Dr Vathi Papu-Zamxaka

Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation & Engagement

Dr. Vathi Papu-Zamxaka is a research and innovation leader currently serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement at Tshwane University of Technology. She holds a PhD degree in Public Health from London South Bank University in the United Kingdom and a Master of Science degree in Public Health from the University of Umeå in Sweden. She has recently been awarded a certificate of completion for the Leading in Artificial Intelligence: Exploring Technology and Policy Program at Harvard University in the United States of America. She worked at the Medical Research Council as a Senior Scientist, and as a Project Director for Microbicide Trials Network at Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She later joined the National Research Foundation as a Director for Applied Research & Innovation Grants and subsequently took a position of Director for Reviews & Evaluation. She then moved to a multinational research company, Synexus Clinical Research, where she served as the Country Director, overseeing South Africa, Uganda & Tanzania.

Whilst in private sector, she served as the Board member for the National Research Foundation and for Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. She is currently serving as a Board member for Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a Pharmaceutical company, based in Cape Town. As a passionate Scientist, she has been featured on a number of magazines and has been interviewed by a number of radio & TV stations on Science matters. She conceptualised and produced a TV show, profiling Scientists in the country, which she hosted on DSTV, channel 265.
She joined TUT as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Engagement in November 2020.

Professor Ntebogeng Mokgalaka-Fleischmann

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science

Professor Ntebogeng Mokgalaka-Fleischmann holds a Doctor of Technology in Chemistry and an MBA in Education Management. She possesses more than 25 years’ experience in higher education, in different capacities including university senior management. She is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at Tshwane University of Technology. Prior to that she was the Director of Mamelodi Campus at the University of Pretoria and the inaugural Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda. She is a Full Professor and a C-2 National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher. Prof Mokgalaka-Fleischmann has served on numerous boards and advisory committees including the South Africa-Swedish University Forum (SASUF) Academic Advisory Committee for Climate Change, Natural Resources and Sustainability, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) National Doctoral Review panel, the NRF advisory committee of the South Africa-Netherlands Research Cooperation, amongst others. Prof Mokgalaka-Fleischmann is currently a council member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), where she chairs the Qualifications Assessment Committee. She also serves in the UNESCO Natural Sciences Sector Committee and has been involved in several women in STEM as well as science awareness and advocacy initiatives nationally and internationally.

Ms Hildah Ramorulana

Acting General Manager

Ms Hildah Ramorulana is an experienced business and executive management professional with over 18 years of experience in financial management, administration, strategic leadership, and organisational governance. She joined the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2008 and joined the Centre for Tissue Engineering (CTE) in 2016 as a Senior Administrator, progressing into General Management.

She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Tshwane University of Technology Business School, a BCom Honours in Business Management and a BCom in Financial Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA), as well as an Advanced Diploma in Project Management from TUT. She has also completed a Service Design Intensive Course presented by Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland.

As General Manager, Ms Ramorulana provides strategic leadership and oversees the Centre’s operations, financial management, business development, quality management systems, stakeholder engagement, human resources, and regulatory compliance. She leads strategic planning, manages multidisciplinary teams, develops partnerships, identifies funding opportunities, and drives organisational growth while ensuring sound governance and operational excellence. Maintaining compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standard.

Ms Ramorulana is recognised for her strategic thinking, financial expertise, and collaborative leadership style. She is passionate about integrating business strategy with scientific innovation to strengthen biomedical research, healthcare, and organisational sustainability.

Dr DJM Frantzen

Medical DirectorDr Frantzen qualified as an orthopaedic surgeon in 2001 at the University of Pretoria. After this he completed a 2-year fellowship in tumour and infection surgery in the same department, this being his main interest in the field of orthopaedics. From 2003-2006 he was head of the tumour and sepsis unit at the Pretoria Academic hospital orthopaedic department. He joined full time private practice in 2006, specialised in tumour, infection and joint arthroplasty work. Dr Frantzen is still involved in the academic training of pre-and post-graduate students at the University of Pretoria. He has also actively been involved in the outreach and teaching of Orthopaedic trauma in the East, Central and Southern African countries since 2003 in collaboration with the AO Foundation.

He is registered at the HPCSA and is a member of the SAOA, (South African Orthopaedic Association) as well as a fellow of COSECSA (College of surgeons of Eastern Africa).

