Past TEDx event
TEDxUCT
FURORE: ARE WE ANGRY ENOUGH?
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.
Dr. Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam
Digital Media Scholar and Educator
Dr. Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam is an award-winning digital media scholar, educator, and thought leader reimagining how media and technology intersect with young people’s digital lives in African contexts. A Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of School at Rhodes University, he holds a PhD in Media Studies from the University of Cape Town. Author of Children and Young People’s Digital Lifeworlds (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) and Navigating Trauma in African Journalism, Volumes 1 and 2 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025), Chikezie’s work spans digital sociology, misinformation, journalistic cultures, and generative AI. He has held prestigious research fellowships around the world, including the USA, Europe, Asia and Africa. He is a rated researcher with South Africa’s National Research Foundation: a recognition of his growing research visibility in comparison to scholars elsewhere. His TEDx talk explores how we can rethink and reshape masculinity to foster healing, love, empathy, and collective well-being.
Grace Itumbiri
Doctoral Researcher
Grace Itumbiri is a researcher at the Centre for Media and Film Studies at the University of Cape Town ( UCT). She is a Mastercard Scholar and a former writer and Journalist. Her research is at the intersection of tech and society. She is interested in issues of platform governance & surveillance, with a keen interest in policy and regulation of dis/disinformation and Artificial Intelligence in Africa. She has a background in Political Science and communication.
Liyema Ntlombeni
UCT BCom Student
Liyema Ntlombeni is a final-year BCom Economics and Finance student at the University of Cape Town. She is passionate about empowering South African youth with financial literacy and practical money skills. Through her initiative, Wise With Money, Liyema creates accessible, engaging content that helps young people take control of their financial futures. She has personally navigated the challenges of funding in university as a “missing middle” student, which fuels her drive to make financial education relatable, practical, and empowering.
Mlondi Khoza
UCT Graduate and Multipotentialite
Mlondi Khoza is a recent UCT graduate in Architectural Studies with a focus on Design Thinking and the co-founder of VarsityBLOCK, a student startup born on campus. A multipotentialite at heart, he’s an artist, self-taught graphic and UI designer, and someone deeply curious about history, psychology, technology, and the future. He has served on student councils, collaborated with various university departments, and is currently interning at one of Africa’s leading architecture firms. His work spans projects across South Africa, Portugal, Los Angeles, China, and the Caribbean. Outside of work, Mlondi enjoys time at the beach, a good curry, and exploring music genres—from Gqom and jazz to 90s R&B. He brings a creative, cross-disciplinary lens to everything he does and is passionate about building impactful, future-forward ideas. Also, unpopular opinion: Coca-Cola is overrated.
Naledi Mohale
UCT Medical Student
Ms Naledi Bohlale Mohale is a final-year medical student at the University of Cape Town, known for her leadership, advocacy, and community engagement. She has held key governance roles, including Chairperson of the UCT Constitutional Committee and Faculty Council. Naledi co-founded the UCT Inter-Res Debating League and developed training resources to support student leaders. She mentors junior students and promotes inclusivity in medical education. Her community service includes volunteering with Project Flamingo, organising civic engagement initiatives, and leading health outreach. In 2023, she became a Research, Advocacy and Implementation Fellow with UCT’s Division of Global Surgery, focusing on health equity and systems research. Naledi has received multiple awards for her contributions and is committed to inclusive leadership, mentorship, and equitable healthcare access, blending academic insight with meaningful service.
Rahul Rama-Panchia
UCT Medical Student
Rahul Rama-Panchia is a third-year medical student at the University of Cape Town, currently serving as Deputy Chairperson of the Health Sciences Student Council. Committed to equity, compassion, and community, he brings people together through leadership, creative problem-solving, and advocacy. He is the co-founder and CEO of Street Smartz, an award-winning AI-powered app that equips South African children with knowledge of bodily autonomy and safety. His work was recognised by the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab, where his team ranked among the Top 6 ventures globally. Beyond medicine and innovation, Rahul embraces storytelling and creative activism as tools for connection and social change. His journey—rooted in deep listening, integrity, and the desire to uplift others—shapes his belief that mindfulness isn’t an escape from the world’s noise, but a way of living fully within it.



