Matome Madibana is an accomplished executive with over 15 years of diverse and proven executive management experience in the public sector. Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA), Matome oversees all facets of the organisation, driving pivotal skills development initiatives in the media and ICT sectors.

Mr. Madibana’s career is marked by significant roles that highlight his leadership and expertise. Before becoming CEO, he held key positions such as Senior Manager: Corporate Services and Acting Senior Manager: Education, Training, and Quality Assurance (ETQA). His strategic vision and sector acumen were particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he successfully navigated the organisation through unprecedented challenges, placing digital transformation at the forefront of MICT SETA’s agenda.

Andre Wentzel joined the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) as interim Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2025, after an 18-month period of retirement.

He is a specialist in regulatory compliance and held the senior executive designation Head: Standard Bank Group Anti-Financial Crime and served as Standard Bank’s representative director on the Board of SABRIC until retirement.

He has extensive experience in banking and financial crime risk management and has focused over the last two decades on the implementation of Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Terrorist Financing, Anti-Bribery and Corruption and Financial Sanctions Control Programmes as well as Fraud Risk Management.

Andre was a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and a member of the international Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) until retirement. He holds tertiary qualifications in money laundering control and criminal justice & forensic auditing (UJ).

Thabang Phala, also known as Abuti Rams, is a standout in the tech world, combining his skills as an IT consultant, brand innovator, and advocate for human development. He shines as the host of the Abuti Rams Show on Athari TV, where he dives into the ins and outs of business in Africa, sharing valuable insights with his audience.

Thabang’s journey in the professional world is marked by his leadership in founding BizM8 and LuminaLeap, where he serves as the guiding force and managing director. His education in Business Informatics, Cybersecurity, and Web and Application Development lays a solid foundation for his vast experience, spanning over 12 years.

Prof Elmarie Kritzinger joined the University of South Africa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology in 2000 and currently holds the position of Professor in the School of Computing (Department of Information System). Prof Kritzinger continued her PhD completing her PGCE and a MEd (ICT in Education). She is currently NRF C2 rated within South Africa.

Prof Kritzinger has established herself as a mature researcher and has published in accredited national and international journals, contributed to chapters in books and presented at peer-reviewed conferences. Although her research focuses primarily on Information Security (Cyber) Awareness, she is cross-disciplinary skilled in the fields of information systems and education.

Founding member and project leader of a Cyber Awareness Project within the School of Computing at UNISA, her aspiration is to provide school children and communities in South Africa and Africa with a cyber awareness supporting documents to enrich their knowledge and ensure they are cyber safe. This project is multi-institutional with partners in industry, academia, government and public sector. As part of her corporate citizenship, Prof Kritzinger has successfully organized colloquiums and workshops on key discussions relating to cyber awareness and have been an invited as speaker for several workshops and conferences on the topic of Information Security Awareness and Education.

A number of honours, Master’s and Doctoral students are currently under her supervision within the fields of cyber safety, information systems and education.

Research areas:

• Cyber Safety for communities, school, industry, and governments.
• Culturalization of digital devices for education within 4^th IR
• Information Security Management
• Digital ecosystems
• Education of ICT for the future
• Information Governance

Professor Sizwe Snail ka Mtuze is a renowned expert in Cyberlaw and AI law, holding a prestigious position as Professor of Law at a top South African university. He teaches and conducts research in Cyberlaw, AI law, and Data Protection. As a Visiting Professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he shares his expertise with students and faculty.

His impressive background includes serving as a Member of the Information Regulator of South Africa from 2016 to 2021, where he played a crucial role in shaping the country’s data protection and privacy landscape. He was also a key contributor to the drafting of South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act, serving on the advisory committee responsible for shaping this critical legislation.

Dr Namosha Veerasamy is a principal researcher at the Cyber Security research group within the Information and Cyber Security Centre at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Namosha’ s research focus is on cybersecurity, cyber awareness and cyber threat trends. Namosha was one of the initial members of the Information Warfare Group which has since expanded into the Information and Cyber Security Centre.

