Dear Staff and Student Colleagues 

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Nelson Maharaj as Occupational Health and Safety and Biosafety Manager in the Faculty of Health Sciences, who joined us as of the 1st of June, 2026. Mr. Maharaj will report to Dr Earle du Plooy, Director of Faculty Operations and will provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure that the Faculty maintains the highest standards of occupational health and safety, biosafety, biosecurity, environmental compliance, and risk management. In welcoming the appointment, Dr du Plooy shared: “Welcome to the team, Nelson. I look forward to working with you.”

He will oversee the implementation of systems and practices that support legal compliance, mitigate risk, strengthen safety culture, and safeguard staff, students, researchers, and the communities we serve across our laboratories, clinical platforms, and research environments.

Mr. Maharaj holds a BTech in Safety Management and a National Diploma in Safety Management from the University of South Africa and is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Risk Management.

He is also a SAATCA Certified Auditor and holds a range of specialised certifications in hazardous chemical management, incident investigation, emergency response, legal liability, and occupational health and safety management.

With more than 20 years of experience in occupational health, safety, environmental management, laboratory safety, and enterprise risk management, Mr Maharaj has held senior leadership positions across the manufacturing sector. Most recently, as Risk Manager at Mpact Paper’s Springs Mill, he led integrated risk management functions encompassing safety, security, fire protection, wellness, facilities, and environmental compliance for a workforce of over 700 personnel. His career also includes direct laboratory experience, where he was responsible for laboratory safety procedures, hazardous chemical and biological agent management, risk assessments, quality assurance, and staff training.

Throughout his career, Mr Maharaj has demonstrated a strong track record of delivering measurable safety and operational outcomes. These include achieving leading organisational safety culture transformation initiatives, maintaining internationally recognised ISO management systems, overseeing major capital projects, and supporting the development of a research and development laboratory while ensuring compliance with stringent safety and environmental requirements. 

As the Faculty continues to expand its teaching, research, and clinical activities, Mr Maharaj’s expertise will be instrumental in strengthening our culture around safety, enhancing compliance and governance, and ensuring that our laboratories, clinical training sites, and research environments remain safe, resilient, and fit for purpose.

His appointment reflects the Faculty’s commitment to fostering an environment where excellence in education, research, and healthcare is underpinned by the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental stewardship.

Enkosi kakhulu.

Kaise ge gangans

Professor Lionel Green-Thompson
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences