To strengthen research support in the Library’s offering, the following three staff members have been appointed or promoted in the past few months at the Research Services or Information Services divisions. We welcome them warmly to their new positions.
Sizwe Ngcobo
To strengthen our open access support, Sizwe Ngcobo was recently appointed as Manager: Open Access Scholarship. Prior to him assuming this position, he served as Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Research Data Services Librarian, where he was responsible for the management and curation of research data assets, as well as providing specialised research data management support to SU researchers.
Sizwe joined SU as a qualified Information Professional, holding a B Information Science Honours degree from the University of South Africa. He completed his Master’s in Information Science from the same institution in 2025. Sizwe demonstrates a strong commitment to promoting equitable access to knowledge and advancing the transformation of scholarly communication within the Library and Information Service.
Over the course of his career, Sizwe has developed extensive expertise in research support, scholarly publishing, and open access advocacy. In his current role, he oversees the Library’s open access initiatives, supports the publication submissions by SU researchers through SANLiC’s (South African National Library and Information Consortium) ‘read and publish’ agreements, and promotes sustainable publishing practices.
Sizwe collaborates closely with SU researchers, academic departments and divisions, and strategic partners to enhance research visibility, ensure compliance with funder mandates, and support innovative approaches to knowledge dissemination.
Bhekizizwe Nkosi
Bhekizizwe Nkosi has recently been promoted to a Scholarly Communication Librarian, where he supports and advances open scholarship and research dissemination. He joined Stellenbosch University in June 2025 as a Junior Librarian: Scholarly Communication. In his current role, he helps manage digital repository platforms and e-journal systems, provides training and guidance to researchers and students, and actively advocates for open access initiatives. His work focuses on strengthening scholarly publishing support, improving access to research outputs, and enhancing institutional research visibility and impact.
Before joining Stellenbosch University, Bheki held several roles at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), including Library Assistant and Senior Library Assistant: Research Support & Scholarly Communications, where he contributed to institutional repository management, digitisation workflows, bibliometric analysis, RDM training, journal evaluation support, and open access journal development.
Currently pursuing a Master’s in Library and Information Science with a specialisation in data stewardship and knowledge management, Bheki’s research focuses on data stewardship in physics and astronomy – bridging research excellence with responsible data practices. He is passionate about ethical, transparent, and accessible scholarly publishing and is dedicated to helping researchers navigate journal selection, research data management (RDM) best practices, and open access publishing platforms.
Grace van Niekerk
Advocate Grace van Niekerk currently serves as Senior Faculty Librarian (Law). She previously held the position of Faculty Librarian for Law at the University of the Western Cape for 29 years, where she provided specialised research support, advanced training, and academic guidance to law students, researchers, and faculty members.
Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in strengthening legal research capacity within the faculty by designing structured information literacy programmes, developing comprehensive research guides, and facilitating access to complex legal resources in both print and digital environments.
Grace holds an LLB degree together with qualifications in Library and Information Science, complemented by additional professional certifications in legal research and information management. She is also an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, bringing a distinctive integration of legal expertise and academic librarianship to her role. In addition, she has provided Commissioner of Oaths services within the university environment, reflecting her broader professional contribution to institutional support.
Recognised for her professionalism, strong organisational ability, and student-centred approach, Grace is committed to strengthening research excellence and advancing innovative library services that respond to the evolving needs of legal education.
Author: Theresa Schoeman