About us

The make-up of our team

Scientific

We investigate, research, design, experiment and learn. We are excited about finding solutions.

Pioneering

We innovate and pursue new ideas. We are ambitious and constantly grow our thinking and learning.

Honest

We strive to be open, transparent and approachable. We believe in the collective power of collaboration.

Passionate

We each have a deep conviction for what we do and the change we want to see in the world.

Our people

Mark Horner

Director and CEO

Mark has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics and is a former Shuttleworth Fellow. He initiated the Free High School Science Texts project way back in 2002. This formed the foundation upon which Siyavula is built today.

Neels van der Westuizen

Director and CFO

Neels manages Siyavula’s growing business front, managing and pursuing new relationshps, partnerships and opportunities, both locally and internationally. With a wealth of experience in diverse contexts, he is focused on making Siyavula a sustainable company with a global impact.

  • Adam Reynolds

    Educational Technologist - Physics

    Adam has a BSc (majoring in Physics, Astrophysics, Mathematics & Applied Mathematics) and a PGCE from UCT. In addition to being an Educational Technologist he still teaches Physical Sciences part-time and is also a senior marker for Physics.

  • Heather Williams

    Full-stack Developer

    Heather handles an assortment of development tasks for Siyavula from fixing annoying bugs to creating new features to ensuring that all maths rendering works. She enjoys software that works, first time and dabbling in different programming languages.

  • Hein Bekker

    Senior Front-end Developer

    As front-end developer, Hein ensures that Siyavula's online products look and work beautifully. When not wrangling code, he thinks about civic engagement, education, and openness.

  • Kate Davies

    Educational Technologist - Chemistry

    Kate has a Ph.D. in X-ray Crystallography from UCT and is the Chemistry specialist for the EdTech Production Team. Her role includes creating, curating and implementing chemistry content for Siyavula's online practice service.

  • Léhan Coetzee

    Software Development Team Lead

    Léhan has a passion for technology and especially enjoys writing software, finding simple solutions to complex problems and experimenting with new technologies.

  • Mathlodi Goeieman

    Project Support Specialist

    Matlhodi is a Project Support Specialist, who effectively trains learners and educators on how to use Siyavula Practice. She maintains an open line of communication with all stakeholders, assisting them with any questions or issues they may have.

  • Mbali Mazibuko

    School Support Specialist

    Mbali is passionate about people, education and community development. Her role is all about relationship building and providing technical support. She believes that technology in the education space is a gateway everyone should have a key to.

  • Mimi Jordan

    Customer Success Lead

    Mimi's focus is on the technology space, for integrated learning. Her passion for early childhood development, maths learning integrated with technology and digital platforms flows through in the field of studies and industry coverage she provides.

  • Nomfundo Mashala

    Schools Account Manager

    Nomfundo has a BA in Psychology. As an Account Manager for Schools in Gauteng, she maintains smooth client relationships by offering training and quality support to teachers and learners. She is passionate about education. She finds fulfilment when working in projects that are aimed at developing the process of teaching and learning. The world that she dreams of is where all teachers teach with passion and all learners are eager learn. To have a role in a programme that inspires educational development through technological innovations is special to her because it contributes towards bringing her dream closer and closer to reality.

  • Nosipho Sithole

    Project Manager

    Nosi will be working on a project, in partnership with GDE, to help learners in select Gauteng schools access the Siyavula digital Maths and Science platform in order to gain mastery and improve their performance in these subjects.

  • Pertunia Shaku

    School Support Specialist

    Pertunia works on a project with schools in Gauteng to equip ,educate and provide support to the schools and teachers on how to utilize Siyavula Online Platform for learning.

  • Richard Cochrane

    Software Development Manager

    Rich enjoys writing software AND working with people, solving real problems with meaningful impact. With a a BBusSc (IS Hons), he really wants every learner to have access to improving their maths and science skills.

  • Ros Clayton

    Educational Technologist - Mathematics

    Ros has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from UCT and a master's in mathematics education from the University of Cambridge. Her experience teaching high school maths in South Africa informs her approach to content development at Siyavula.

  • Samantha Grobbelaar

    Operations Co-Ordinator

    Samantha provides coordination of processes and policies that promote efficiency in the business. She also coordinates activities linked to the achievement of HRM goals and implementing strategies that sustain the business and its people.

