| Mozee Khan | |
| Fezile Nqiwa | |
| Boitumelo Lekalakala | |
| Moleboheng Mokhele - Ramulumo | |
| Ayanda Junior Ntombela | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Ondela Mlandu | |
| David Jenkins | |
| ibtishaam | |
| Thobile Dlamini | |
| Nomathemba Precious Sigudla | |
| Gerald Mariemuthoo | |
| Lauren Dixon-Paver | |
| Zimkhita Sokanyile | |
| ANTONIO LUCIANO | |
| Emily Ntuli | |
| Mashudu Nemutamvuni | |
| Mei Lee | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Botlhale Mokone | |
| Millicent Marule | |
| Mathews Motswi | |
| Kelebone Mofokeng | |
| Darren Meltz | |
| Thandokuhle Msibi | |
| Nqobile Mnisi | |
| Nqobile Gumbi | |
| Yolin Naidoo | |
| Noxolo Msiya | |
| Nozipho Ngcobo |
| Mozee Khan | |
| Fezile Nqiwa | |
| Boitumelo Lekalakala | |
| Moleboheng Mokhele - Ramulumo | |
| Thobile Dlamini | |
| Ayanda Junior Ntombela | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Ondela Mlandu | |
| David Jenkins | |
| ibtishaam | |
| Nomathemba Precious Sigudla | |
| Gerald Mariemuthoo | |
| Lauren Dixon-Paver | |
| Zimkhita Sokanyile | |
| ANTONIO LUCIANO | |
| Emily Ntuli | |
| Mashudu Nemutamvuni | |
| Mei Lee | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Millicent Marule | |
| Botlhale Mokone | |
| Mathews Motswi | |
| Ketsitseng Kebile | |
| Kelebone Mofokeng | |
| Nothando Mdletshe | |
| Darren Meltz | |
| Thandokuhle Msibi | |
| Nqobile Gumbi | |
| Nqobile Mnisi | |
| Yolin Naidoo |
| Mozee Khan | |
| Fezile Nqiwa | |
| Boitumelo Lekalakala | |
| Moleboheng Mokhele - Ramulumo | |
| Ayanda Junior Ntombela | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Thobile Dlamini | |
| Ondela Mlandu | |
| Ondela Mlandu | |
| David Jenkins | |
| ibtishaam | |
| Nomathemba Precious Sigudla | |
| Gerald Mariemuthoo | |
| Lauren Dixon-Paver | |
| Zimkhita Sokanyile | |
| ANTONIO LUCIANO | |
| Emily Ntuli | |
| Mashudu Nemutamvuni | |
| Mei Lee | |
| Vinolia Direro | |
| Botlhale Mokone | |
| Millicent Marule | |
| Mathews Motswi | |
| Kelebone Mofokeng | |
| Ketsitseng Kebile | |
| Darren Meltz | |
| Thandokuhle Msibi | |
| Nqobile Gumbi | |
| Nqobile Mnisi | |
| Yolin Naidoo |
| Moleboheng Mokhele - Ramulumo | |
| I consider the future of the business when making decisions | Consistently |
| I have ideas for improving the business or our solutions | Consistently |
| I respectfully question how we do things to make improvements | Consistently |
| I speak to colleagues to obtain their expertise and perspectives | Consistently |
| I use my initiative and am not afraid to get involved in solving issues | Consistently |
| I am a pioneer and encourage others to find new and better ways of working | Consistently |
| I invite people with different views to co-develop solutions to problems | Consistently |
| I recognise and reward creativity | Consistently |
| I work with others to turn my best ideas into reality | Consistently |
| I look for ways to use technology to improve the business | Consistently |
Please provide examples of how you have shown vision and the ability to innovate in your career (Approx 100-300 words) | |
| As an academic and researcher, I have made a deliberate and strategic shift from knowledge generation alone to innovation with impact, ensuring that my research extends beyond academic outputs and translates into meaningful, real-world solutions. My vision has been shaped by my dual identity as a scientist, educator, and mother. Becoming a parent to my two sons sharpened my awareness of the disconnect between what is often researched in higher education and what children actually experience in their early learning years. This personal insight catalysed my decision to move beyond conventional academic pathways and to innovate in ways that directly influence how children encounter science, technology, and sustainability from a young age. A key example of this leap into innovation is my conceptualisation and development of Renewable Rangers, an early childhood STEM and environmental education initiative designed to translate research into tangible societal impact. Through this work, I intentionally position young children as capable meaning-makers rather than passive recipients of knowledge, recognising their capacity to engage with complex scientific and environmental ideas when these are presented in developmentally appropriate, visually rich, and playful ways. At a time when early childhood STEM, particularly within sustainability and renewable energy contexts, was under-theorised and under-prioritised, I developed research-informed frameworks integrating self-directed learning, visual literacy, and environmental education. These frameworks are operationalised through Renewable Rangers and its extension into a digital educational game for children aged 4–6, offering a scalable, accessible, and socially responsive innovation. Through interdisciplinary scholarship and academic leadership, I view innovation not as a departure from scholarship, but as its natural extension, ensuring relevance, societal impact, and the preparation of future generations to engage meaningfully with global challenges. |
About Rising Star
The Rising Star Programme, operated by BlackBark Productions, has been established for the purposes of recognising, celebrating and connecting young talented people who have a capacity for achievement and success and who contribute in an inspirational manner to the future of our nation. The qualities that elevate Rising Stars to the top go beyond performance and technical excellence. Rising Stars are polished, brilliant individuals with tremendous promise and great talent who excel for reasons that go far beyond their technical abilities alone.
Talented people make things happen, are highly committed to achieving goals, innovate very rapidly, and create a great deal of value (for companies and/or themselves) when their talent is spotted and harnessed.
The Programme aims to be a significant and sustainable vehicle through which organisations, our country and our continent can identify and nurture these “organisational and national assets” who are set to play a key role in shaping the future of our country and our continent.
The Rising Star Programme is establishing a living community of young African talent that will be developed, mentored and provided with platforms for development and communication, therefore enabling them to become role models, opinion leaders and the inspiration for other future African Talent.