International Literacy Day 2024

Professor Dumi Moyo

Prof Dumi Moyo is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU). He earned a doctoral degree in Media and Communication Studies from the University of Oslo in 2006, after completing a Master of Philosophy degree at the same university in 1998. His previous professional experience includes having been Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand; Visiting Lecturer at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Research Fellow at the University of Oslo; Fulbright Scholar in Residence at the College of Lake County and William Rainey Harper College, Illinois, USA; and Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. Before joining the NWU in 2021, Moyo served as Associate Professor in the School of Communication and later as Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg. Before that, he worked as Regional Programme Manager for Media and Access to Information at the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and as Africa Regional Manager for the Strengthening Media and Society Project of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) between 2015 and 2016.

Moyo is a C2 NRF-rated scholar. His research interests include media policy and regulation, media, politics, culture, and technology in Africa, and he has published widely in these areas. His major works include four co-edited books: Radio in Africa: Publics, Cultures, Communities (Wits Press, 2011); Media Policy in a Changing Southern Africa: Critical Reflections on Media Reforms in the Global Age (UNISA Press, 2010); Mediating Xenophobia in Africa: Unpacking Discourses of Migration, Belonging and Othering (Palgrave, 2020); and Re-imagining Communication in Africa and the Caribbean: Global South Issues in Media, Culture and Technology (Palgrave, 2021).

Nadeema Musthan

Nadeema Musthan comes from a family of educators. Her passion and specific interests are children, literacy development, the intersections between pedagogies, language and literacy, and context to build a more just society. Nadeema was privileged to work at the Project for Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) at UCT from 2004-2012 in the Early Literacy Unit and is a founding member of Nal'ibali. Until recently, Nadeema worked in pre-service teacher education, curriculum development and building literate school communities at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha and the Centre for the Community School. Currently, Nadeema is the Executive Director of Fundza Literacy Trust, an NPO that aims to broaden multilingual literacy access and support for teens and youth via digital platforms. She is currently Chairperson for the Literacy Association of South Africa and is involved in supporting and uplifting literacy at all levels of society.

Jeff Nyoka

Mr Nyoka is a qualified librarian and manager for eLearning services at the City of Johannesburg Libraries, South Africa. He has over 20 years of experience in academic and public libraries. He has been responsible for implementing successful digital literacy programs such as coding, online courses, and mobile literacy. He has partnered with significant partners such as Microsoft, Google, IBM, and Amazon to support digital transformation in Coj Libraries. He has contributed a chapter to a book on digital transformation. Through eLearning services, Johannesburg Libraries have been nominated and won international awards such as the EIFL Public Library Innovation Award, the BCX Digital Innovation Award, and the Africa Online Fund. He has travelled to represent eLearning services in Greece, Taiwan, Namibia, Uganda, Ireland, Denmark, and Germany at different innovative conferences. Mr Nyoka is passionate about community development and creative arts and is a freelance translator.

Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta

Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta, a prominent figure in South Africa's literary and cultural landscape, has been awarded the prestigious Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) Multilingual Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to promoting multilingualism and cultural diversity through her literary works. Jafta, a talented author, poet, producer, and publisher, has captivated audiences with her mesmerizing performances in both Sesotho and English. Her recent Sesotho theatre production, 'Pitiki - Poetic Blues,' showcased her ability to weave compelling narratives that resonate with audiences from diverse backgrounds.

"JahRose's charm, aura, and musicality in the way she recites her poems have earned her rave reviews," remarked one audience member who attended her recent production at the Civic Theatre in Bloemfontein, Free State. "Her subject matter is relatable, and she has a unique ability to make the personal political." The PanSALB Multilingual Award, presented at a ceremony held at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) in KwaZulu Natal, is a testament to Jafta's dedication to promoting African languages and literature. As the publisher at African Languages Press, she has played a pivotal role in nurturing and promoting African literature while curating platforms for emerging authors to thrive in a competitive yet collaborative literary space.

Prof Lefose Makgahlela

Associate Professor and Programme Coordinator in the Programme of Information Studies Department of Communications, Media and Information Studies at the University of Limpopo. He obtained his PhD from the University of Kwazulu-Natal in 2020. He started his career as a Senior Library Assistant at Germiston City Libraries, now Ekurhuleni Metro Libraries, in 1999, and then moved to the South African Reserve Bank as a Senior Information Officer from 2001 until 2007, when he joined UNISA Department of Information Studies as a Lecturer, and from 2009 he moved to UNISA Library as Information Search Librarian. On the 01st May 2011, he joined the University of Limpopo as a Lecturer in the Programme of Information Studies and moved up to Associate Professor.  Prof Makgahlela has been in the Library and Information Studies field for more than 25 years in public, special and academic libraries and academia. He was also awarded the South African Librarian of the Year for 2019. He has been a member of LIASA in various portfolios for over 20 years. He also has a strong background in Education and Training in LIS, Records Management, Knowledge Management and Information for Development. Prof Makgahlela is also a library activist and has established book clubs in Limpopo Province to promote the culture of reading in South Africa.

Furthermore, Prof Makgahlela has published widely in the LIS and Records Management field in accredited academic journals. Prof Makgahlela is Programme Coordinator and Associate Professor at the University of Limpopo Programme of Information Studies. He is passionate about information for development, records management for accountability and transparency, and promoting the reading culture. He loves working with students studying towards LIS. In his spare time, Prof enjoys reading, farming, and learning new ways to improve farming.

Nokuthula Musa

Nokuthula has more than 24 years of experience as a Librarian, most of which were in the North-West and KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Libraries, where she provided professional services and support to public libraries. She was a Director of public libraries and Information Services in the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture between 2014 and 2020.

She joined the NLSA in 2020 as an Executive Director for Core Programmes of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA). She oversees Business Development (Collections management) and Public engagement Programmes (Information Access service, outreach and promotion of the culture of reading). She has managed various projects, including the 1^st and the 2^nd Biennial National Reading Summit, which was held in partnership with Unisa, Department of Information Science. Nokuthula is a member of the National Reading Barometer Steering Committee.

Nokuthula is also a qualified educator. She taught at a school for Deaf children for four years and has two master’s degrees: MPA (Masters in Public Administration)—Stellenbosch University and MIS (Master of Information Studies)-UKZN. Mrs Musa is a proud LIASA member and a Professional Librarian.

Dr Johannes Tsietsi Mahlasela

Dr Johannes Tsietsi Mahlasela started his career as an English and Sesotho teacher at a high school. He served as head of languages and deputy principal at high school for 15 years before he came to North West University in 2010. He came to offer Language Practice and Academic literacy development at Northwest University. He is presently a lecturer in Language Education in the Language directorate (LD) of the Northwest University (Vanderbijlpark campus). His research focuses on language practice and applied language studies, particularly regarding Sesotho and English at secondary and university levels. His scope of research encompasses translation, proofreading, and language testing. He holds a PhD in English – his PhD deals with the issue of equalizing Grade 12 Home Language Examination papers.