Fatima Seedat is the Executive Director of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) and a founding member of the PsySSA Student Division (SD), paving the way for a network of support and representation of psychology students in South Africa.
Fatima holds a Masters’ Degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology and is registered with the HPCSA. She is currently studying a PhD in Consulting Psychology at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Fatima has long played a pivotal role in the planning, organisation and execution of national and international psychology congresses. In 2012, she was the Deputy Secretary-General of the International Congress of Psychology’s (ICP) Scientific Committee. Fatima was instrumental in the planning, hosting, and execution of the ICP. Fatima then played a critical role in the first Pan African Psychology Union (PAPU) Congress in 2017. At PsySSA’s Annual General Meeting in 2019, Fatima received a 20-year service award for her dedication to PsySSA, recognising her consistent excellence and commitment to PsySSA, far beyond the call of duty.
Fatima supports and believes in youth development, equity, and transformation. In her spare time, Fatima is an avid runner, completing the Two Oceans Marathon in 2019 to support mental health.
Hennie Nel is the co-founder and IoT Specialist at Eco-V, an engineering start-up company focussing on energy efficiency using renewable sources, managed by Internet of Things (IoT). Hennie has represented Eco-V at the COP 22, 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Marrakesh. He also represented the company at the Technology Innovation Pioneer’s Summit 2020: Abu Dhabi, in February 2020.
Hennie was elected in an executive capacity for the Psychology Society of South Africa (PsySSA) Student Division (SD), in the role of the Vice-Chairperson for Gauteng (2015-2017). In September 2017 he was elected as Chairperson of the PsySSA Student Division and served in this capacity until September 2019, being awarded the Divisional Service Award for 5 years of service to the division. During this time Hennie has worked to grow the organisation and facilitate relationships between students and professionals in the field of psychology. Hennie coordinated student research assistants in undergraduate and honours levels, to assist with data collection, analysis and other administrative duties on the Hate and Bias Crimes Monitoring Form Project. In addition, Hennie assisted in curriculum development, editing, moderating, advisory, and more as a senior executive member of the PsySSA SD National Mentorship Programme.
Hennie aspires to qualify as a psychologist and hopes to merge his engineering skill set with psychological practice to extend the impact of clinical interventions and research in South Africa. His research interests are clinical applications in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and psychological research within engineering innovation.
Ms Marguerite Bergman is the previous Student Division’s Executive Committee Treasurer and the Executive Portfolio Holder of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Subcommittee 2019/2021. Her journey with the Student Division began in 2019 as a mentee in the Student Division’s National Mentorship Programme and subsequently received the Mentee of the Year Award.
In the same year, Marguerite was elected as Chairperson for the FAQ subcommittee, and was voted in as an Executive Committee member later in 2019. Marguerite was invited to join the National Mentorship Programme Executive as a junior moderator in 2020, following her excellence in the Programme.
Marguerite has a BSc Human Life Sciences Degree in Psychology and an Honours in Psychology, both from Stellenbosch University. She also completed her Post-Honours Degree in Psychometry at the University of Johannesburg and is a Registered Psychometrist with the HPCSA.
Professor Sumaya Laher is the Head of Department of Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Her journey with organised psychology started as a founding member of the PsySSA Student Division and a volunteer at the annual PsySSA Congresses.
Professor Laher is recognised locally and internationally for her psychological assessment and mental health expertise, particularly regarding the production and integration of indigenous knowledge within mainstream approaches to create a more critical practice of psychology and psychological assessment. Professor Laher serves as an examiner at the HPCSA and is an NRF rated researcher.
In addition, she serves as founding editor of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment, Associate Editor of the South African Journal of Psychology, editorial board member for the International Journal of Testing and Personality Science and founding member of Assessment Standards South Africa. She is an editor on Psychological Assessment in South Africa: Research and Applications, Transforming Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Online Readings in Research Methods and the International Histories of Psychological Assessment.
Professor Laher is currently the chairperson of the standing assessment committee at the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) and served previously as PsySSA President, PsySSA Executive Member and the Chairperson of the PsySSA Division for Research and Methodology (DRM).
Andrea Jacobs is a registered Educational Psychologist in Private Practice as well as a Lecturer and Research Supervisor at The South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP). Andrea holds a M.Ed Educational Psychology, MA Research Psychology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Her experience before Private Practice includes working Children, Students and Adults, with varied presentations at The University of Johannesburg-PsyCaD, Headway and SADAG. She has conducted various assessments, psychotherapy, play therapy and career counselling, and is trained in crisis intervention and management, HIV and TOP counselling.
Andrea is an active PSYSSA member, having stood on the Executive Committee for the Student Division, and as a current Exco member of the Society of Educational Psychologists of South Africa. Andrea was also involved in the Student division’s Mentorship program where she was a mentor, senior moderator and past recipient of the Prestigious Mentorship Award (2018).
Matshepo Setlaleleng is an Additional Executive Committee Member of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) Student Division and the Multidisciplinary Subcommittee’s Executive Portfolio Holder. Matshepo first became involved with the Student Division as a mentee in the National Mentorship Programme in 2018, and subsequently received the esteemed Mentee of the Year Award. Matshepo then joined the National Mentorship Programme as a mentor in 2020..
