Staff
Secretary & Data Capturing Administrator (ESU)
Denise Jeggels
Dip. Secretarial certificate (GADRA Commercial Centre), Office
Admin certificate (Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网) & Supervisor certificate: Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网
Denise joined Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in 2006 as a clerical intern at the Sol Plaatje Institute for Media Leadership. She joined 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网/Extended Studies Unit in 2009 as a data capturer and secretary, where she works as a data capturer at 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in the mornings and as a secretary at ESU in the afternoons.
At 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 Denise is responsible for capturing student responses onto the Evaluation Assistant for lecturers from the various departments when teaching and/or courses are evaluated. She oversees the scanning of test and exam-related multiple-choice response sheets.
In addition, Denise is responsible for all administrative duties and financial services for ESU/TAI, and she assists with student queries.
Humanities
Judith Reynolds - Humanities Extended Studies Programme Coordinator
MA (Rhodes), PGDHE (Rhodes), BA (Rhodes)
Judith has an MA from Rhodes in Linguistics and English language. After graduating she worked in Poland for 6 years teaching English as a foreign language and attempting to learn Polish. Judith returned to Rhodes in 2005 to teach on the Humanities Extended Studies Programme. She teaches the Anthropology and the Journalism and Media Studies Extended Studies courses. Judith is also the coordinator of the Humanities Extended Studies Programme.
She completed a Post-graduate Diploma in Higher Education in 2006. She's currently working on a PhD in Higher Education Studies looking at how the non-academic aspects of students lives intersect with their studies and how they navigate this intersection.
Nomphumelelo Babeli - Lecturer
Nomphumelelo Babeli holds a Master of Social Science in Political and International Studies
from Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. She has also co-authored an article on the Politics of knowledge in South African universities: Students’ perspectives. Nomphumelelo Babeli is a lecturer at 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in the Extended Studies Unit and teaches Politics and International Relations, and Sociology. Nomphumelelo Babeli is also a PhD candidate at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s Department of Political and International Studies. Her PhD looks at the women's agency in the making of post-apartheid South Africa's foreign policy.
Zikho Dana - Lecturer
Zikho Dana is an nGAP (New Generation of Academics Programme) Lecturer at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 under the Centre for Higher Education Research, Learning and Teaching (老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网) in the Extended Studies Unit (ESU). She holds a BA in Political and International Studies and African Language Studies, a Joint Honours Degree in Political and International Studies and African Language Studies. She obtained a Master of Arts degree in African Language Studies at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, South Africa. She is also a translator (isiXhosa and English). She has translated undergraduate course outlines for the Political and International Studies Department (2017-2022) from English to isiXhosa. She has also briefly worked as a research intern at the African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in the Research Unit. Her research interests are Politics, International Studies & Relations, African Feminism, African Economy, African Spirituality, Translation , Protest Action, African Centred Peace Resolutions.
Commerce
Simba Gotora - Commerce Extended Studies Programme Coordinator
CA(SA), PGDip(Applied Accounting Sciences) (UNISA), BCom (Rhodes)
Simba Gotora is a lecturer for Accounting 1 in the Commerce Extended Studies Programme housed in 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2019 and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration through Rhodes Business School. Mr Gotora worked in the auditing field for four years before returning to his alma mater, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, to join the Finance Division in 2019. In 2023, he transitioned to the Commerce Extended Studies Programme from the university's Finance Division.
Sisonke Mawonga – Lecturer
BA (Hons); MA (RU)
Sisonke first joined the Extended Studies Unit as a student in 2009. In 2015 she returned as a lecturer and language practitioner at the Unit, she teaches Management 1F and Economics 1F (augmenting courses for Management 101 & 102 and Economics 101). Her PhD research focuses on multilingualism as a resource to facilitate learning at university. She is a project leader for the HELTASA Sustainable Membership team and serves on the association's coordinating council. Additionally, she has worked as a Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) standards consultant for CHE. She also serves as the institutional coordinator for DHET’s UCDP Language Policy Framework implementation project and manages activities under the project.
Her research interests include multilingualism in higher education, sociolinguistics, and multilingual pedagogies. Passionate about advancing inclusive education, Sisonke is dedicated to leveraging multilingualism to enhance student learning experiences
Science
Dr. Rebecca Powell SESP Programme Coordinator
Rebecca Powell joined the Science Extended Studies Unit (SESP) full-time at the beginning of 2025, having previously worked in the Department of Environmental Science and Institute for Water Research at Rhodes. She completed her PhD in Environmental Science in 2017 at the same time having gained teaching experience as a leave replacement lecturer in the SESP, as well as Departments of Geography and Environmental Science. During this time, she received valuable mentorship from Professor Karen Ellery, the previous SESP coordinator. Rebecca currently coordinates the Science Extended Studies Programme and teaches in the Integrated Science Concepts and Methods (ISCM) course of the Programme.
Rebecca loves teaching and engaging with learners on various science topics. Her current research interests relate to science teaching and learning and student success in Higher Education. She is also interested in sustainable natural resource management and ways of building this into the SESP curriculum.
Aviwe Matiwane - Lecturer
BSc Hons; MSc (RU)
Aviwe Matiwane is the Language and Literacies Lecturer at 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in the SESP. She hails from Lower Ngqwara in the Eastern Cape. She is a Botanist by profession and is finishing off her PhD in Palaeobotany at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. Her research interests are in teaching and learning in science, science communication, palaeobotany, evolution, forest biodiversity, and ecology. Aviwe is also the TAI Science Facilitator.
Amon Magadza - Lecturer
Amon is currently studying towards a Master in Education ICT and holds an NHD in Computer Studies, Kushinga Phikelele Polytechnic College (KPPC), Zimbabwe. He has been teaching Computer Studies in the tertiary education environment for the past ten years. Amon currently holds the position of Teaching Assistant within the Rhodes Extended Studies Unit, where he teaches Computer Skills for Commerce and supervises the Mentoring programme. His research interests are in ICT Curriculum Development and Student Support.
TAI & Ncedana Mentoring, Engage Tutor Coordinator
Nichola van der Poel
B.A. PGCE. PG Dip(HE) Rhodes
Nichola’s experience and interest lie in enhancing learning and teaching experiences through student development work. Her focus is on tutor and mentor development with a view to enabling student potential and wellbeing and, in turn, academic success.
Nichola teaches and co-ordinates 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s cross-faculty accredited Engage Certificate in Small Group Facilitation for tutors at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. She co-ordinates and teaches the TAI student peer mentoring programme and related short course in peer mentoring for Extended Studies and Pharmacy first year students and senior student mentors; the programme is in its 21st year at the 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 in 2024. She also works with mentors and mentees through the Ncedana programme which offers mentoring partnerships to 2nd and 3rd year students. Nichola has been working alongside students at Rhodes since 2001.
Last Modified: Wed, 28 May 2025 12:26:18 SAST