STAFF
Akademia has outstanding and vocation-driven staff who contribute to a worldclass learning experience.
DEAN
Prof. Gawie du Toit
PhD (Didactics)
Acting Dean:
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Prof. Gawie du Toit completed his qualifications at the University of the Free State (UFS), including a Higher Education Diploma, an MSc degree in Mathematics, and a doctorate in Didactics. In 1987, he entered higher education as a senior researcher at the erstwhile Research Institute for Educational Planning at the same university. In 1997, he was appointed as department head of the Department of Didactics (later known as Curriculum Study) at the Faculty of Education at the UFS. He also occupied the position of programme director: Undergraduate Programmes from 2010-2013.
On 1 November 2013, he was seconded for three years to implement the BEd Senior Phase and Further Education and Training programme, which he developed at UFS at the newly-founded Sol Plaatjie University (SPU). Since being appointed in 2016, he has held the full-time position of head of the School for Education at the SPU. His research is focused on mathematics education and curriculum development. Since joining the Faculty of Education in 1997, he has produced nine articles and five chapters in academic books. Under his supervision, 22 master’s degree students and 11 doctoral students have successfully completed their studies.
Prof. du Toit was also involved in various research projects with the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Other than that, he was also the administrator of various management training seminars for educational leaders in the Free State.
Since 1 March 2019 du Toit is the dean of the Faculty of Education.
Department of Computer Sciences
Dr Piet Pretorius
DBL (Business Leadership)
Lecturer:
Computer Sciences
Acting Head of Department:
(Computer Sciences)
Programme coordinator:
BSc (Computer Sciences)
Dr Piet Pretorius is a lecturer in Computer Science as well as the programme coordinator of Computer Sciences at Akademia. He holds a BSc degree in Computer Science as well as a master’s and doctoral degree in Business Management from the University of South Africa (Unisa). Pretorius’s research focuses on the use of information and related technologies by organisations in South Africa, with an emphasis on the decade to follow. He has been practising as a computer scientist for almost five decades. Previously, he lectured in Information Technology on a part-time basis at various universities, most recently at the North-West University’s Business School.
Dr Jaco du Toit
Lecturer:
Computer Sciences
Dr Jaco du Toit is a lecturer in Computer Sciences at Akademia and obtained a doctorate in Computer Sciences, as well as an honours and master’s degree in this discipline at the University of Johannesburg. Du Toit’s research focus is cyber security. His most recent publication is an article in Intelligent Computing. He practiced twenty years as a computer consultant. He lectures the following modules: Computer Organisation, Operating Systems, Introduction to Security and Software Architecture.
Christo Croucamp
BScHons (Computer Sciences and Information Technology)
Junior lecturer:
Computer Sciences
Christo Croucamp is a lecturer in Computer Science at Akademia and obtained a BSc degree in Information Technology (cum laude) as well as an honours degree in Computer Science and Information Technology at the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). He is currently busy with a master’s thesis in cyber security awareness. Croucamp’s research focus is cyber security and educational/serious games. His most recent publication is a conference article and presentation with the title ‘Promoting cybersecurity awareness utilizing a “build your own adventure” serious game’ at the 19th International Conference on Applied Computing (AC 2022). He taught for one year as a lecturer in decision support systems at the NWU.
Tina van Niekerk
BScHons (Computer Science and Information Technology)
Junior lecturer:
Computer Sciences
Tina van Niekerk is a lecturer in Computer Sciences at Akademia and obtained a BSc degree in Information Technology as well as an honours degree in Computer Sciences and Information Technology at the North-West University. She is currently busy with her master’s degree in computer sciences. Van Niekerk’s research focus is cyber security – before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Her most recent publication is a conference article in “The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on work dynamics in IT Software Development Organisations in South Africa, based on Organisational Size and Managerial Levels” at The 2023 WEI International Academic Conference Proceedings in Barcelona, Spain. She worked for a year as a project manager at the NWU where she managed four projects.
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Leonie Mostert
MSc (Mathematics)
Acting Head of Department: Mathematical Sciences
Programme coordinator:
BSc (Mathematical Sciences)
Leonie Mostert is a lecturer in Mathematics at Akademia and obtained an MSc degree in Mathematics (cum laude), as well as a BSc (cum laude) and BSc Hons (cum laude) in this discipline from PU for CHO (currently the North-West University). From 1988 until June 2022, she lectured in Mathematics at the University of Pretoria.
Adiél Holtzhausen
MSc (Physics)
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Adiel Holtzhausen is a lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Akademia and has obtained a BSc degree in Physics as well as an honours degree in this discipline at the University of Pretoria. She is currently working on a master’s dissertation in clean and green energy. Holtzhausen’s research focuses on semiconductor- and solar cell physics. Her academic awards include the Best Master’s Poster in Applied Physics from the South African Institute of Physics (2021). Furthermore, she is involved in the Women in Physics Association (WiPiSA) as well as African Inclusive Microscopy.