  • Sizwe Tafane

    School Support Specialist

    Sizwe has experience in teaching mathematics. Supports Tshwane district making sure that learners and teachers are confident using siyavula online resources. His vision is to see learners coming from poor background thrives in maths and science.

  • Tshepang Tau

    School Support Specialist

    If access to education is left unaddressed, students may struggle academically or even drop out. I am proud to be in the forefront of information technology and Scholar incentive programs such as Siyavula Education.

  • Join our team!

    Visit our careers page

    We are always on the look out for exceptional people to join us on our mission.

Our investors' representatives

Karien Bezuidenhout

Board representitive for the Shuttleworth Foundation

The Shuttleworth Foundation is a social investor that provides funding, support and community to dynamic leaders who are at the forefront of social change.

As a director of the Shuttleworth Foundation, Karien focuses on identifying potential investments, both for and not for profit, and working closely with these towards realising their shared vision. Interests include a wide range of themes, from education to telecommunication. Karien studied business and economics at the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town. She is an advocate for openness.

Dries Mellet

Board representitive for PSG Group Limited

PSG Group is an investment holding company consisting of underlying investments that operate across industries which include financial services, banking, private equity, agriculture and education.

Shikha Goyal

Board representitive for Imaginable Futures

Imaginable Futures, a venture of The Omidyar Group, invests in entrepreneurs who share our commitment to advancing social good at the pace and scale the world needs today.

Shikha is an investment adviser at Imaginable Futures where she focuses on the firm’s education strategy and investments across Africa. Over the last 16 years, Shikha has worked across the development and private sector. Prior to joining Omidyar Network, she worked at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) where she led and managed education investments in India and sub-Saharan Africa.

Download our company brochure for a more detailed look at who we are and the focus of what we do.

What are we passionate about?

"I have an opportunity to make an impact on thousands of students scattered in several countries. It’s a responsibility that I take seriously."

- Saymore, Educational Technologist

"I am enthusiastic about education because it is a tranformative and empowering process. Education improves societies. I am also keenly tuned in to maths, which is unique in its pristine elegance and provides numerous surprises."

- Eric, Educational Technologist

"I love the fact that the work I do is in some small way contributing to improving society. I believe change has a ripple effect."

- Hannelie, School Accounts Manager

"I am fascinated and enthralled by the experience and possibilities at which maths, science, art, design and curiosity collide."

- Megan, Instructional Designer

"I enjoy tackling large and seemingly unsolvable problems and learning a lot in the process of solving the problem."

- Heather, Technical Editor

"I'm dead passionate about striking a balance between purely academic knowledge, practical experience as well as creative endeavours."

- Ewald, Senior Developer

"Chemistry opens up a whole other way of seeing things, a different way of understanding the world around us. That fascinates me, and I'd like to pass on this interest in understanding the world we live in."

- Kate, Educational Technologist

"I think what I like most about Siyavula is the deep sense of personal fulfillment that I get from working with a technological product that assists young learners."

- Rebecca, School Accounts Manager

"I am fascinated by how we (as individuals and groups) think, learn, create and communicate."

- Nicky, Product Manager

"My passion is to get things done."

- Thembile, Accounting Officer

"I am passionate about assisting the youth from disadvantaged backgrounds reach highest standards in education in spite of what they lack in resources."

- Nandi, School Liaison

"Teaching others so that they can harness the power that physics knowledge grants as well as appreciate the intrinsic beauty of the subject is one of my greatest passions."

- Adam, Educational Technologist

"I love being surrounded by people who challenge and push me to better myself. Working as part of the Siyavula team definitely has this covered!"

- Cynthia, Office Manager

"As someone who is not originally from South Africa, I am passionate about making a positive impact in this country, which has been so good to me."

- Gina, Project Manager

"I care deeply about helping people reach their full potential and think that education is a tool for true empowerment. I love astronomy."

- Kosma, Educational Technologist

"I believe that science is really about learning how to ask and answer questions about the surprising, fascinating world in which we live."

- Melanie, Educational Technologist

"I am passionate about the way education can shape and change someone behavior and approach to life. That moment a student realises he/she has applied something they thought impossible to grasp at first."

- Nadia, Educational Technologist

"I really love that energy that comes from a group of us collectively finding a better way to do things more effectively. I also love solving problems."

- Richard, Senior Developer

"I really enjoy working with teachers to understand their individual and very, very unique situations."

- Will, Sales Manager