JOHANNESBURG/07 December 2018 – The Secretariat, Rhodes Scholarships in Southern Africa is pleased to announce the election of the 2018 Rhodes Scholars-elect for South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland to study at the University of Oxford from October 2018.
The Rhodes Scholarship, awarded for the first time in 1903, provides exceptional students with the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Each year 89 Rhodes Scholars are selected from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica & the Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland), United Arab Emirates, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In Southern Africa there are:
Ø four Scholarships every year for applicants from South Africa-at-Large,
Ø one for applicants from KwaZulu-Natal,
Ø one for applicants from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland, and
Ø one each for applicants of or from:
o Diocesan College, Rondebosch (Bishops) and its partner schools, St Cyprian’s School, St George’s Grammar School, Herschel Girls School, and LEAP 1 School;
o South African College School, Newlands (SACS) and its partner schools, Sans Souci Girls’ High School and Rustenburg High School for Girls;
o Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch and its partner schools, Rhenish Girls’ High School and Bloemhof Girls’ High School; and
o St Andrew’s College, Grahamstown and its partner school, Diocesan School for Girls.
Applicants to the Rhodes Scholarship are evaluated on academic excellence, character, leadership, and commitment to service.
Ndumiso Luthuli, General Secretary of the Rhodes Scholarships in Southern Africa, congratulated the Rhodes Scholars-elect on their achievement: ‘As always, it is an honour to meet young, bold South Africans who have excelled in the classroom and have begun to tackle significant challenges in the wider world. We are inspired by their achievements, their drive and commitment to the public good. We wish them all the best at Oxford and beyond.’
The Rhodes Scholars-elect for the year 2017 are:
South Africa-at-Large:
Bronwyn Gavine (26) was born in Potchefstroom and attended St Andrew’s School in Welkom. She completed her MBChB with 1st class honours at the University of Cape Town, and went on to complete her internship in East London at Cecelia Makiwane and Frere Hospital. She is an advocate for equal access to quality healthcare, with a focus on surgical and neurosurgical services. As a student, she ran SHAWCO Health’s Simthandile Clinic and assisted in developing a health promotion programme that was implemented in all of the clinics. She was Vice President of the UCT Surgical Society, and in 2014 she was Deputy Chair of the organizing committee of the International Association of Student Surgical Societies (IASSS), which hosted its inaugural multinational surgery conference in Cape Town that year. She is passionate about neuroscience and neurosurgery, with a focus on disease profiles that impact developing countries, and South Africa in particular. Her research focus has been the burden and impact of traumatic brain injury and tuberculous meningitis in the paediatric population, which she has presented at conferences, and published. At Oxford, she plans to read for an MSc in Neuroscience.
Morategi Kale (22) was born in Pretoria and attended Pretoria High School for Girls. She is a graduate of the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Social Science in International Relations (with distinction) and Philosophy. She has recently finished her Honours in International Relations where her thesis was written on a feminist critique of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Throughout her studies, Morategi has worked keenly on increasing and improving youth participation in policy-making – particularly in climate change policy. In 2015, she was invited to join the official South African delegation to COP21 in Paris, where she was invited to speak on a panel for hosted by the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and a panel on green jobs organised by the African Development Bank. She has co-authored and edited a Youth in Climate Action report that will be included in South Africa’s official report on climate action to the United Nations. Morategi looks forward to pursuing an MPhil in Development Studies at Oxford and thereafter, return to South Africa to undertake a career in research and in the public sector.
Lehlohonolo Moche (23) was born in Pretoria and attended Pretoria High School for Girls, where she was Deputy Head Girl in 2012. She completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering (with distinction) at the University of Pretoria in 2016. She is currently completing masters in Industrial Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand as a Mandela Rhodes Scholar. She is passionate about the empowerment of women particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and therefore founded a Lean In chapter at the University of Pretoria. Lehlohonolo also as mentors undergraduate engineering students. She is an alumnus the South Africa-Washington-International Programs and the Women in Engineering Fellowship. As part of the programs, she undertook community engagement projects at PEN Ignite Education Centre and at Seshegong Secondary School. She has won the WomEng Technovation Challenge. She intends to pursue a master’s degree in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation while at Oxford.
Koot (Jacobus) Kotze (26) was born in Somerset West and attended Parel Vallei High School. Koot attended Stellenbosch University where he completed his MBChB (cum laude). Koot was awarded the university’s highest academic honour, the Chancellor’s Medal. He has published four academic articles (one as the principal author) and also writes in the media. He currently works in East London, and is excited to be starting community service at Zithulele Hospital in 2018. As a student, he was a co-founder of the NGO TB Proof, which advocates for the prevention of TB transmission, access to new and safer TB medications and the reduction of TB stigma. He was also a co-founder of the Safe Working Hours Campaign, which advocates for the implementation of continuous shift limits to prevent harm to patients and practitioners within the South African healthcare setting. He loves reading, spending time outdoors, dogs, and enjoying the company of his wife, family and friends. At Oxford, will study towards an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine.