Elsabé Weyer
MSc (Mathematics Education)
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Elsabe Weyer is a lecturer in Mathematics at Akademia and obtained a BSc degree in Psychology and Statistics as well as an honours and master’s degree in Mathematics Education at the North-West University (NWU). She is currently busy with a doctoral dissertation in mathematics education. Weyer’s research focus is mathematics teaching of first-year calculus students. Her most recent publication is a conference paper and a presentation on “The Mathematical Beliefs of First-Year Calculus students at a university in South Africa” at Table Mountain DELTA 2023 (The 14th Southern Hemisphere Conference on the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics) in Cape Town (26 November until 1 December 2023). She practiced nineteen years as a mathematics lecturer at NWU, Potchefstroom Campus and for eight years as a mathematics teacher at various secondary schools.
Frieda Theron
DSc (Mathematics, Algebra)
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Frieda Theron is a lecturer in Mathematics at Akademia and she has a BSc degree in Mathematics (cum laude) as well as an honours and master’s degree (cum laude) and a DSc degree in this discipline, all from the University of Pretoria. She also holds a BA (Human Movement Science) (Sports Science) and a higher education diploma from the same institution. Theron’s research focus is Matrix Theory as well as Module Theory. Her most recent published work is an article in the Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra. She has a total of more than 40 years of experience as a mathematics lecturer at various universities and four years as a mathematics teacher.
Dr Henri Moolman
DCom
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Dr Henri Moolman is a lecturer in Mathematical Statistics at Akademia and obtained a BCom degree as well as an honours degree in this discipline at Stellenbosch University (SU). He also obtained a master’s and doctor’s degree at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN) and a Diploma in Datametrics (Computer Sciences) at the University of South Africa (UNISA). He is currently busy with research in data analysis and statistical consultation for a paper in Australia. Moolman’s research focus is time series, data analysis, optimisation and the use of statistics in consultation work. His most recent publication is an article in Current topics on Mathematics and Computer Science and a paper about the use of R and Excel in the teaching of Statistics and Data Analysis at the IFCS 2022 conference in Porto, Portugal. He is a chartered member of the Institute of Certificated and Chartered Statisticians of South Africa (ICCSSA) and a member of the South African Statistical Association (SASA).
Jacques Cloete
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Mr. Jacques Cloete is a lecturer in the field of Mathematical Statistics at Akademia. He holds a BSc degree in Statistics and Applied Mathematics, as well as an honours degree in Statistics from the University of Natal, NU (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN). He is currently working on a master’s dissertation in Statistics. Jacques’ research focus is on survival models. He also holds postgraduate diplomas in Higher Education and Data Science. His most recent published work includes an article in APORTAL (2024) and a presentation on predicting student performance using Moodle data in the field of Statistical Education. Jacques has twenty years of teaching experience and experience as a statistical consultant for doctoral and master’s projects across various disciplines. He currently teaches the following modules: Sampling Distribution Theory, Stochastic Processes, and Generalized Linear Models.
René Swanepoel
MSc (Mathematical Statistics)
Lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
René Swanepoel is a lecturer in Mathematical Sciences at Akademia and obtained a BSc degree in Mathematical Statistics (cum laude) at the University of the Free State as well has an honours- and master’s degree (cum laude) in this discipline at the University of Pretoria. She worked for seventeen years in various roles during her career, for amongst other things, as a programmer at an insurance company and head of the data analyst team in the credit department at African Bank. During her time at the bank she focused her skills on the development and optimisation of credit risk models for the bank to determine the client risk count of clients. She has a healthy interest in the development of credit risk models by means of automated Artificial Intelligence technology.
Michelle Michau
MSc (Mathematics)
Junior lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Michelle Michau is a lecturer in Mathematical Sciences at Akademia and obtained a BSc degree in Mathematical Sciences (cum laude) as well as an honours and master’s degree (cum laude) in this discipline at the University of Pretoria (UP). Her most recent publication is her thesis – an in-depth investigation of the traits of the Rado graph. Academic awards include the following: merit certificate for academics on behalf of the UP-Student Community and member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She practised three years as a teacher.
Corlé van der Walt
BScHons (Mathematics and Applied Mathematics)
Junior lecturer:
Mathematical Sciences
Corlé van der Walt is a lecturer in Mathematical Sciences at Akademia and obtained a BIng degree in Industrial Engineering (cum laude) at the North-West University. As well as an honours degree (cum laude) in Applied Mathematics at the University of the Free State. She is currently busy with a master’s thesis in applied mathematics. Van der Walt’s research focus is optimisation and dynamical systems. Academic awards include the following: Best presenter at the yearly Afrikaans student symposium held by the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (2023). She practised for two years as a lecturer.
