Higher Education News South Africa

Who are SA's Top 100 graduates?

After receiving thousands of entries from across the country and putting the entrants through a rigorous four-phase judging process, South Africa's Top 100 university students have been chosen in the 2016 GradStar Awards.
Gradstar's 10 of the Finest
Gradstar's 10 of the Finest

The GradStar programme, sponsored by FNB and Fasken Martineau, was set up by BlackBark Productions (creators of the Rising Star Awards) and GradConnection, and matches the country’s best future graduates with potential employers and business mentors. It provides participating employers and the Top 100 graduates access to each other in a uniquely developed programme that focuses on quality connections, and compliments existing employer programmes.

These university students show the best potential as the country’s future leaders, and their assessment throughout the process is conducted by key assessment providers, employers and universities.

The Top 100 students are selected based on leadership criteria and readiness for the workplace, in addition to their academic performance, and the programme culminated in employer workshops with the Top 100, who represent the financial, accounting, IT, engineering and legal disciplines, amongst others.

The list was announced at a Gala Dinner at Wanderers Club, along with the “Ten of the Finest” – the top ten of the group who show the most potential, as judged by the employers.

Ten of the Finest

NRNAMEFIELD OF STUDYUNIVERSITY
1Adewale Samuel OsifowokanB Com (Economics)Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
2Ahmed SyedBSc (Chemical Engineering)University of Cape Town
3Nicole DunnB Social Sciences (Economics, Politics & Philosophy)University of Cape Town
4Cyan BrownMBChBUniversity of Pretoria
5Paul SsaliB Eng (Civil)University of Pretoria
6David HendricksB Com (Information Systems)University of the Western Cape
7Freddy KidoB Com (Law)University of the Western Cape
8Tendai SamkangeB PharmUniversity of the Western Cape
9Wikus BothaB Com (Information Systems)University of Western Cape
10Yolanda BamLLBUniversity of the Western Cape

“I am particularly proud of the GradStar programme for the way it develops our very young talent in South Africa,” says Laura Barker, MD of BlackBark Productions. “The Top 100 will each be connected with a business mentor, who has been recognised through our Rising Star Programme, to further ready them for the workplace. This is a unique and valuable opportunity for each graduate to draw upon the expertise and knowledge of those who have gone before them, and start their careers on a solid foundation.”

The competition process is designed to emulate the process that top employers use to find their future talent, and uses psychometric testing and video interviewing amongst other methods as measurement tools. It allows students to familiarise themselves with the formal graduate programme application process, and enables them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses along the way.

