Past TEDx event

TEDxUCT

The Elephant in The Room: What Are We Avoiding?

Took placeOctober 23, 20264:00 PM - 8:00 PM (GMT+2)
LocationCape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
FormatUniversity
There are things we all notice but rarely talk about. Questions we avoid asking, problems we accept as normal, conversations we keep putting off, and ideas that make us uncomfortable. This year, TEDxUCT asks what happens when we stop looking away. Through a range of speakers, ideas and experiences, we want to explore the things that are often left unspoken and the reasons we choose to avoid them. From personal experiences to issues within our communities and society, the elephant in the room can take many forms. The theme is simple: what are we avoiding, and what could happen if we finally addressed it?

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

  • Blessing Gumbu

    Master of Science in Medicine (Neuroscience & Physiology) student at UCT's Neuroscience Institute

    B. Gumbu is a Master of Science in Medicine (Neuroscience & Physiology) student at UCT's Neuroscience Institute. He is based in the CryptoLab, the first laboratory in Africa dedicated to researching fungal infections of the brain. He is the first recipient of UCT's Vice-Chancellor's Student Leadership Award, a Kerry Capstick-Dale Award recipient, the 2025 Siyaphumelela Representative and the 2026 ATD Runner-Up DREAM Scholar. Outside the lab, he runs BSc Chronicles, a YouTube channel that works to break the stigma around pursuing a research career. He also serves on the Health Sciences Faculty's Social Accountability (ISAT) committee and has raised R11,200 for the Red Cross Children's Hospital Trust. He aspires to become a neuroscientist-neurosurgeon.

  • Ntsikelelo Ngaleka

    Media Practitioner

    N. Ngaleka is a media practitioner and content producer with five years of experience in the media industry, working across Primedia Broadcasting and producing radio for 702, CapeTalk and 947. His work sits at the intersection of journalism, broadcasting, culture and public conversation, spanning talk radio, music radio, research, editorial development and live storytelling. He is also an associate facilitator with Common Purpose, working with young and emerging leaders, and has developed a growing voice on media ethics, newsroom dynamics and the changing role of journalism through his writing and work in the media space. In 2026, he was featured in Sunday World’s Unsung Heroes in the Media and Creative Industries, recognising his contribution to the industry. Driven by a belief that media has the power to shape how people understand themselves and the world around them, Ntsikelelo is interested not only in producing stories, but in understanding the systems and decisions behind them.

Organizing team