New Dean for UKZN school

PROFESSOR Khathutshelo Percy Mashige was appointed as Dean and Head of School of Health Sciences at UKZN from the beginning of 2021.

Professor Mashige was born in Limpopo. After becoming a victim of a devastating motor vehicle accident, he was left a quadriplegic. Despite this blow, he rose above his serious handicap in a variety of spheres, including being awarded a Masters in Optometry degree followed by a PhD in Philosophy in Health Sciences from UKZN.

Professor Mashige completed the Ocular Diagnostics Certificate from the New England College of Optometry in Boston in the United States and the theoretical component of the Ocular Therapeutics course offered jointly by UKZN and the State University of New York. He was the Head of UKZN’s Optometry Department from 2007 to 2013, serving in a variety of leadership roles at the University including being a member of the Senate and the College of Health Science Transformation Committee.

He boasts more than 20 years’ teaching experience in optometry, is involved with the regulation and advancement of optometry education being Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Professional Board for Optometry and Dispensing Opticians. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of the African Vision Research Institute, which works to reduce the burden of blindness and visual impairment in Africa by conducting research that is relevant to disease control, human resource development and infrastructure development.

Professor Mashige is the Chairperson of the online institute and enterprise development service provider: the Global Institute for Entrepreneurship and Ethics, and a founding member and Chairperson of the Community Self Mastery Coaching Institute, which focuses on teaching and empowering the youth, women, men and families with core values, practical tools, techniques and strategies for sustainable integration of positive mind sets and behaviours into daily living. He is also a recipient of the United Kingdom’s Economic and Social Research Grant and is a Developing Research Innovation, Localisation and Leadership (DRILL) Fellow. A National Research Foundation-rated scientist, he has published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed national and international journals.

Mashige, an avid sportsman prior to his accident, enjoys watching sport and spending time with friends and family.

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