Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Ghati Nyehita was appointed as a postdoctoral research fellow (PDRF) in 2024. Her term extends into 2025. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from UCT and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Kenyatta University, she is also an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. During her Ph.D., she developed an interest in innovation that takes place in social contexts outside of the conventional structures of research and development. She was awarded the New and Emerging Researchers Fellowship for proposing an innovative research project that empowers women makers using IP Laws. Her PDRF projects continue research on the intersection of gender and IP law. The research will explore the role of IP in shaping the landscape of social innovation and labour market integration for refugee women in South Africa. The research will focus on two secondary objectives: firstly, to explore how South Africa can leverage on IP laws to foster the inclusion of refugee women within the innovation paradigm and facilitate their integration into the labour market. Secondly, the research will analyze the role of copyright in supporting innovation of non-conventional forms of creative expressions, particularly focusing on its impact on refugee women.
Dr Charlene Musiza's term as postdoctoral research fellow commenced in July 2024 and continues in 2025. She holds an LLB degree from the University of Zimbabwe, an LLM degree (specializing in commercial law) and a PhD in Commercial Law from the University of Cape Town. She is a lawyer licensed to practice in Zimbabwe. She previously worked as legal associate at a law firm, focusing on corporate and commercial law. Her research interests lie at the intersection of IP and development, particularly how small scale producers can leverage appropriate IP rights. She has published her research focusing on various IP subject matter. Her postdoctoral research project examines how small scale entrepreneurs can overcome market-related challenges through the adoption of collective IP ownership strategies within industrial clusters. She is an alumni of the Queen Elizabeth Scholar – Advanced Scholar (QES-AS) and has worked at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Open African Innovation Research Network (Open AIR). She has consulted on developing sector specific IP policies and designing appropriate legal protection schemes for SMEs.
Dr Elfas Torerai's term as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development, University of Cape Town commenced in 2025. He holds a Doctor of Laws (LLD) in Trade and Business Law from the North West University (NWU) and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Labour Law from the same institution. His research interests include financial technology (fintech), financial inclusion, artificial intelligence, data protection, intellectual property rights and electronic commerce.
Dr Omowamiwa Kolawole was the 2022 - 2023 postdoctoral research fellow under the SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development, University of Cape Town. He has previously served as a Junior Research Fellow at the Centre for Law and Society, as well as at the Democratic Governance Research Unit, in the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Town. He has also Clerked for Malawi’s highest court, the Supreme Court of Appeal. He received a PhD in Public Law as well as masters in law, both from the University of Cape Town. He also holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and is in the process of obtaining a masters in public health from the University of Cape Town. Omowamiwa’s research interests are in the intersections of law and public health and his work engages with the right to health and how its realisation influences intellectual property regulation of innovations in biomedical care and public health intervention.
Dr Talkmore Chidede was the 2021 Postdoctoral Research Fellow under the SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development in the Department of Commercial Law at University of Cape Town (UCT). He holds a Doctor of Laws (LLD) in International Investment Law from the University of the Western Cape and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Investment Law from the University of Fort Hare. His research interests include international trade and investment law, intellectual property rights and African regional integration.
Dr Chijioke Okorie was the inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow under the SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development in the Department of Commercial Law at University of Cape Town (UCT) (2019 - 2020). She is also a Queen Elizabeth Scholar with the Open African Innovation Research (OpenAIR) Network. She obtained her PhD in Commercial Law (copyright and competition law in digital business models) from UCT and her LLM in Internet Law and Policy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.Dr Okorie is the author of Multi-sided music platforms and the Law: Copyright, Law and Policy in Africa, published by Routledge in 2019. As of 2021, Dr Okorie is a Lecturer, in the Department of Private Law, University of Pretoria. Her full profile is available on: LinkedIn
Junior Research Fellow
Dr Tebogo Lefifi participates in the Chair's research as a Junior Research Fellow. She is also a Senior Program Manager and Researcher at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance. She holds the following qualifications: PhD (University of Cape Town, 2023), LLM in Chinese business law (Hong Kong Open University), BCom (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 1997) and has also completed postgraduate certificates and courses in finance and economics. Since 2018, Tebogo has been convening and teaching an LLM course and an executive development course in Chinese Law and Investments at UCT. Her expertise includes international business strategy and research, China-Africa relations, strategic marketing, and reputation management. In her previous roles, Tebogo has served as a senior government official and established the first official nation brand agency in China. In this capacity, she profiled and positioned South Africa and Africa to attract Chinese investments and promote market entry for African products in China. She has been a Chief Representative for various organizations in China, providing strategic advice to private sector companies and senior officials in the public sector.
