Two recent Master’s students from UP’s Department of Historical and Heritage Studies, Nicole Sithole and Reatile Moncho, have secured distinguished scholarships to undertake their doctoral studies. 

Sithole has been awarded a PhD scholarship by the Cambridge Trust to undertake her doctoral studies at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University. She will be working with Dr Ruth Watson, University Lecturer in African History.

Nicole Sithole.

Sithole completed her MA in History working under the supervision of Dr Nisa Paleker. Her research focused on the development of Bulawayo, with a particular emphasis on the role of the railways to the development of Bulawayo and the migratory potential the railways offered to women. Sithole’s research interest focuses on African women, migration and women’s encounters with and contributions to urban modernity.

Sithole was appointed as a tutor in 2016 and served as tutorial coordinator from 2017-2018 for history. Sithole excelled in both these positions and her contribution to the success of first-year teaching was invaluable.

Reatile Moncho.

Moncho was awarded a doctoral scholarship in the research project on ‘The Histories of Universities in South Africa’ based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The research project is led by Professor Saleem Badat, with contributors including the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), the Andrew W Mellon Foundation and the Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Studies (STIAS). 

The project aims to develop critical histories of South African universities at a moment when greater knowledge of higher education is pivotal for understanding the current challenges in the sector, including efforts of transformation of these institutions.

Moncho completed his Master of Social Sciences degree in History. His master’s dissertation, supervised by Dr Ian Macqueen, reassessed the aims and legacies of the Wiehahn Commission (1977-1979), also known as the Commission of Inquiry into Labour Legislation. His research stressed the long-term goals of the Commission, elements of which he argues were realised in the 1990s.

Moncho has previously received scholarships from the Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA), the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Andrew W Mellon Foundation. Moncho’s research interests are in labour studies, decolonial approaches to knowledge and social inequality.

The Department of Historical and Heritage Studies wished both students well for their PhDs.