On the 23rd of October 2014 the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation received news of the death of Nnete Malebo, one of its Candidate Allan Gray Fellows. Details regarding her passing, particularly the cause of death is not as yet clear. She was 21 years old.
It is with great sadness that the Foundation bids farewell to Nnete. She showed great promise as an academic achiever and ethical leader and was in the process of completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Science at the University of Cape Town. She was sub-warden of her residence, Clarinus, at UCT and endeavoured to establish an alumni society there. Nnete also served as vice-president to the Invest Soc society at UCT and was known for taking a servant leadership approach.
Our thoughts are with Nnete’s father and mother, who hail from Bloemfontein and with whom she was very close. She also leaves behind two older brothers, both of whom she considered to be her role models. Her brother Uhuru paved the way for her by becoming the first Allan Gray Fellow in the family.
Nnete Malebo will be remembered for her passion. She was passionate about being a black African woman who wanted to make a continent-wide impact. Her faith was the other thing she was passionate about. She described herself as being rooted in her faith and named God the driving force in all she does. Everyone who met Nnete knew that she would embrace them for who and what they were. To her friends she was a confidant and go-to person who always had a listening ear and wise counsel.
Memorial and Funeral Service
A memorial service to honour Nnete’s life was held in Cape Town on Saturday, 25 October. The funeral is scheduled in Bloemfontein for 1 November.