PRISA mourns passing of former president Ronel Rensburg

Prof. Ronel Rensburg

According to information from her family, Professor Rensburg passed on last night at a Hospice in Gauteng, after she was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year.

She was the eighth woman president (2011/2012) out of eleven women presidents the organisation has had in its 62-year history, and she is also a former board member of the Global Alliance (GA) for Public Relations and Communication Management.

“Professor Rensburg received the PRISA Fellowship (FPRISA) in 2015 as an acknowledgement for over 20 years of regional, national and international contribution to public relations and communication management education and practice. This including her ambassadorial role in platforms like the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF),” says PRISA president, Malesela Maubane.

Global Capability Framework contribution

“Another feather in her cap was being the South African coordinator for a two-year Global Capability Framework for the public relations and communication management profession research project in 2016, which was commissioned by the Global Alliance.”

PRISA was one of the three professional bodies in South Africa which took part in the University of Huddersfield sponsored research project and the University of Pretoria (UP), where she was head of the communication management division as academic partner in the country. The division is regarded as a global thought leader, with notable research and academic contributions been made by staff to the King Reports of Corporate Governance, Integrated Reporting and recently to communication and reputation management during state capture.

According to PRISA, Professor Rensburg continued to make a meaningful contribution towards enhancing the Institute’s research capability and the body of knowledge, even beyond her presidency.

"Her contribution to the public relations and communication management industry will be felt even by the coming generations. PRISA is sending its heartfelt condolences to the family and the University of Pretoria (UP), as they get funeral arrangements underway," the Institute said.