Namosha is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications including publications in leading international journals in the field, like the International Journal of Information Warfare and the International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism.

Namosha is a keen mentor to many upcoming researchers within her environment and also regularly examines post-graduate dissertations at various institutions like the University of Johannesburg, University of Western Cape and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Namosha is a member of the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2, as well as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) holding CISSP and CISM certifications. She serves on the conference committees of the International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security and Information Security South Africa. She is also on the editorial board of the International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism.

Manqoba Mngomezulu, known as Q, is a cybersecurity expert and director of Inpassion, specialising in cybersecurity consulting, awareness, recruitment, and POPIA compliance. Since 2018, he has worked across various sectors, including telecommunications and non-profits. His skills include IT risk management, PCI DSS compliance, and cybersecurity operations.

Manqoba holds CISM and SCF-SABSA certifications and completed a Business Development Programme at GIBS. He is a member of ISACA and author of several books on cybersecurity, including the best-seller “Bring Back My Identity.”

Shandré Kim Jansen van Rensburg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Security Science at the University of South Africa. She holds a Master of Arts (Criminology) degree (cum laude) and a DLitt et Phil (Criminology) qualification. Her research focuses on criminology, victimology, and security science. In 2018, she was honoured as the youngest female doctoral graduate by Elsevier and received a Women in Research (WiR) grant. In 2024, she received the Principal’s Award for Research Excellence and the Best Mentor Award for 2024 from the Human Sciences Research Council, in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation. She publishes her work locally and internationally and has successfully supervised Masters and PhD students to completion.

Galeboe Mogotsi is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he oversees and manages all facets of cybersecurity to ensure the protection, integrity, and availability of the institution’s infrastructure and information assets. With over 18 years of experience in digital technology and cybersecurity, Galeboe is both a visionary strategist and a hands-on leader, adept at steering organizations through dynamic technological landscapes.

He has a proven track record of fostering security-conscious cultures and leading impactful digital transformations across diverse sectors, including education, defense, and finance. As a Certified IT Business Professional, a Chartered CIO, and an MBA graduate specializing in the management of information security, Galeboe brings both deep technical expertise and strong business acumen to his leadership roles.

Beyond his CISO role, Galeboe is the Co-Founder and Vice Chair of the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) South African Chapter Board, where he contributes to shaping the future of cloud security and advancing cybersecurity practices across the region.

Passionate about innovation, he actively explores and leverages emerging technologies and cybersecurity solutions to create value and enhance organizational performance. Widely regarded as a trusted advisor and thought leader, Galeboe is a sought-after industry speaker on topics such as cybersecurity resilience, emerging technologies, and business transformation

André Martin McDonald received the B.Eng., B.Eng.(Hons.) and M.Eng. degrees in Computer and Electronic Engineering from the University of Pretoria in 2004, 2005 and 2010, respectively, as well as the Ph.D. degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2024. He is currently a Principal Researcher at the Defence and Security Cluster of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), where he conducts interdisciplinary research in domains such as cybersecurity and radar system engineering, and develops novel and innovative cybersecurity products and solutions. He has a twenty-year track record of regular publication in peer-reviewed academic journals and the proceedings of international conferences. His research interests include network intrusion detection and prevention, radar clutter modelling and simulation, signal processing, dynamical systems and mathematical modelling.

Dr Pholoshi Abram Maake (PhD, MBA) currently serves as the Acting Director: Private Sector Research & Development Promotions at the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the administration and promotion of the scientific and technological Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive. He contributes to driving and supporting the growth of R&D activities within the private sector, fostering innovation, and promoting South Africa competitiveness in the global market. Dr Maake has previously held Senior Scientist positions at various government organizations, such as South African National Biodiversity Institute, Agricultural Research Council and the NRF-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, contributing immensely to biodiversity management, development of biodiversity policies and implementation, showcasing his commitment to advancing scientific, technological knowledge and innovation in South Africa.