Tebogo serves on advisory boards for various China-Africa businesses and initiatives, including the Africa China Law Desk (ACLD). She co-founded the Sino-Africa Centre of Excellence (SACE), an applied think tank that published and conducted the China Business Perception Index in various African countries. She has also served on advisory boards for initiatives such as the China-Africa Wildlife Conservation Council (CAWCC), an Aspen Institute and Africa Wildlife Foundation initiative, Yale University's Visiting Women's Executive Exchange Program (VWEEP), and the South Africa China Business Association (SACBA).
As a Junior Research Fellow at the Chair, Tebogo's research interests focus on the development of Chinese intellectual property as part of economic development strategy and lessons for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She was a 2020 fellow for the prestigious Olu Akinkugbe Business Law in Africa Fellowships (OABLAF). Her groundbreaking doctoral research received the Vice Chancellor’s Award in 2020 and 2021, the Siri Johnson Scholarship Award, and the K.W. Johnston Bequest Scholarship Award.
Postdoctoral and Doctoral Researchers
Ghati Nyehita was the 2021 Doctoral Research Fellow under the DST/NRF SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development, Commercial Law Department, University of Cape Town. She is a doctoral candidate at UCT specializing in Intellectual Property Law. She is also an Open African Innovation Research (OpenAIR) Network Queen Elizabeth Scholar. Her research interests focus on aligning creativity with development in Africa.
In 2019 - 2020, Dr Desmond Oriakhogba was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Public Law Department; and a postdoctoral researcher under the DST/NRF SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development, Commercial Law Department, University of Cape Town. He is also a Queen Elizabeth Scholar with the Open African Innovation Research (OpenAIR) Network. He obtained his PhD in Commercial Law (specialising in intellectual property and competition law), from the University of Cape Town; and his LLM and LLB degrees from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Dr Oriakhogba is a qualified solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In 2022, Dr Oriakhogba was appointed Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mercantile and Private Law, University of
Venda and as of 2023 he joined the University of the Western Cape.
Research Students and Research Assistants
The South African Research Chair: Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development currently has a large cohort of doctoral candidates and masters students undertaking IP research under Professor Ncube's supervision or co-supervision. Some members of the cohort blog in our 'news and views' section and we feature others in our annual newsletters. All of them get listed on our completed research supervisions when they are awarded their degrees.
LLM research assistants
In 2023 Ngonidzaishe Gotora joined the team as a research assistant in the second semester. He returned to his role for the second year in 2024. He holds an LLB degree (University of Portsmouth) and a Master of International Economics and Finance (The University of Queensland, Australia). He has a keen interest in the intersection of Intellectual Property Law and Development on the African continent. His LLM thesis is entitled 'Assessing The Effectiveness of Patent Law in the SADC In Promoting Biotechnology Advancement and Access to Affordable Healthcare'.
In 2022, three LLM students in the IP program joined the chair as research assistants working on several ongoing projects. They are: Laura Gehle : Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Law & Management at University of Bielefeld; Law University of Bielefeld with state exam. Thabiso Phiri : LLB (University of Zimbabwe); former research assistant in the Constitutional and Supreme Courts of Zimbabwe; Admitted attorney. Joseph Mugauri : LLB (Cum Laude), UFH; Co- Founder: Ithemba-Tariro Foundation
LLB student research assistantships
These students contribute to the work of the Chair on assigned research topics and tasks. The students receive informal training and mentoring through participation in non-curriculum research seminars and participation in workshop/conference planning, logistics and administration. There are also opportunities for the students under the Chair to publish and enhance their leadership, organisational and community engagement skills. The LLB student research associateships were held by:
- Bianca Bresler (2020)
- Morite Makola (2020)
- Angie Montandon (2020)
- Sanelisiwe Mthalane (2020)
- Muofhe Tshifularo (2020)
- Somila Dondashe (2019)
- Simamkele Gosa (2019)
- Tumi Mohapi (2019)
- Adelaide Lendor (2019)