Farah Jawitz (25) was born in Cape Town and attended Westerford High School. A medical doctor, artist and activist, Farah is passionate about improving the lives of patients and healthcare workers through innovation and human-centred design. Farah is currently serving as the chairperson of the Western Cape branch of the Junior Doctors Association of South Africa, and leads various campaigns affecting junior doctors. She co-led the Safe Working Hours campaign which reviewed the impact of fatigue on medical error and led to a reduction in the maximum continuous shift for junior doctors in South Africa. She is an avid painter, vocalist and clarinettist. Farah aims to pursue an MSc in international and tropical medicine and MBA at Oxford.
Dylan Barry (22) was born in Johannesburg and attended Sacred Heart College. Dylan completed a BSc (with distinction) at the University of the Witwatersrand with majors in Economics and Physics, and has just completed an Honours degree with a focus on theoretical physics. He is a contributing author on the 2017 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Youth Report and a UNESCO Youth Ambassador. In 2017, Dylan won a challenge posed by Pravin Gordhan and Trevor Manuel to draft a Charter of Economic Rights in supplement to the South African constitution’s Bill of Rights. He was the lead economics contributor on the group of students and academics that authored the Thuto ke Lesedi financial model for free undergraduate higher education in South Africa. Dylan represented South Africa at the 2015 Junior World Orienteering Championships in Norway.
Kwa-Zulu Natal
Kumeren Govender (24) was born in Durban and attended Star College. is currently completing his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree and Master’s degree in Health Science on a special dual-track degree program at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. During his undergraduate years of study, he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, written letters to journal editors and presented at conferences. He founded the South African Medical Students Association UKZN branch and coordinates numerous social campaigns. He is an accomplished violinist and also swims the Midmar mile, which is the world’s largest open water swim. Govender hopes to bridge knowledge from developed worlds to developing worlds and contribute to pioneering innovative and interdisciplinary solutions that are globally relevant to ultimately improve the lives of those burdened by diseases.
Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland:
Temwa Chimphepo (22) was born in Malawi and attended the Marymount Catholic Secondary School. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree (Economics) with Distinction from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. Temwa was awarded the National Bank of Malawi: Best Student award for the Faculty of Social Science in 2016. She developed interest in Mathematics and started working on Statistics for Economists and Abstract Algebra books; planned for completion in 2018This award came with a cash gift that Temwa used to provide gifts for SOS Children’s Villages in Mzuzu. Temwa has served as an intern at World Bank in Malawi and was part of the team drafting the fifth edition of the Malawi Economic Monitor launched in June 2017. She has also interned at World Vision Malawi in the Education Department. At Oxford, Temwa will study towards an MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance and an MSc in Financial Economics. Upon completion of her studies, Temwa intends to be a lecturer and an investor raising money to sustain philanthropic organisations.
Schools’ Scholars-Elect
Bishops, St Cyprian’s, St George’s Grammar, Herschel Girls, and LEAP 1 School
This committee did not award a scholarship for 2018.
SACS, Sans Souci Girls’ and Rustenburg High School for Girls
This committee did not award a scholarship for 2018.
Paul Roos Gymnasium, Rhenish Girls’ High and Bloemhof Girls’ High
Helene-Mari van der Westhuizen (27) choose a career in medicine as it represents an intersection between people’s stories, science and policy. She obtained an MBChB (cum laude) from the University of Stellenbosch. She is co-founder of the NGO, TB Proof, which focuses on preventing Tuberculosis transmission in healthcare facilities and reducing TB stigma. She co-led the Safe Working Hours campaign which reviewed the impact of fatigue on medical error and led to a reduction in the maximum continuous shift for junior doctors in South Africa. She founded the Stellenbosch University Medical Orchestra in which she played the oboe for five years. Helene-Mari would like to pursue a career in public health and intends to study Primary Care at Oxford University, looking at strategies for TB prevention in high burden settings.
St Andrew’s College
Aaron Graham (23) was born in Johannesburg and attended St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown. He graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2016 with first class honours in a BSc. Eng. (Mechanical). He is currently completing an MSc. Eng. focusing on Continuum Mechanics and Finite Element Methods. Throughout his university career he has been heavily involved in student organisations, focusing on ethical leadership and effective governance, winning an award for best performing sub warden. He is an officer in the South African Navy, spending a couple of months per year with them. Aaron intends to read for a DPhil in Engineering Science at Oxford, focusing on material characterisation and FEA modelling of soft biological tissue during impact events. Aaron spends his free time hiking, running and reading, as well as tending to his bonsai.
For further information please contact Annette Gibson at rhotrust@pixie.co.za or Trudi Makhaya at trudimakhaya@gmail.com or visit https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-house/