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Voices from the Free State: Episode eight – featuring David Uwah

06 September 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

David Uwah’s journey in business, and his combination of industry and leadership insight internationally is considered valuable to any entrepreneur. As such, he is affiliated with several initiatives that focus on building young entrepreneurs.

François van Schalkwyk and Keenan Carelse, UFS alumni leading the university’s United Kingdom Alumni Chapter, have put their voices together to produce and direct the podcast series. Intended to reconnect alumni with the university and their university experience, the podcasts will be featured on the first Monday of every month, ending in November 2021. Our featured alumni share and reflect on their experiences at the UFS, how it has shaped their lives, and relate why their ongoing association with the UFS is still relevant and important. The podcasts are authentic conversations – they provide an opportunity for the university to understand and learn about the experiences of its alumni and to celebrate the diversity and touchpoints that unite them.

Listen to the podcast at

Our podcast guest

David Uwah is the founder and director of Zenncon Facility Management. A prominent businessman in South Africa and the greater part of Africa, Uwah is a consummate professional with strong business development skills, particularly in management, strategic planning, and marketing strategy. Uwah has successfully established Zenncon Facility Management to become an industry leader in South Africa.

A former chairman of Black Management Forum in the Free State, Uwah began his career at Firenze Consulting in London, UK. Uwah proceeded to Liberty Life as a financial adviser, followed by Cafenet Computers as director, and later became director of Brand New Afrika. He is also director of Zennfika Sahara Pty Ltd and is currently Chairman of the group of companies ZNND Group Pty Ltd. Uwah is a strong business development professional with a master’s degree focused on Disaster Management from the University of the Free State.

For further information regarding the podcast series, or to propose other alumni guests, please email us at alumnipodcast@ufs.ac.za

For all Voices from the Free State podcasts, click here

News Archive

R12-million to train black chartered accountants

2008-10-09

The Centre for Accounting at the University of the Free State (UFS) will receive about R12-million over the next four years from the Thuthuka Bursary Fund to train black learners as chartered accountants.

The bursary fund is managed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and is aimed at increasing the number of black students who obtain the Bachelor degree in Accounting.

Prof. Hentie van Wyk, Programme Director of the Centre for Accounting at the UFS, says that the membership of the chartered accounting profession (SAICA) does not currently reflect the demographics of the country. The aim of the bursary fund is to straighten this imbalance.

“The first intake of 50 first-year students is in 2009. The bursary fund makes provision for about R60 000 per student. This amount covers the student’s class fees, residence fees, meals and the financing of tutors. We will also make use of tutors and guest lecturers who will teach the students life skills, among others. The centre will appoint a co-ordinator to assist students with this,” says Prof. Van Wyk.

The UFS is accredited by SAICA to handle the Thuthuka training. During a monitoring visit from SAICA in 2007 the centre was the first in South Africa to obtain a 1-grading. The centre also obtained an outstanding pass rate of 94% during the recent national qualifying exam.

“We especially want to focus on the training of students from the central region. This means that the UFS will become a feeder institution of black chartered accountants for the business community in the central region of the country,” says Prof. Van Wyk.

According to Prof. Van Wyk, SAICA will do the recruitment of the students and they will be subject to a selection test. A list of possible students will be submitted to the centre, of which 50 will be chosen. One of the prerequisites is that learners must have a good mark in Mathematics. During their four years of studying students must have an average pass mark of 70%.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
9 October 2008

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