Mr Shafeeq Abrahams

BCompt Honours

Degree in Accounting

Chartered Accountant (SA)

Masters in Business Leadership

Mr Abrahams joined the EPPF on 1 September 2018 as the Chief Financial Officer until he was appointed as the Chief Executive and Principal Officer effective 1 April 2021. He began his career at Deloitte & Touché Chartered Accountants and later joined Eskom where he held various leadership roles in Finance. Prior to joining the EPPF, he was the CFO of the National Home Builders Registration Council.

As the Chief Executive and Principal Officer, Mr Abrahams serves on all the Committees of the Board of Trustees within the EPPF.

Mr Ndabe Mkhize

BSc. Actuarial Science
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA)​

Mr Ndabe Mkhize joined the EPPF on 1 May 2014 as Deputy Chief Investment Management Officer, stepped into the role of Acting Chief Investment Officer in April 2015 and was appointed as a Chief Investment Officer in December 2016.

Prior to joining EPPF, Mr Mkhize held positions at Coronation Property Equity Fund, worked in the direct real estate industry and in the Stanlib Listed Property team from late 2010 until April 2014.

He serves on various committees within the EPPF including the Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Strategic Investment Committee, Credit Committee, Internal Investment Committee and the IT Steering Committee.

Mr Joey Sankar

B.Com. Management (UNISA)

Masters in Information Technology (University of Pretoria)

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (IT IL) qualification

Prince 2 Practitioner qualification

Mr Joey Sankar joined the EPPF on 01 July 2014 as Project Manager and was appointed as the Manager of Retirement Fund Operations on 1 September 2015. Prior to joining EPPF Mr. Sankar held managerial positions in various organisations including Alexander Forbes Financial Services, NBC Holdings and Deloitte Consulting.

Mr. Sankar serves on various committees within the EPPF including the Benefits Committee, Legal and Technical Committee, Executive Committee, Procurement Committee, Medical Panel and the IT Steering Committee.

Ms Shyless Nkuna

BA Psychology (University of the Western Cape)
BA Hons. Psychology (University of the Western Cape)
Registered Psychometrist (Health Professions Council of South Africa)
Master of Commerce in Business Management (University of Johannesburg)

Ms Shyless Nkuna joined EPPF on 01 April 2017. She began her HR career at the Foschini Retail Group in Cape Town. Prior to joining EPPF, she held various HR roles in different financial institutions, such as Standard Bank, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the South African Reserve Bank.

Ms. Nkuna heads the Human Resources Department at EPPF and also serves on the Human Resources and Remuneration Committee and the Executive Committee of EPPF.

Mr Ayanda Gaqa

B.Tech. (Internal Auditing)

Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (University of Free State)
Certified Financial Planner®
Certified Compliance Professional (Compliance Institute of SA)

Mr. Ayanda Gaqa​ joined the EPPF on 1 July 2007. He has held various leadership positions in various organisations including Futuregrowth Asset Management and Sanlam Investment Management.

He serves on various committees within the EPPF including the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Strategic Investment Committee, Risk Management Committee and the Procurement Committee

Ms Thelma Melk

Bachelor of Law (National University of Lesotho)
LLB degree (National University of Lesotho)
​Certificate in Municipal Finance (Wits Business School)
Certificate in Corporate Governance (University of Johannesburg)

Ms. Melk is the Head of Legal & Corporate Secretariat. She joined the EPPF on 1 April 2018. She began her career as a Legal Advisor employed by Mmabatho City Council. She later joined the Department of Trade and Industry where she started as the Secretary: Board Manufacturing Development and was later appointed as the Deputy Director. She was presented with an opportunity at Transnet where she was employed as the Deputy Group Company Secretary.

Ms Melk then moved on to the SABC and South African Airways where she held the Group Company Secretary roles. She partnered with the North West Development Corporation as the Company Secretarial Consultant.

Prior to joining EPPF she was employed by Joburg Market as the Company Secretary.

She is currently pursuing a qualification in International Leadership Development at the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Ms Yolisa Skwintshi

Honours in Computer Science

​Ms Skwintshi joined the EPPF on 6 January 2020. Yolisa joins the EPPF from Absa Group, where she was the Head of Technology for the Insurance Cluster. She is a highly experienced Technology leader with more than 17 years’ experience in the IT industry. Among her achievements, Yolisa was recognised as one of South Africa’s fifty most inspiring women in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics sector for 2018 by the Consulate of the Netherlands in collaboration with Cocreate International.