The Mandela Rhodes Team

Mr Shaun Johnson

Chief Executive

Shaun Johnson is the founding Chief Executive of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, which is dedicated to building leadership capacity in Africa, and the Interim Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

A former newspaper editor and award-winning writer, he was Deputy Chief Executive of Independent News & Media South Africa before taking up his current position last year.

He is a member of Independent News & Media plc's International Advisory Board, Chairman of the Cape Town Partnership, and a Trustee of various charitable organisations.

Mr Johnson was educated at Hyde Park High School in Johannesburg, Rhodes University, and at the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar (South-Africa-At-Large, 1982). He won academic and sporting awards at both universities. In 2004 he was awarded the Centenary Old Rhodian Award.

In 1994 he published 'Strange Days Indeed', the bestselling book on South Africa's transition, which was introduced by Nelson Mandela. In 2006 Penguin Books published his first novel, 'The Native Commissioner', to critical acclaim in South Africa and Europe.

Shaun Johnson was born in South Africa in 1959. He grew up in Libode, in the former Transkei , Witbank and Durban before moving to Johannesburg. He has lived in Cape Town since 1996.

He was deeply involved in the development of the alternative press in South Africa in the late 1970s and early 1980s, writing the feasibility study for the New Nation newspaper and helping to found Saspu National. A former assistant editor of the Weekly Mail, he directed a training project aimed at black journalists.

He has written for a variety of prominent publications and has been a commentator on television and radio stations around the world as one of South Africa's most prominent political analysts.

Mr Mvuleni Stephens Thobela

General Manager

Steve Thobela started his career as a typographer, and was Regional Chairman of the Media Workers Association of South Africa. He worked in the production departments of Perskor, the Sowetan and The Newspaper Printing Company before becoming Operations Manager of Independent Newspapers Cape. He holds a Christian Ministry Diploma, and founded and pastored the Grace Church Soshanguve and the Grace Berean Church Tshepisong in Krugersdorp. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and is studying for his MBA. Steve joined The Mandela Rhodes Foundation as General Manager in June 2004.

Professor Rejoice Ngcongo

Scholarships Manager

Rejoice Ngcongo served as a high school educator and high school principal in the 1970s and 1980s. She later joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand as a senior lecturer and later became a Professor of Education Management and Vice Dean in the Faculty of Education.

She served as Deputy President of the then Natal African Teachers' Union, working with member educators to promote quality teaching.

Rejoice has been involved in the development of leadership capacity at different levels. She holds a Secondary Teachers' Diploma, a Bachelor of Social Science, a Masters, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Rejoice joined The Mandela Rhodes Foundation as Scholarships Manager in August 2004.

Ms Ruth Andrews

Scholarship Co-ordinator

Ruth Andrews was born in Cape Town and attended Livingstone Senior Secondary School. Thereafter she was engaged in entrepreneurial activities as well as community development and NGO work. She completed a BA degree majoring in Leadership, and is currently completing an Honours degree in Community Development at Stellenbosch University. She was employed at Cornerstone College, and serves on the board of the NGO, Ons Plek. Ruth joined The Mandela Rhodes Foundation as Scholarships Coordinator in November 2005.

Julia Brown

Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer

Julia Brown matriculated from St Cyprians in 1990. She went on to study PR and then marketing before starting her career at Pick 'n Pay in Centre Management. She went on to manage the Howard Shopping Centre in Pinelands before moving into PR & Media. In 1999, she joined Global Conferences where she spent the next 7 years as PA to the Managing Director and as a Conference Coordinator. In March of 2006, Julia joined The Mandela Rhodes Foundation as Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer. Julia is married and has one daughter.

Pamela Barron

Executive Assistant in the Office of the Chairman

Pamela Barron matriculated from Harold Cressy High School in Cape Town in 1971. She started her career as a Housing Assistant in the Housing branch of the City of Cape Town in January 1972. In 1976 she obtained a National Diploma in Housing Management and was promoted to the position of Housing Manager. A few years later she was appointed as a District Housing Manager. She terminated her services with the City of Cape Town in December 1998.

From 1999 to 2001 she was employed at Independent Newspapers Cape where she assisted in the Human Resources Department and later became the Personal Assistant to the Editor of the Cape Argus.

In January 2002 she joined the Social Cohesion and Integration Research Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council as an Administrative Officer. She terminated her services with the HSRC in March 2005 to join the Africa Genome Education Institute as its manager and secretary to the Board.

In February 2007 she joined the Mandela Rhodes Foundation as the Executive Assistant in the Office of the Chairman.