14th Bishop Hans Brenninkmeijer Memorial Lecture 2025

The 14th annual Bishop Brenninkmeijer Lecture of the Catholic Institute of Education (CIE) will be delivered on June 23 in Johannesburg by social entrepreneur Sizwe Nxasana.

Bishop Johannes Brenninkmeijer of Kroonstad, a Dutch Dominican, played a significant role in the development of Catholic education in the country. He died at age 73 in 2003.

The annual lectures serve as a platform for leading voices in education and the Church to reflect on contemporary challenges and opportunities in Catholic education.

The CIE is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Sizwe Nxasana previously served as CEO of Telkom South Africa, where he oversaw its listing on both the Johannesburg and New York Stock Exchanges. He later became CEO of FirstRand Banking Group, a position he held until his retirement in 2015.

He chairs several foundations and trusts, including the UJ Johannesburg Business School (JBS) International Advisory Board, and serves on the advisory board of Carnegie Mellon University – Africa. He is also a board member of the MarketPlace Academy NPO and the Independent Examinations Board (IEB).

A committed social entrepreneur, Sizwe co-founded and chairs the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and established the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP). He is the founder of Future Nation Schools, Future Nation Teacher College and the Sifiso Learning Group, which operates in EdTech, publishing and real estate.

He holds BCom and BCompt (Hons) degrees and is a chartered accountant. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Fort Hare, Durban University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg, Walter Sisulu University and UNISA. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Aalborg University in Denmark, with a research focus on Project/Problem-Based Learning in the South African K-12 context.

The lecture will be delivered on June 23 from 15:00 at Holy Family College in Parktown. It will be followed by a Thanksgiving Mass and a cocktail party.

RSVP by June 13 to Hilda Chinyowa at