There is a new lady at the helm of the Council for the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Following the Council meeting held on 25 June, UWC vice-chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius has announced that Xoliswa Buyiswa Uphindile Mpongoshe has been elected as the new chair.
Mpongoshe, a distinguished UWC law graduate, brings a wealth of experience as an executive leader, specialising in corporate governance, corporate law, commercial law, risk management, compliance, health, safety, and sustainability, according to a statement by UWC.
“Her impressive career spans both the private and public sectors, where she has held key executive positions at various blue-chip companies in South Africa, as well as strategic state-owned enterprises,” the statement reads.
Background
Mpongoshe has served as chief compliance and risk officer (CCRO) at Transnet, acted as CEO at Transnet on several occasions, and was the executive of corporate services at PetroSA.
Currently, she has been seconded to the newly established South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC), where she is a vital member of the first executive committee, working to establish and operationalise this new entity with appropriate governance systems. Mpongoshe’s extensive board experience, where she often assumed the role of chair, includes her exposure to industries such as financial services, telecommunications, transport and logistics, and oil and gas.
She is guided by her leadership philosophy, “Lift as you rise”, and upholds values of respect, accountability, transparency, integrity, and authenticity.
