 – 2009 her responsibility was to manage and administer all professional affairs of SANC including regulation of nursing education and training and professional conduct of practicing practitioners. Her professional experience at SANAC includes working as the Executive Manager: Education and Training managing and directing the management of Quality Assurance Department dealing with accreditation, examinations and registrations. She has vast experience in curriculum development, reviews and evaluation in the Higher Education sector. Ms Mchunu served as a member of periodic curriculum review panel for the Nursing programmes in higher education. She participated in the World Health Organisation/ PEPFAR initiative on development of the plan for scaling up nursing education in the Afro- region of the WHO and served as member of the core group nominated to develop WHO guidelines for Adolescent Health and Development for nursing and midwifery education. She was appointed by SAQA and served as a member of the National Standards Body until disbanded and also served as a member of Consultative Panel of experts for SAQA.


Mr Paul Slack

Mr Slack is a registered Chartered Accountant, registered Tax Practitioner, Business rescue Practitioner, member of the Principal Officers Association, SETA accredited Assessor(Fasset and Services), member of the South African Pension Funds Forum and Member of Institute of Directors. Mr Slack owns Fasttrac Freelance Business Specialists, specialising on accounting for CC, Companies and Trusts, tax consulting, business consulting and financial training for educational institutions and corporations. He has vast experience in financial and management accounting. From Feb 2001 to Mar 2008 he was the Chief Director Finance of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Former Cape Technikon). He served in number of audit committees including audit committee of NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid). Currently he holds a chairmanship position of Wesgro Audit and Risk committee, Audit Committee of the SA Oil and Gas Alliance, the Audit and Risk Committee of the National Agricultural Marketing Council, Western Cape Gambling Board audit committee, Audit and Risk Committee of Western Cape Nature and Conservation, and Audit Committee of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations. He was appointed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training as the Specialist Assistant to independent assessor and Financial Consultant to the Administrator of the Mangosuthu University of Technology, Specialist Consultant (finance) to a task team evaluating the University of Fort Hare, Specialist Assistant to the independent assessor to the affairs of Durban University of Technology, and independently to evaluate the financial status of Walter Sisulu University.


Prof AM Segone

Prof Segone is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) which inter acts with the National Department of Health on regular basis. He is also a member of the Forum of Statutory Health Councils of South Africa serving as a representative of the Universities. After obtaining the MB CHB degree in Sheffield he trained as a General Surgeon in Manchester which culminated in Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) diploma. It was during his training in General Surgery that he gained an interest in Urology. His training in Urology was done at the Institute of Urology and the Central Middlesex Hospital in London (UK). After working as a Consultant Urologist in Liverpool (UK) and Harare ( Zimbabwe) Prof Segone came back to South Africa in 1992. He was Professor of Urology in Dr George Mukhari Hospital and Medunsa from 2004 – 2008. He is currently in the Department of Urology in Medunsa Campus of UL. Prof Segone is a member of South African Urology Association (SAUA), Society of International Urology (SIU) and Pan African Urological Surgeons Association (PAUSA).