Technical staff

Laboratory Staff:


 Merlien Name:
 Merlien Reddy
Position:
 Senior Lab Technician
Qualification:
 ND:Biotech, Btech:Biotechnolog, SAMTRAC (Safety Management Training Course)
Contact no.:
 031 260 1360 / 031 260 1360
Email:
 reddym5@ukzn.ac.za
Quote:
 *You have Brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose* - Dr Seuess
 
Mrs Reddy is responsible for overseeing and facilitating all research activities and analysis in the Biochemical Engineering Laboratory in Chemical Engineering. This includes organisation and supply of lab equipment, operational supervision of researchers and students and issues related to health and safety.




 Thabiso Name:
 Thabiso Zikalala
Position:
 Junior Technician
Qualification:
 BSc Honours Biochemistry
Contact no.:
 072 069 1095 / 072 069 1095
Email:
 zikalala@ukzn.ac.za
Quote:
 *It starts with you attitude*
 
Thabiso is a junior technician at PRG, who’s previously worked as a laboratory assistant and a student demonstrator. He holds a BSc in Microbial Biotechnology and a BSc Honours in Biochemistry.




 
Name:
 Couben Govender
Position:
 Senior Lab Technician
Qualification:
 B.Sc.
Contact no.:
 +27 31 260 1360
Email:
 govenderc@ukzn.ac.za
Quote:
 “Aim to achieve more than yesterday”
 
Couben is a Senior Laboratory Technician and previously worked as a Business Operations Manager within the sugar industry for 12 years. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Biochemistry and Zoology.



 
Name:
 Theodorah T. Ncube
Position:
 Lab Technician
Qualification:
 BEng(Hons) Chemical Engineering
Contact no.:
 061 6867 725
Email:
 thanyncube@gmail.com
Quote:
 "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up, the most certain way to succeed is to try again."
 
Theodorah is a lab technician at PRG who previously worked as a lab technician at St Bernard’s High School and as an intern at Dunlop tyres in Zimbabwe. She started working with the PRG in September 2017. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering Honors degree in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Science and Technology Zimbabwe .



 
Name:
 Tom Paul Hayangah
Position:
 Lab Technician
Qualification:
 MScMicro (pending), BSc(Hons) Microbiology, BSc MicroBiochem
Contact no.:
 072 5994 335
Email:
hayangaht@gmail.com, tom4prez89@gmail.com
Quote:
 "I love Science! The way to a better life is to understand it and take a chance to change it by the choices you make today."
 
Tom is a qualified Microbiologist and Biochemist. He previously worked as demonstrator and teaching assistant educating 1st, 2nd and 3rd year life science students at UKZN (Westville). Using his knowledge and skill Tom also worked as a microbiological consultant for Khulanikahle Trading Enterprise (Durban) on water analysis and sanitation for Ugu district Municipality. He is also a member of SASM and SASBMB.

Publications:
• Masters thesis entitled “Isolation and cloning of lipase genes from a bacterial metagenome from Eucalyptus sp woodchips”. 2017
• Honours Thesis entitled “Acclimatization of Saccharomyces cerevisisae to elevated temperature and ethanol levels”. 2013



Platform Technologists:



 
Name:
 Lindelani Xaba
Position:
 Prototype Engineer/ Platform Technologist
Qualification:
 BSc in Chemical Engineering
Contact no.:
 072 580 1815
Email:
 lindelanix@gmail.com
Quote:
 "Opportunity abounds in the absence of that which is most valuable."
 
Lindelani is a Chemical Engineer with experience in Mega-Project/ Programme management and Pipeline operations. Some of his previous projects are the Swaziland Rail Link project (Linking South Africa to Swaziland and Mozambique through a rail line) and the Multi-Product Pipeline pigging project (Durban to Johannesburg). Mr. Xaba is now on his 3rd stint with PRG, having previously worked on the Nitrification reactor under the VUNA project.



 
Name:
 Tapuwa Sahondo
Position:
 Platform Technologist
Qualification:
 BEng (Hon) Chemical Engineering
Contact no.:
 +27 60 4480884
Email:
 tapuwa16@gmail.com
Quote:
 "First step to true enlightenment, is knowing yourself."
 
Tapuwa holds a BEng (Hon) degree in Chemical Engineering with experience in quality control, formulation and production of emulsion concentrates, granula products, wettable and dry powders and 3 years experience in civil engineering reticulation design.



 
Name:
 Thubelihle Blose
Position:
 Prototype Engineer/ Platform Technologist
Qualification:
 BTech Chemical Engineering
Contact no.:
 -
Email:
 thubelihle.blose@gmail.com
Quote:
 “The best way to avoid procrastination is to have the capability to find a difference between one day and day one, and always choose day one.”
 
After completing studies at Durban University of Technology, Thubelihle worked in the Paper Industry for five years where he was involved in process control, improvements, and paper machine commissioning. Thubelihle also spent over five years in water and wastewater treatment industries where his focus was on plant process design, optimization and improvement.