Top 100 list in alphabetical order

First NameLast NameUniversityDegreeFirst Major
AdebayoOkeowoUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of LawsLL.B
Adewale SamuelOsifowokanNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityBachelor of CommerceEconomics
AdrielMebaleyCape Peninsula University of TechnologyBachelor of Technology in Project ManagementProject Management
AhmedSyedUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Science in EngineeringChemical Engineering
AhmedElbeitiUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceMarketing Management
AmandaMabuzaUniversity of PretoriaBcom Financial SciencesFinancial management, Financial accounting, internal auditing
AmyBothaUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceCommunications
AndileMiyaUniversity of the Western CapeLLBEvidence, corporate law and preparing legal practice.
AndineErasmusUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceZoology
AnikaKeilsNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityBachelor of CommerceMarketing
Anisa Ingrid Inshallah MazimpakaUniversity of JohannesburgBusiness Information TechnologyDevelopment Software
AnozivaGumbieUniversity of JohannesburgBachelor of ArtsPublic Management and Governance
ArshadAbrahamsUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Business ScienceAnalytics
BettyKwatiUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceBSc Biochemistry
BiancaGeversUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of EngineeringChemical Engineering
BiancaVerlindenUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceBiotechnology
Bongani AnthonyMtotobaUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of Commerce in LawLaw and Accounting
BuhleKalimasheUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceAccounting
CameronFosterStellenbosch UniversityBachelor of CommerceInvestment Management
CarisaVenterUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of Veterinary ScienceVeterinary medicine
CarlaGreylingUniversity of PretoriaBachelor in Medicine and SurgeryNot specified
ClareBoswellUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceBiochemistry
CourtneyKnowlesUniversity of PretoriaBA LawLaw
CyanBrownUniversity of PretoriaMBChBMBChB
DanielShacksnovisStellenbosch UniversityBachelor of CommerceInvestment Management
DavidHendricksUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of CommerceInformation Systems (Information Systems Strategy & Information Systems Architecture and Infrastructure)
DimphoSekhaoleloUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceActuarial and financial mathematics
EmelyMolekoUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ArtsLaw
FrancisWilkinsonUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceHuman Resource Management
FreddyKidoUniversity of the Western CapeBachelors of Commerce in LawPsychology
GilesHarmseUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of EngineeringMechanical Engineering
IvyKinyanjuiRhodes UniversityBachelor of ArtsOrganisational Psychology
Jaclisse LoreneMayomaUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of ArtsLanguage and Communication Studies
JaggerBellagardaUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceInformatics
JasonVan der SchyffUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of ArtsEnglish
Jon-DylonPetersenUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of ScienceQuantity Surveying
KenKrugerUniversity of The Western CapeBachelor of Economics and FinanceEconomics
KirstenSmithMonash UniversityBachelor of Social Sciences and Bachelor of Social Science PsychologyPsychology
LakenManningUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceBusiness Management
LaurenO'NeilNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityBachelor of CommerceBusiness Management
LawrenceMwapeNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityNational Diploma in Civil EngineeringWater Engineering
LehlogonoloMojaUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceTaxation
LieslVisserUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceMathematics
Linki (Helena)ScholtzUniversity of the Free StateBaccalauereus Commercii in Law (cum laude)Economics
MamelloRantseuoaUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Business ScienceFinance
MamodikweKungoaneMonash UniversityBachelor of Public HealthPublic Health
MbaliMoeketsiUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of ArtsMedia Studies and Journalism
MelaniePowellUniversity of JohannesburgBachelor of ArtsHuman Resource Management
MicaelaPaulsUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of Dental Surgery (BChD)Dentistry
MinetteNortjeUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of LawLaw
MolebogengMotsekeUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of ArtsMarketing Communication
Muhammad RaafaySiddiquiMonash UniversityBachelor of Business ScienceEconomics
NeoMathinyaUniversity of The Free StateBsc. AgricAgronomy
NicoleDunnUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Social Science specialising in Politics, Philosophy and EconomicsTriple majoring in Politics, Philosophy and Economics
NthabisengMalebaneUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of Laws (LLB)Law
OscarTariqueUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of EngineeringCivil Engineering
PatrickEngabaUniversity of PretoriaBachelor in Built and EngineeringChemical engineering
PaulSsaliUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of EngineeringMechanical engineering
Phila ApiweTantsiUniversity of the Free StateBachelor of Commerce Specializing in Investment Banking and BankingMoney and Investments
Phomelelo FransMothapoUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of ScienceOccupational Therapy
PrinceMatopeUniversity of JohannesburgBachelors of AccountingAccounting
PrishantaSewpaulUniversity of JohannesburgBachelor of Arts (Psychology)psychology
PriyancaPillayUniversity of Kwa-Zulu NatalBachelor of Business ScienceInformation Systems and Technology
Puseletso (Betty)MothoaUniversity of the WitwatersrandBachelor of CommerceAccounting
RachelSerrafUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Medicine and SurgeryThere is no specific major for medicine.
RamonaGovenderUniversity of the Free StateBachelor of LawCriminal Law
SabeehahKootbodienUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of CommerceAccounting (CA Stream)
SanelisiweMhlambiUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of ScienceGeology
SeannahHeadMonash UniversityBachelor of Social SciencePsychology
ShannaVisagieStellenbosch UniversityBachelor of ArtsFrench
SigqiboJackNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityBA Development StudiesEconomics and Development Studies
SiphesihleMbathaUniversity of the WitwatersrandBachelor of Science in Chemical EngineeringChemical Engineering
SivashenReddyUniversity of Kwa-Zulu NatalBachelor of ScienceComputer Science
SorinaMulkeUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of CommerceEconomics
TafadzwaNyamugafataRhodes UniversityBachelor of CommerceLaw
TaliaRaubenheimerStellenbosch UniversityBCom Management SciencesBCom Marketing
TapiwaChiriRhodes UniversityBachelor of CommerceAccounting
TendaiSamkangeUniversity of The Western CapeBachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)Pharmaceutics
ThembaMbangataUniversity of The Western CapeBachelor of Commerceeconomics
ThendoNeluvholaUniversity of PretoriaBCom StatisticsStatistics
TheophilusRamatjieUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of Clinical Medical PracticeClinical Medical Practice
ThomasNicholsonRhodes UniversityBachelor of ScienceBiochemistry and Microbiology
TiisetsoMasheleUniversity of The Free StateBachelor of ScienceMathematical Statistics
TinasheJaniRhodes UniversityBachelor of commerceInformation Systems
TshepoMagomaUniversity of JohannesburgBA Public Management and GovernancePublic management and governance
TshiamoMakintaUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of SciencesActuarial and Financial Mathematics
TshimologoRoestoffUniversity of The Free StateLL.B LawLLB Law
TsholofeloGombaMonash UniversityBachelor Of Computer and Information SciencesApplication Development and Networks
TureyanCooppanUniversity of Kwa-Zulu NatalBachelor of ScienceChemical Engineering
Tyrone MorehenUniversity of the Free StateLL.B LawLLB Law
VhuthuhaweSadikiUniversity of The Free StateBaccalaures ArtiumCorporate Marketing and Communication
VilenciaParsaramanDurban University of TechnologyNational Diploma-
VuyolwethuNkosiUniversity of Cape TownBachelor of Business ScienceStatistics
WikusBothaUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of CommerceInformation Systems
WilliamMosesUniversity of The Western CapeBachelor of CommerceInformation Systems
WongakaziPambukaUniversity of The Western CapeBachelor of ScienceComputer Science, Information Systems
WuraMakindeMonash UniversityBachelor of Business Science Accountingfinancial accounting
YolandaBam-MguyeUniversity of the Western CapeBachelor of Laws, LLBLaw
ZachariaManyoniNorth-West UniversityBachelor of SciencesComputer Sciences
ZaleekhahDawoodUniversity of PretoriaBachelor of ScienceActuarial and Financial Mathematics

For more information, visit: www.gradstar.co.za

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