Shaped by a strong upbringing, Maletsema Phofu, CIO (designate) at the University of Johannesburg, is determined to drive meaningful social change – both professionally and personally. She is preparing to lead the university’s 2025 strategy, which aligns deeply with her passion for empowering people and fostering a cyber-savvy society.
A career built on continuous learning and hard graft pretty much sums up the University of Johannesburg CIO (designate) Maletsema Phofu’s career. She previously served as the institution’s chief information security officer (CISO) since May this year.
But where did it all begin? With two male figures who played a pivotal role in Maletsema’s career trajectory: her maternal grandfather, who instilled the importance of education and work ethic, and her father, who by happenstance introduced Maletsema to the world of IT.
“I grew up around my maternal grandfather, a steadfast advocate for education and hard work. He owned land and pursued various projects on it, always busy and always planning,” she says.
Early morning caffeine fixes at Maletsema’s house quickly turned to conversations about university studies, as she recalls.
“My grandfather loved political science, which I admittedly loathed,” Maletsema recollects. “But we made a deal: as long as I continued to learn and grow, he would be proud. He instilled in me a deep respect for education and a strong sense of determination – qualities that have shaped my journey in profound ways. Beyond that, he treated me with the same encouragement and respect as he did the male members of our extended family.”
According to Maletsema, her grandfather’s unwavering belief in her potential – regardless of gender – gave her the confidence to pursue her ambitions and strive for excellence. “His legacy is a constant reminder of the power of self-belief and resilience.”
This explains why home will always be where the heart is. “My favourite vacation spot has to be my mom’s house, especially around the December holidays – it always feels like a family vacation when the house is packed,” she says.
Although the African continent is a close second, Maletsema enjoys travelling as well, and if she’s not working, she’s somewhere admiring Africa’s natural beauty.
Uncharted waters and an expected journey
Despite being given the assignment to study no matter the subject, Maletsema faced a dilemma: she had no clue what she’d pursue after completing matric in the late 1990s, and that’s when her father stepped in.
“I hadn’t applied for university because I had no idea what career I wanted to pursue. My dad, determined that I wouldn’t be sitting at home doing nothing, drove me to Technikon Northern Gauteng to register,” she explains. “The queues were long for every programme – except for one, the national diploma in IT.
“Curious, I asked the registration assistant what IT was. She explained, and that’s how I ended up in IT! I figured I’d do it for a year until I found my passion, but instead, it became my passion, and I realised I was good at it. I’m grateful for that spontaneous decision, as it led me to a fulfilling career and a path of continuous learning and transformation,” Maletsema points out.
Her journey has been one of navigating uncharted waters, embracing challenges and discovering innovative solutions. Along the way, Maletsema was fortunate to meet selfless industry leaders who guided, encouraged, and inspired her to ‘pay it forward’. “Today, my journey is no longer just about me – it’s about using my experiences to uplift others and contribute to a broader purpose.”
A true cyber-warrior
Maletsema ultimately took a liking to information security and positioned herself as an expert in the discipline. Years later, it sparked what she calls a passion project today called Cybersecurity Savvy Warriors, which is aimed at educating pre-teens, teens and senior citizens about cybersecurity.
As she transitions from her role as UJ CISO to the university’s chief information officer in the new year, she’s excited to take the university’s recently launched 2035 strategy, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to greater heights. Coincidentally, UJ’s 2035 strategy is centered around societal impact. “What this has done for me is provide a clear and inspiring framework to guide my work and align my personal values with the institution’s mission. The passion project can now be aligned to my job outputs. How brilliant is that!” she adds.
With future-focused strategies in mind, Maletsema couldn’t miss the opportunity to share her thoughts on transformative technologies such as AI and how they are shaping the future of higher education.
“The future is now!” she says. “UJ is actively leading AI research efforts and has launched AI academic programmes, and is already teaching using AI. We have established a UJ AI Hub, and collaborated with TUT and the government to launch the TUT AI Hub. The university is already demonstrating the AI role and transformation in higher education; as we say, “we are operating in future tense”.
“There are several use cases for AI in education. I am an enthusiast for these two: firstly, the quality of education will improve by solving some South African longstanding challenges, such as equal access to quality education, inclusivity and the need for personalised teaching, which is tough for educators to provide due to overcrowded classes, especially at the basic education level. Secondly, the university is delivering future-ready graduates who are better positioned for employment and entrepreneurship, contributing to a decrease in the current youth unemployment crisis,” Maletsema explains.
Moreover, as she observes, cybersecurity has derived value from seamlessly integrating AI into threat detection and response processes. The next step, she continues, for the broader IT department is to identify additional use cases to enhance IT service delivery across the organisation.
“From a global perspective, AI concerns around bias, transparency, cybersecurity, and accountability are well recognised. From an education and research perspective, UJ is already a few steps ahead of IT in AI utilisation. We aim to learn from and partner closely with our academic and compliance colleagues to address these ethical and compliance considerations as we advance AI adoption. This approach ensures responsible AI practices are developed and implemented alongside technology integration, creating a secure, transparent and fair environment.”
In between a techie who’s very curious about the current and future impact of AI, lies an avid reader. This year, Maletsema has enjoyed reading Vagabond by Lerato Mogoatlhe, Think like the wealthy, not the rich by Mamohau Nkosi and is currently reading Grit: The power of passion and perseverance by Angela Duckworth. “I still have my high school favourites in Down Second Avenue by Eskia Mphahlele, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe,” she concludes.
