Dr Poppy Masinga - ASASWEI President
Head of Faculty of Social Work and Community Development at South African College of Applied
Psychology (SACAP). Previous Senior Lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand (2018-2020) and
Lecturer at University of Pretoria (2008-2018). Obtained a DPhil degree in Social Work from the
University of Pretoria with a special focus on school violence prevention. Holds MSW (Child and
Family Welfare) from SUNY at Buffalo, New York, USA and MSW (Social Work Management) from
University of Pretoria under the supervision of Prof Antoinette Lombard.
Current President of the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions
(ASASWEI). She was reappointed for the second term in September 2023. She is responsible
for amongst others:
• The promotion of high-quality social work education, training, research and practice
in South Africa, in collaboration with the regional and international community of
higher education institutions and professional social work associations such as
ASSWA, IASSW, IASWG, IFSW and NASW.
• To collaborate with and support a community of Heads of Departments of all schools
of Social Work in South Africa.
• To support the development of recent and locally relevant research, theory and
practice models/interventions.
• To facilitate exchange of information on social work education, research, training, and
practice amongst various stakeholders in the social services sector (locally & globally)
• Promote recognition of the contribution of social work to socio-economic and
environmental justice and to the transformation of the South African society.
Current Chairperson of International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) –
Africa/South African Chapter and responsible for promoting Group Work as a method of social
work and enhance research, training and practice across the African Continent and in South
Africa. She is also responsible for coordinating monthly meetings and group work related
events.
Prof Mpumelelo Ncube - ASASWEI Vice President
Title: Associate Professor
First Name: Mpumelelo E.
Last Name: Ncube
ASASWEI Portfolio: Vice President (2023)
Academic Qual: D LITT ET PHIL (SOCIALIS SCIENTIAE)
Affiliation/ Institution: University of the Free State
Position: Academic Head of Department & Senior Lecturer
BIOGRAPHY
I currently hold the position of Academic Head in the Department of Social Work at the University of Free State, South Africa, and I am also a Senior Lecturer. In addition to my teaching and administrative roles, I serve as the chair of the Decolonisation working group for the Senate. With a rich blend of academic expertise and practical experience, I have made significant contributions to the fields of social work and education, earning a well-deserved reputation for excellence. Prior to my role at the University of Free State, I served as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Community Development at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. My professional interests encompass a wide range of areas, including Developmental Social Welfare, Developmental Social Work, Decoloniality, Teaching and Learning, as well as Social Work Supervision and Management. These interests are reflected in my extensive research contributions and my ability to inspire and educate the next generation of scholars and practitioners.
Dr Peggie Chiwara - ASASWEI Secretary
Title: Dr
First names: Peggie
Last name: Chiwara
ASASWEI Portfolio: Secretary 2023- to date
Highest academic qualification: PhD in Social Work
Affiliation/ Institution: University of Pretoria
Position:Lecturer
BIOGRAPHY
Dr Peggie Chiwara is a lecturer and BSW tutor coordinator in the Department of Social Work and Criminology at the University of Pretoria (UP). She graduated with a DPhil and Master’s in social work from UP and a BSW from the University of Namibia. Her teaching and research interests include qualitative research, social development, developmental social work, sustainable development, green and environmental social work. She has published scholarly articles in peer reviewed, nationally and internationally accredited journals and books, has served on local and international conference scientific committees and presented papers at national and international conferences. Peggie is the secretary for the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI) and a member of the ASASWEI environment social work special interest group. She is a postgraduate supervisor, external examiner and an Editorial Advisory Committee member of the Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk Journal.
Dr Fatima Ipeleng - ASASWEI Treasurer
Title: Dr
First names: Fatima Ipeleng
Last name: Mmusi
ASASWEI Portfolio: Treasurer (2023)
Highest academic qualification: PhD in Social Work
Affiliation/ Institution: University of Johannesburg
Position: Senior Lecturer
BIOGRAPHY
Fatima has a total of 11 years’ experience achieved within non-governmental organizations as a social worker and chief social worker. She is an academic with 9 years’ experience in academia. She is currently employed at University of Johannesburg in Social Work department as a senior lecturer. She is a recipient of faculty teaching and learning award from North-West University, Potchefstroom campus where she worked prior joining the University of Johannesburg in February 2023. She teaches and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She serves as an internal and external examiner for postgraduate studies, as well as a peer reviewer for national and international scientific journals. Her expertise is within mental health challenges, intervention for foster/ blended and adoptive families, risk behaviour presented by adolescents and family preservation. She has published several articles in both internationally and nationally recognized scientific journals. She has also presented some of her work at conferences within the South African context and internationally. For her doctoral study, she developed a programme entitled “Adolescent risk behaviour management (ARBM) programme for foster parents”. She is currently working towards refining this programme to make it inclusive of parents across the board as well as train social workers on its content.
Dr Nevashnee Perumal
Title: Dr
First names: Nevashnee
Last name: Perumal
ASASWEI Portfolio:
Highest academic qualification: PhD in Social Work (University of Fort Hare,UFH)
Affiliation/ Institution: Nelson Mandela University
Position: Senior Lecturer (Head of Department-HOD)
BIOGRAPHY
Nevashnee Perumal is the second born child of Perumal Subramoney and Pushpavathee Pillay. She is married to Kessie Perumal with one child, Shamara. Nevashnee is a senior lecturer at the Department of Social Development Professions at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), researching and teaching in the areas of leadership and management, social work supervision, ethics and indigenising the social work curriculum. In addition she holds a commitment to utilising humanising pedagogies as well as the pedagogy of discomfort in challenging structures and spaces in higher education. She also serves on the faculty postgraduate studies committee, mentors the social work society and leads a recently constituted group viz African Knowledge Production Incubators which has representation from five SA universities supported by the NRF. I am committed to partnering and engaging with the global South as well as BRICS countries to learn how indigenous social work is given life in their countries and to share how our country teaches, researches and partners with practitioners to deliver our qualifications.