UWC Alumna gets top job!

UWC alumna Professor Rachel Jafta has been appointed as the new chairperson of the Media24 Board.

Jafta, who holds a BEcon (Hons) from the University, succeeds another UWC graduate and former Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Jakes Gerwel, who passed away in November 2012.

According to the Beeld newspaper, Jafta is the first woman to chair Media24, a milestone described as “a wonderful achievement” by Ton Vosloo, board chairman of Naspers, Media24’s holding company.

“We have great respect for her and are convinced she is the right person for the job. I wish her the best of luck with the challenges of this new role,” Vosloo was quoted as saying.

Media24 is one of Africa’s leading publishing groups with interests in newspapers, magazines, internet business, book publishing, printing plants and distribution companies, and offers information and entertainment 24 hours a day.

Jafta, a professor of economics at the University of Stellenbosch, became a board member of Media24 in 2007. She is also a member of the SA Economic Society, a board member of Econex, chairperson of the Cape Town Carnival Trust and a director of the South African Institute of Race Relations.

In the Beeld article, Jafta commented about her appointment: “It is an honour for me to follow in the footsteps of Professor Jakes Gerwel, and exciting to join the leadership team at a time when rapidly changing trends with respect to technology and consumer preferences and regulations challenge us to identify new opportunities.”