COE Human Staff

Prof. Shane Norris

Director

Prof. Norris is Director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development and Director of the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is a co-principal investigator of the Birth to Twenty Plus Cohort study and principal investigator of the Soweto First 1000 Days cohort. His research interests include child growth and development, obesity, and inter-generational risk of metabolic disease.

Ms Kholeka Vikilahle

Finance Officer

Ms Vikilahle joined the CoE-Human in June 2023 as a Finance Officer. She has a wealth of experience in business administration support and project management. She previously worked for Wits Business School and Henley Business School SA as a Programme Manager. Before that, she fulfilled the role of Business Development Manager and Relationship Manager in the vehicle finance space for WesBank and Motor Finance. 

Dr Khuthala Mabetha 

Centre & Research Manager;

Dr Mabetha joined the CoE-Human in October 2023 as a Centre and Research Manager. She holds a PhD in Demography and Population studies from the University of the Witwatersrand.  After completion of her PhD studies, she subsequently became a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit in the Healthy Living Trajectories (HeLTI) Consortium which consists of a multidisciplinary team that spans across four countries namely South Africa, China, India and Canada and aims to develop evidence-based interventions that strive to improve maternal, child and infant health. She is a trained Demographer by profession and has been trained to apply various quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research methodologies to various studies. Her research interests are centred particularly on child health and family, population health dynamics and health transitions with regards to why the health of the population is changing, particularly in relation to children, families and young women. 

Ms Rebecca Mudau

Research Assistant & Administrator 

Rebecca Mudau joined the CoE-Human in May 2021 as a Research Assistant and Administrator. She has a wealth of experience in business administration support. She previously worked for the South African Post Office as a Data Capturer and Call Centre agent. Before that, she fulfilled the role of Customer Service Agent for South African Airways. Her career begin at BCA as a part-time administrator and receptionist.