The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) has announced the finalists for the 2022 IITPSA President’s Awards.
This year, the annual event that recognises the IT industry’s leading CIOs marks its 65th anniversary – a milestone traditionally associated with a sapphire.
In light of this, the IITPSA has themed its sapphire anniversary President’s Awards as “Brilliance in IT”, it reveals.
The IITPSA President’s Awards have been an annual South African ICT industry highlight since 1979.
The winners will be named at the gala virtual awards ceremony on 29 November, from 08h00 until 10h30, in Sandton.
IITPSA president Admire Gwanzura comments: “We were delighted at the calibre of nominees for this year’s awards, particularly in light of the fact that the 2021 awards were delayed last year and only staged early this year, which could have depleted the number of outstanding candidates.
“Year-on-year, we see more innovation and more brilliant IT leaders being put forward for recognition.
“It’s also gratifying to note we are seeing women increasingly represented among the President’s Awards nominees and finalists.”
According to Gwanzura, the IITPSA, and the IT industry as a whole, has been striving for years to encourage more girls and women to enter the sector.
“The growing number of women rising to the top among our nominees and finalists may be a sign that South African IT is finally closing the gender gap,” he adds.
Past winners include professor Tshilidzi Marwala, vice-chancellor and principal at the University of Johannesburg (IT Personality of the Year 2021); Herman Swanepoel, CIO and innovation officer at Bestmed (Visionary CIO of the Year 2021); Dr Stanley Mpofu, CIO of the University of the Witwatersrand; and Nomthi Nelwamondo, CIO of Assupol, as joint Visionary CIOs of the Year (2020); Ntuthuko Shezi as IT Personality of the Year (2020); GirlCode, winner of the Social Responsibility/Community Award (2020); Geekulcha COO Tiyani Nghonyama as IT Personality of the Year; and Alexander Forbes former group CIO Sandra La Bella as Visionary CIO (2019).
To support the nominees, go to the Annual President’s Awards 2022 Finalists – IITPSA.
The finalists for the 2022 categories are:
IT Personality of the YearAward
A person who has made a positive impact on the SA ICT industry over the past year.
- Queen Ndlovu, CEO and founder of QP Drone Tech
- Johan Steyn, on the faculty at Woxsen University, founder of AIforBusiness.net
- Lillian Barnard, CEO of Microsoft South Africa
- Nyari Samushonga, CEO of WeThinkCode
- Carey van Vlaanderen, South African CEO of ESET
Visionary CIO Award
A person with overall responsibility for IT strategy and application of IT in an organisation.
- Portia Maluleke, group executive: Information Technology Services for the Telkom Group
- Intikhab Shaik, head of technology and solutions delivery at the South African Revenue Service
- Terence Govender, CIO of Phambili IT and IMGN, and co-founder of Change Dimensions.
- Karina Geyser, ICT executive of Safripol
- Phokeng Mogase,CIO of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority
Technology Excellence Award
A person / team who has made exceptional / innovative use of information technology, or designed an innovative new technology, for an organisation.
- Zamokuhle Thwala, co-founder of tech start-ups, AgriKool and Thumela
- Justin Thomas, head of strategy, product development and digital transformation at Standard Bank Fleet
- Riaan Mastenbroek, an entrepreneur and director of BlackBee Software
Social Responsibility / Community Award
A person / team / project delivering the benefits of IT on a not-for-profit basis to the community / or bringing the community into the IT space (addressing the digital divide).
- The Project Siyavula, founded by Nosipho Sithole
- Education Without Borders, founded by Cecil Hershler and Ruth Hershler
- Vuyo Sigauke, chairperson of the Nelson Mandela University Computer Science Society
- Code for Change, an edtech non-profit organisation that builds tools to support digital skills
Dynamism in ICT Youth Award
A young person under the age of 35, who has demonstrated exceptional potential or achievement in ICT over the past three to five years.
- Faith Mokgalaka, founder of agritech platform Puno
- Moss Marakalala, administrative support intern of the Tomorrow Trust Programme
- Minkyum Kim, a Grade 11 student at Reddam House Durbanville and winner of the South African Programming Olympiad in 2021
- Ayanda Kevin Dladla, a BSc Computer Engineer and founder of Mowash
- Dr Topside Ehleketani Mathonsi, senior lecturer and acting head of department: IT Department at Tshwane University of Technology
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