UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA BY FIONA WAKELIN
A leading light:
Professor Thoko Mayekiso, VC, University of Mpumalanga BACKGROUND Professor Thoko Mayekiso, started her academic career as a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the then University of Transkei (now Walter Sisulu University). She rose through the ranks as an Associate Professor, Professor, Head of Department of Psychology and Vice Dean at the same University and then proceeded to the University of the Witwatersrand where she occupied the positions of Head of School, Chair of Psychology, Deputy Dean and Acting Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. At the Nelson Mandela University Professor Mayekiso was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and later, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Engagement. In November 2014, she assumed the position of ViceChancellor at the University of Mpumalanga. Together with training received in Clinical Psychology and exposure to empowerment programmes such as the HERS-SA Academy, and the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM), the above four institutions have contributed in different ways to her leadership development - as has been the exposure to studying and working in Germany, where she obtained her PhD in Psychology (cum laude) at the Free University Berlin and working in the United Kingdom as a Clinical Psychologist. “My field of study is Psychology and I am a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. My research interests are in Child and Adolescent Psychology and in particular adolescent adjustment disorders including HIV and AIDs. In recent years, I have
20 | Public Sector Leaders | August 2023
started conducting research on leadership and in particular women leadership in higher education”. The expression “rising through the ranks’’ appositely describes her academic and professional trajectories, and prepared her for the role of Vice-Chancellor. “When I was 13 years old, my father made the following observation, ‘You are a girl of determination’. His words became indelibly etched in my heart and mind. I keep reminding myself in my leadership journey, that I am a woman of determination. This helps me navigate any leadership challenges that I am confronted with. I believe that determination is the driving force towards excellence and, in order to work consistently and tirelessly at something, one needs perseverance. The experience, for example, of having to study Psychology in Germany, in German, and doing very well, having learnt the language in only six months, made me realise my excellent abilities as a person. These experiences increased my self-belief and self-esteem and I believe enabled me to unleash my potential and become the best I can be, thereby attain the highest position in University management and leadership. This contributed to the development of mental toughness and a ‘’never say die ‘’ attitude which came in handy to
