About SAPHE
Higher Education (HE) in South Africa plays a vital role in educating the nation and developing skilled citizens capable of active democratic, cultural, social and economic participation. Private higher education providers have a crucial role to play to enrich and expand the education system’s capacity, contribute to skill and knowledge development, and enable learning across the various study fields represented in the sector. To do so in a meaningful, effective and impactful way, however, requires collaboration and collective action from the private sector.
In 2011, representatives from the then Monash University, the IIE and the DaVinci Institute for Technology Management established a Private Higher Education Interest Group (PHEIG) to provide opportunities for private higher education institutions (PHEIs) to engage as a single voice on matters related to the provision of quality HE products and services. In 2016, the PHEIG was formalised and registered as South African Private Higher Education (SAPHE).
Since its inception, SAPHE has provided South Africa’s leading private higher education institutions a platform to address common needs and promote shared interests, while fostering a level and conducive operating environment for higher education to thrive. The association consists of voluntary members with a shared goal and purpose - to promote the role, reputation and interests of the country’s private higher education providers, and shine a spotlight on the impact that these institutions have on South Africa’s broader education landscape.
SAPHE aims to provide a strong, focused and coordinated voice, speaking to the interests of PHEIs and their position with regard to South Africa’s legislative, regulatory and compliance frameworks; frameworks that promote the development of a robust and resilient private higher education sector in the country and globally.
At SAPHE, we are driven by the following principles:
● Voluntary association
● Ethical conduct
● Quality promotion
● Transparency
● Accountability
● Democracy
● Cooperation
SAPHE Board
The South African Private Higher Education (SAPHE) Board is a dynamic team of five leaders who are committed to advancing quality private higher education. Elected from member institutions, they collectively shape SAPHE's strategic direction.
Dr Jannie Zaaiman
Chairperson and Knowledge and Research Portfolio
Dr Jannie Zaaiman is a distinguished leader with extensive experience in both industry and higher education. Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions to the development and growth of the private higher education sector.
Jannie is currently the Chief Executive for Education and Academic Collaboration at Belgium Campus ITversity. His academic career began at the Tshwane University of Technology, where he was the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology since its inception in 2003. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Operations at the University of Venda, where he also established the Univen Innovative Growth Company (Pty) Limited. This venture successfully generated third-stream income for the university through consulting, short courses, and commercial projects.
During his academic career, Jannie has been involved in several peer reviews, establishing international liaisons with institutions worldwide, and supervising doctoral students. He published various articles in accredited journals and served as an external examiner at the University of Johannesburg and the University of Pretoria. His contributions have contributed significantly to the national growth and development of ICT education.
Before entering academia, Jannie enjoyed successful careers at Sasol and Telkom, where he played active roles during critical milestones such as the establishment of Sasol Two and Sasol Three, as well as Telkom's privatisation and the establishment of Vodacom.
Dr Franzél du Plooy-Cilliers
Vice-Chairperson and Liaison : Regulatory bodies
Dr Franzél du Plooy-Cilliers is the Dean: Accreditation and Quality Assurance at The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), the largest private higher education provider in South Africa. Before this, she was the Executive Dean: Academic at the Da Vinci Institute of Technology Management.
A stellar student, Franzél graduated top of her class in Communication Studies at the former Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). She completed an Honours degree in Advertising, a Master's degree in Organisational Communication and a Doctorate in Interpersonal Communication.
Franzél started her academic career as a lecturer in the Communication Department at RAU. She then joined Monash South Africa as Head of Section of Communication and Media Studies. During this time, she received various accolades as outstanding academic and was invited to present in the Vice-Chancellor's Showcase for Teaching Excellence in Melbourne, Australia, on best practice in Higher Education Teaching and Learning. In 2011, she was appointed Head of Faculty for Humanities at The IIE and promoted to Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies in 2017.
Franzél has published articles in accredited academic journals, presented research papers at national and international conferences and is the author and editor of several academic textbooks. She is also a referee for accredited journals, an external moderator and examiner for public and private higher education providers, a programme reviewer for the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and a mentor for Phakama's Women's Academy. She has served on advisory committees for several academic institutions and continues to supervise master's and doctoral students.
Dr Deonita Damons
Stakeholder engagement: Current and new members
Dr Deonita Damons serves as the Executive Director at Boston City Campus. With a PhD in Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement from The Da Vinci Institute, she boasts a remarkable 20-year journey in the education sector. Her expertise spans across schools, universities, and private colleges.
Deonita is also certified in occupationally directed education, training, and development and is skilled in facilitating skill development, assessing, and moderating. She has held roles on professional boards and committees, including being the Chairperson of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Assessment Practitioners (CIMAP) and served on the SAQA RPL reference group in 2013 that facilitated South Africa's first National Policy on RPL.
A steadfast advocate for equitable education opportunities in South Africa, Deonita believes quality education should be accessible to everyone, irrespective of their background. Furthermore, she strongly champions women's empowerment in leadership roles. Deonita is committed to using her skills and experience to make a difference in the lives of others.
Dr Carin Stoltz-Urban
Capacity building
Dr Carin Stolz-Urban is currently the COO at Inscape. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership in and oversight of the Academic Operations, Quality Assurance, and People Management of the institution.
Carin currently serves as a member of the Council on Higher Education's (CHE’s) Standards Development and Capacity Development Working Group (QAF) and the CHE's Community of Practice for Standard 1 (Institutional Identity and Agency).
Carin previously served as a Board Member of the Association of Private Providers of Education, Training and Development (APPETD), from 2020 to June 2021. She chairs or serves as a member of several Academic Advisory Boards.
Jozua Loots
Governance and Finance
Jozua Loots is a multi-talented musician, composer, lecturer and sound designer hailing from Pretoria, South Africa. Currently, he serves as the Registrar for Academic Regulatory matters at The Open Window's School of Film Arts, where he has held various positions.
Jozua has been the sound designer on more than 200 television episodes, seven feature-length films, and many short films and other audio-visual projects. Previously he managed systems and operations for the South African National Youth Orchestra. He is a member of the P/LOUD research group at the European Broadcast Union responsible for the R128 broadcast loudness standard.
Jozua holds a Bachelor of Information Science Honours (cum laude) and a Master's in Music Technology (cum laude) from the University of Pretoria. His current areas of research include environmental comfort for educational spaces, and complexity science for academic quality assurance.
