Having served vulnerable communities in Cape Town since 2007, Reverend Tanelle Welff-Dixon has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Emmanuel Christian University in Bloemfontein, in recognition of her humanitarian and community development work in Kraaifontein.
The honorary doctorate followed an ecclesiastical evaluation process during which a panel assessed her publications, ministry leadership, community initiatives, and societal impact. The process was supervised by Reverend Dr Ivor Erasmus, the general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Christian Churches South Africa (EFCCSA).
“This conferral to Welff-Dixon is historic, marking the first honorary doctorate awarded by the EFCCSA Bible Institute under the auspices of Emmanuel Christian University, establishing a precedent for recognizing leaders whose work combines scholarship, ethical leadership, and transformative ministry,” said Erasmus.
Twenty years of service
Welff-Dixon heads the Kraaifontein-based non-profit organisation TWM Foundation, which was established in 2007. The organisation has become an active platform for humanitarian outreach, faith-based programmes, and community development initiatives. The Foundation will celebrate 20 years of service in the non-profit sector in August 2027, marking two decades of grassroots impact in primarily vulnerable communities.
Her ministry reflects a deep commitment to addressing gender-based violence, femicide, domestic violence, abuse against older persons, children, and substance abuse, critical social challenges affecting many indigent communities. Through advocacy, programme development, and community mobilisation, she continues to champion protection, restoration, and empowerment.
Welff-Dixon spent close to five years in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the USA, serving at the Progressive Baptist Church (Southern Baptist Conference) under the leadership of Dr Lloyd Joiner Junior. During this period, she gained valuable experience in international community development and faith-based social programmes, bringing best-practice models back to South Africa to strengthen local community initiatives.
In 2025, Reverend Welff-Dixon participated in the G20 Women’s Conference at Parliament and the G20 Civil Society Summit in Ekurhuleni. She also engaged with G20 platforms, including Women-20 and Interfaith-20, contributing to discussions on faith collaboration, social justice, and community empowerment.
As a military veteran, she used these platforms to highlight the lack of adequate support and structured assistance for military veterans, advocating for stronger policy attention and improved support systems for military veterans.
NPOs partners in nation-building
She was also named a Top 30 Finalist in the Most Influential Women Awards 2025, standing out as the only cleric nominated among more than 200 national entrants. In addition to her ministry and humanitarian work, Welff-Dixon is an aspiring author and film producer. She is currently developing plans for a 16-part documentary series and a feature film based on her life story and journey of resilience and faith. The project has already received encouraging feedback from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), reflecting growing interest in her story as a source of inspiration and social reflection. The feature film has a working title, Unbroken, The Tanelle Welff Story.
Welff-Dixon expressed deep gratitude for the honour, stating that she feels “truly humbled and honoured” to receive the recognition. She encouraged fellow Christian leaders and “workers in the vineyard” to continue serving faithfully even when recognition may seem limited.
She further emphasised that non-profit organisations, churches, and faith-based groups across South Africa are vital partners in nation-building and should receive stronger support and resourcing from government to continue serving vulnerable communities effectively.
“I could not have done all this good work without the favour of God, my husband, Clint Dixon, together with friends and family, who supported me as well as my church family. My most recent memorable projects include the Women’s Day event for women farmworkers on a winefarm in Stellenbosch as well as a women’s prayer walk to the provincial and national Parliament and meeting Western Cape Premier Alan Winde,” she says.
The honorary doctorate was bestowed on Welff-Dixon at the annual EFCCSA graduation ceremony on Sunday 8 March at the Methodist Church in Durbanville.