Marna Horn

Acting Procurement & PR Practitioner / Tissue Coordinator

Ms Marna Horn has been part of the Tshwane University of Technology’s Centre for Tissue Engineering (CTE) since 2012, serving as a Tissue Coordinator with dedication and compassion. For over a decade, she has guided families through the gift of tissue donation, offering support during some of life’s most difficult moments and helping them create a lasting legacy of hope.

Her passion extends beyond coordination—she is a strong advocate for public and professional education, raising awareness about the life-changing impact of tissue donation. Through her work, she highlights how one selfless gift can transform lives and ensure that donors are remembered through the difference they make. Ms Horn’s professional journey is built on a strong foundation in communication, administration, and leadership. Maintaining compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standard.

She holds a Higher Certificate in Executive Secretarial Studies (1992), Technikon Pretoria, has completed Basic Counselling Skills training (2003), and graduated from the Manager Development Programme (2010).

With 10 years of managerial experience in events and promotions at a leading pathology company, she brings a holistic and empathetic approach to her role as manager of the Procurement and PR departments at CTE, while building meaningful networks across the industry.

Guided by her belief that “You can be the change in someone else’s story,” Ms Horn continues to champion the transformative power of tissue donation and the enduring impact it has on both recipients and donor families.

Ms Tshego Nkontlha

Quality & Compliance Practitioner

Ms. Tshegofatso Nkontlha joined the Centre for Tissue Engineering in 2014 and serves as the Quality & Compliance Practitioner. She holds a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a National Diploma in Biotechnology from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).

She has further enhanced her professional expertise through certifications in Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001 and ISO 13485), qualification as a certified Lead Auditor, Risk Management for ISO 9001, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). These credentials equip her with the expertise to establish, implement, audit, and continually improve quality management systems while ensuring compliance with regulatory and international quality standards in highly regulated healthcare environments.

With over a decade of experience in Quality Assurance, Ms. Nkontlha has built extensive expertise across the healthcare sector, including osteogenic biomaterials, radiopharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and human tissue banking. She has a proven track record in quality management, regulatory compliance, risk management, internal auditing, and continuous improvement, ensuring that products and processes consistently meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Her commitment to excellence, patient safety, and quality culture is instrumental in maintaining the Centre’s reputation for delivering safe, high-quality human tissue allografts and supporting its mission to advance tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Prof Prince Ngobeni

Acting Campus Rector of Pretoria Campuses

After obtaining his National Diploma Analytical Chemistry in 1989 from Technikon North West he was employed at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for nine years. Whilst in the employ of the CSIR he obtained his National Higher Diploma in Chemistry at Technikon Pretoria in 1992. In 1995 he was employed by Technikon North West (TNW) as a chemistry lecturer and completed his MTech degree at Technikon Pretoria in 1998. In 2015, Professor Ngobeni was appointed as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), a position he still holds. As the Executive Dean of Faculty of Science, he is also accountable for the Centre for Tissue Engineering. Currently he is the Acting Campus Rector of all Pretoria Campuses.

Ms Rhyleen Chauke

Operations Technologist

Determined, highly analytical, and self-driven, Rhulane Rhyleen Chauke is a professional Biotechnologist and quick learner who easily adapts to new situations and has the ability to achieve operational objectives in all assigned roles. Striving for excellence in all she does, she has built an impressive repertoire as an Operations Technologist, affording her well-rounded experience in processing human tissue (bone, skin, corneas, and cartilage) for the implant, transplant, and therapeutic purposes.

Currently serving as the Operations Technologist at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Centre for Tissue Engineering, Rhulane assumes ownership of 3 operational divisions namely Production, Quality Control, and Packaging & Labelling. Maintaining compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standard, she manages production planning, waste management, cost control, SOP implementation, and work instructions. Offering a unique blend of robust technical knowledge, on-the-ground experience, and optimisation abilities; she has successfully improved operational efficiency with special consideration towards cost reduction, processing methodology enhancement, and quality control optimisation.

Practical experience has enabled her to refine her skillset in laboratory management; data collection, report preparation; standard operating procedure implementation; root cause analysis; CAPA; audit execution; and induction training. Commended for her foresight and initiative, she makes sound performance appraisals and can provide technical advice, guidance, and support to professional staff in her area of speciality. Confident in her capabilities, she is equally proficient in engaging with internal and external stakeholders and the coordination and organisation that go into effectively meeting operational objectives in laboratories.