Mokgadi Leah Modiba is a dynamic and results-driven IT service delivery specialist with a
solid background in ITSM implementation and service delivery excellence. Leah has 17
years of experience in IT operations with expertise in project management and vendor
management.
Q. What motivated you to join the board of the Scholarship Fund?
After my sister was involved in a car accident and needed the assistance of a maxillofacial and plastic
surgeon in Limpopo, we experienced first-hand the shortage of surgeons in South Africa. While there
are many factors affecting healthcare in South Africa, being in technology I will speak from an angle
of technological impact. I have taken members of my church to hospitals where because the
registration of patients is on paper there are sometimes problems of access to patient medical
history which can create a challenge in terms of correct treatment.
Q. Working in IT contrasts hugely with the NGO space. What have you learned and been able to use
from each environment?
My experience with the Fund reinforced my view that technology should be seen as a facilitator for
the development of systems to reduce medical errors and save more lives. Improving patient
records and data access is part of this.
Q. The Professor MCM Modiba Scholarship Fund celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. How do you
feel about the Fund’s achievements to date?
The journey from the humble beginnings of raising funds by hosting golf tournaments and high tea
events to having corporate sponsorships where we have been able to fund 13 students through the
scholarship is truly remarkable. The lives of the student beneficiaries were uplifted and changed for
the better.
Q. Please reflect on your role in the organization and contribution as a board member.
In my role as secretary of the Board I was responsible for duties such as distributing meeting agenda,
recording the minutes of meetings and ensuring that we operated within the organisation’s adopted
rules. I later transitioned into the role of Vice Chairperson of the Board. In both roles, I have
contributed to furthering our common interest in achieving the goal of improving healthcare in
South Africa in the long term.