- The University of Cape Town (UCT) announced Prof Mosa Moshabela as its 11th Vice-Chancellor, effective 1 October, after asix-month selection process.
- Moshabela, currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor for research and innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- He is recognised for hisacademic and clinical expertise, with significant contributions to public health and infectious disease research.
Last week the University of Cape Town (UCT) formally announced Prof Mosa Moshabela as its 11th Vice-Chancellor, bringing an end to a “thorough and consultative six-month recruitment and selection process”.
During a briefing on Friday 24 May at the campus’ Bremner Building it was announced Moshabela will formally take up the UCT Vice-Chancellor position on Tuesday 1 October.
On top of getting accustomed to the Mother City’s weather, “there’s going to be a lot of learning to do, but I’ve been reassured that the community of UCT is welcoming and accommodating,” Moshabela shared.
“Throughout the recruitment and selection process he demonstrated deep knowledge and an appreciation of the challenges the UCT Vice-Chancellor may encounter,” added UCT chair of Council Norman Arendse (SC). “He showed a sincere commitment to agile, transformative and values-based leadership.
Moshabela is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for research and innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a role he has held since 2021.
An esteemed academic and clinical scientist, he is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. He has a decorated career, with multiple awards.
Among these, he was awarded the PHILA Annual Award in 2022 by the Public Health Association of South Africa, for his contribution to Public Health, and a Ministerial Special Covid-19 Award in 2020-2021 for Covid-19 Science Communication and Public Engagement.
Moshabela serves as the chair of the Governing Board at the National Research Foundation, and Health Commissioner to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, as one of the seven multi-sector commissioners on the Premier’s Provincial Planning Commission.
He is former member of the board at the South African Medical Research Council and former chair of the Standing Committee on Health in the Academy of Science of South Africa.
A medical doctor by profession, his research is focused on the implementation science of health innovations. This is a multidisciplinary practice, which seeks to improve the access, quality, equity and the impact of healthcare for especially resource-constrained sub-Saharan African countries.
Infectious diseases
Primarily, Moshabela’s contribution to health research has been in the improvement of access and quality in health care to combat infectious diseases, particularly in relation to HIV and TB, and in the areas of health systems, services and policy research.
Globally, he is a member of the international advisory board for the Lancet Healthy Longevity, Lancet Commission on Synergies between Health Promotion, Universal Healthcare Access and Global Health Security, and the commission of the US National Academies for Science, Engineering and Medicine on the Global Roadmap to Healthy Longevity.
“We are excitedly looking forward to having Professor Moshabela joining UCT,” Arendse concluded, “and we have no doubt he will be an excellent appointment to take the university a notch higher.”
Moshabela will take over from Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy, who has been serving as Vice-Chancellor on an interim basis since March last year.
Reddy has committed to working with the new V-C over a period of three months as part of handing over the baton.
As incoming university head Moshabela is ready to take on the challenge of leading the most prestigious institution on the continent.
he said.
“I’m also prepared to address those and manage them.
I also hope we can do that with respect, with humility, while making sure we build trust and a sense of community in this institution with our partners.”
