Closing off this year’s Women’s Month, the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) has named Senele Goba as its new president and board chairperson for the 2023/24 financial year.
Goba’s appointment was announced yesterday at the organisation’s annual general meeting, together with new office bearers for the new financial year.
Including Goba, the new leadership team is made up of Pearl Pasi, who takes up the role of IITPSA vice-president and board vice-chairperson, while Karel Matthee was re-elected as treasurer of the institute.
As the institute’s new president, Goba takes over from Admire Gwanzura. Immediate past president Gwanzura remains on the IITPSA board of directors, together with Goba, John Singh, Kudzayi Chipidza and Rimmon Kisten.
The IITPSA says Goba follows in the footsteps of its former female presidents, including Moira de Roche, who is current vice-president of the International Federation for Information Processing, and Ulandi Exner, current AfICTA board member and vice-chairperson, Southern Africa.
Says the ICT body: “Senele’s role as president is to act as the official spokesperson for the institute and to help support the aims of the institute, which is to further the study, science and application of ICTs; maintain and promote codes of conduct and ethics for members; define and promote standards of ICT knowledge; and promote the formulation of effective policies on ICT and related matters.
“The president of the IITPSA officiates over the annual IITPSA President’s Awards, and other official events, including the South African Computer Olympiads, a project of the IITPSA.”
Goba is no stranger to the ICT industry body, having been the institute’s immediate vice-president, non-executive director and a committee member of the IITPSA Women in IT Chapter.
She is also director of 4IR Innovations and founder of the Ososayensi Education Advancement non-profit programme.
In 2020, Goba was awarded a place in the US State Department TechWomen programme managed by the Institute of International Education. The TechWomen programme aims to empower, connect and support the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
As South Africa’s ICT professional body, the IITPSA is recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority.
Established in 1957 under the name Computer Society South Africa, the IITPSA also aims to extend the knowledge, understanding and usage of ICTs in the community.
Its ICT programmes include the Women in IT Chapter; the annual ICT Skills Survey, carried out in partnership with Wits University’s Joburg Centre for Software Engineering; and the Computer Olympiad.
First launched in 1984, the Computer Olympiad engages over 50 000 participants annually. It aims to identify, encourage and reward computer aptitude, promote computer studies and create an awareness of career opportunities in ICT in South Africa.
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