Maletsema has a passion for spreading cybersecurity awareness.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has appointed Maletsema Phofu as its new director of information security (CISO), effective May 2024. Maletsema is a highly experienced cybersecurity professional and will be responsible for leading all the cybersecurity endeavours at UJ or “looking after cybersecurity heroes while defending the organisation against the villains,” as she puts it.
Maletsema began her IT journey as software developer working for Sasol Synfuels International and then BCX. She later joined Eskom, where she spent 14 years – her last role being as information security and investigations manager. At MTN, Maletsema was senior manager: group information security ops centre, the head of platform and network security at Absa, and general manager: subsidiary security operations at Equity Bank, prior to joining UJ.
However, Maletsema’s biggest passion project is an initiative called Cybersecurity Savvy Warriors, which is aimed at educating pre-teens, teens and senior citizens about cybersecurity. She regularly hosts cybersecurity awareness sessions and speaking engagements in her personal capacity.
Maletsema holds a BTech in information security from the Unisa, a BCom in informatics from the University of Pretoria and a master of commerce from the same institution. She is currently completing her master’s degree in digital business at Wits Business School.