Matshepo is currently studying towards her Master’s Degree in Social and Psychological Research at the University of the Witwatersrand. She completed her Honours Degree in the field of Psychology at the University of Pretoria.
Matshepo’s current interests in psychology lie in enhancing society’s knowledge of psychology outside of psychoeducation, which is extremely relevant and essential. Furthermore, acknowledging the other gaps that psychology can fill within society, challenging and de-stereotyping the discipline and the profession and hopefully broadening horizons and opportunities for psychology students, is crucial to Matshepo.
Annindita Hoque is a clinical psychologist and previous chairperson of the PsySSA Student Division. After matriculating in 2010, Annandita took a gap year to travel to Asia and Europe. During this time, she completed her Classical Ballet Teacher’s diploma through DASA and hosted the first Classical Ballet Workshop in South East Asia at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. In 2011, Annindita began her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Pretoria and graduated with distinction in 2014. In 2015, Annindita enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Science Honours program at the University of Pretoria.In the same year, Annindita was elected as the Psyche Society Chairperson and the Acting chairperson of PsySSA Student Division.
In 2016, Annindita commenced her Master’s degree journey in Clinical Psychology at the University of Johannesburg. She completed her internship at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in 2017. In 2018, she completed my minor dissertation and did a Yoga Teachers Training course. Following, she completed my HPCSA board exams and became a qualified Yoga Therapist.
In 2020, Annindita worked as a Community Service Clinical Psychologist at the Out-Patient Clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This year, Annindita will pursue private practice in Johannesburg and surrounding areas.
Muhammed Yaeesh Cassim holds a Masters in English and Research Psychology. Muhammed is a Democratic Alliance Young Leaders Alumni and the Chairperson and Founder of Project Potential South Africa. He has served as the vice-chairperson of the Student Division for the tenure 2017 – 2019 and was then elected as chairperson for the tenure 2019 – 2021. Muhammed began his journey with the Student Division when he founded the National Mentorship Programme. Additionally, he has worked for PsySSA and for the Pan-African Psychology Union. Muhammed was the 2018 PsySSA Student of the Year. In 2019 he received the Chairperson’s award for Excellence from his predecessor, Mr Hennie Nel and in 2021 received the Divisional Service award. He is published in various journals surrounding his research interests which are youth engagement, development and public policy.
He is passionate about mentorship, community development, and student engagement. Muhammed believes that psychology is the medium we can use to change and listen to the world, in hope that psychology will broaden one’s perspective that will allow for a more transformed, inclusive and equal African society.
Lynne Richards is currently an Intern Clinical Psychologist at the Durban Hospital Complex. Lynne completed her Bachelor of Social Science Honours degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and in 2020, she enrolled in UKZN’s Clinical Psychology Masters programme.
Ms Lynne Richards held the position of Additional Executive Committee Member of the Student Division and the Executive Portfolio Holder for the Research into Student Empowerment (RISE) Subcommittee in the 2019/2021 tenure. Lynne joined the Student Division in 2019 as a mentor in the National Mentorship Programme and received the Mentor of the Year Award. In 2020, Lynne remained on the National Mentorship Programme Executive as a senior moderator and received the Prestigious Mentorship Executive Award for excellence and outstanding contribution to the Programme.
Lynne’s diverse racial and cultural heritage has also informed her interest in race relations and transformation. Her professional interests include brain-behaviour relationships, health psychology and advocating for mental health services at grassroots levels. She has participated in various volunteer organisations from a young age, including feeding schemes and outreach work.
Sherlinka Naidoo is an intern counselling psychologist at the Area Military Health Unit Gauteng. She has always had compassion and passion, both qualities that culminated in her acceptance as a Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at the University of Pretoria (2020) with funding.
Sherlinka holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Honours degrees in Criminology and Psychology. Sherlinka strives to uplift the communities she works and lives in, and was the Chairperson of the Student Division’s Community Development Subcommittee in 2017. This fostered her proclivity for implementing sustainable programmes within communities. She catalysed change within PsySSA SD and Psyche Student Society (UP) through her engagement with psychology organisational structures. Her community experience involved volunteering at various welfare organisations and HIV counselling. This has strengthened her academic expertise and resulted in her appointment as a junior lecturer at the University of Pretoria. Following, she is actively involved in psychoeducational programmes with the ambition of starting systemic awareness initiatives to mental health with a focus on resilience.
Sherlinka believes it is not enough to create awareness but to develop tangible tools that build long-term resilience in communities. Her goal is to bridge the gaps between communities and access to quality psychological services, one that she will drive going forward.
Rivendri Govender completed her Masters in Educational Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently an Intern Educational Psychologist at Bridge House. Rivendri previously served as the Secretary of the PsySSA Student Division’s Executive Committee from 2019 – 2021. She has previously worked as a Behavioural therapist at The Star Academy and currently works as the WVL Grant Manager at SADAG KZN in addition to serving as the Vice-Chairperson of Project Potential South Africa. Over the course of her studies, Rivendri has had the opportunity to work with people from various backgrounds and this has fuelled her passion to work towards advocating for the well-being of people with mental disabilities, especially children. Rivendri aims to encourage students to actively engage with the field of Educational Psychology. She is an avid volunteer and believes that psychology in South Africa can be used to transform the mindsets of the youth of our country. Rivendri is passionate about working with the community and therefore hopes that one day she too can also be a part of moving psychology from the couch to the community.