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Staff Reporter
Universities South Africa (USAf) has expressed sadness at the passing of Anshu Padayachee, Chief Executive Officer at Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA), an associate organisation in higher education.
Dr Padayachee passed away last Thursday.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of USAf, we express our most profound condolences to family, friends and colleagues of this true compatriot,” said Dr Phethiwe Matutu, Chief Executive Officer of USAf.
She described Dr Padayachee’s passing as a tragic loss for THENSA, the organisation she previously served and South Africa’s higher education sector at large.”
Dr Matutu said that having been at the helm of THENSA from 2016 to date, Dr Padayachee made a significant contribution to the universities of technology and other comprehensive institutions affiliated with it.
She was central and instrumental to the name change from the South African Technological Network (SATN) to the now THENSA, facilitating the most impactful partnerships and development programmes within that consortium.
Her contribution to higher education dates back to when she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Research at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) from 1998 to 2003.
After her time at DUT, she served as CEO of the South Africa–Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD), a doctoral research preparation programme for candidates in Africa, which evolved from an aid initiative into a model of innovation called SANTRUST. She served in this capacity for 13 years before going on to do consultancy work for another eight years after joining the SATN.
Dr Padayachee was a selfless human being who saw nothing but good in other people. “She was an astute leader with a clear vision of what she wished to achieve with THENSA,” she said.
“She was also uniquely generous, going out of her way to create opportunities for people in the sector to thrive. I only met her recently, but I formed a deeply positive impression of her.”
Dr Matutu said South Africa’s higher education sector had lost a true compatriot, a champion for transformation and redress, and a genuine capacity developer.
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