Liz Gwyther is an emeritus associate professor at the University of Cape Town (UCT) where she established the Division of Interdisciplinary Palliative Care and Medicine within the School of Public Health and Family Medicine.
Prof. Liz Gwyther has postgraduate qualifications in Family Practice and Palliative Medicine. She is a senior research scholar at UCT and contributes to the Division’s research projects as well as supervising masters and PhD students. She recently completed a part-time consultancy position with the World Health Organisation working on development of Primary Care Tools and tools to support the integration of palliative care into health systems.
Her special interests are palliative care education, integration of palliative care into country health systems, strengthening primary care and human rights in health care. She is a director of the African Palliative Care Association, past-chair of ehospice; a former CEO of Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa (HPCA); past-chair of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA); and past-director on the boards of the National Hospice Palliative Care organisation in the USA, and Pain Society of South Africa.
In 2007, she was awarded the South African Medical Association’s Gender Award for Human Rights in Health and the SA Institute of Health Managers Leadership in Health Systems award. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Pain & Symptom Management published in the USA.
Chairperson of APCC
Tersia’s only child, Vicky Bruce was born with a rare and degenerative connective tissue disorder, Osteogenesis Imperfecta. By her 3rd birthday Vicky had suffered 41 fractures. Despite a prognosis of “life limiting” Vicky survived her childhood and got married at the age of 21. At the age of 22 she gave birth to the first of her two sons.
In February 2012, the doctors said there was no further treatment available.
The last 10 years of Vicky’s life was filled with 81 abdominal surgeries, septicaemia, intractable pain, total loss of dignity and hopelessness. Five months before Vicky’s death Tersia managed to secure help from Hospice Wits for her child. It was life-changing. Vicky went from being a bundle of bones, lying in her bed, to being able to take her boys to school, watch them play cricket and take them out for milkshakes. Two months before her death Vicky asked her mother to start a Hospice in Alberton so “no-one will suffer the way she did”.
On the 1st of January 2013 Stepping Stone Hospice started operating out of Tersia’s home in Alberton. Vicky sadly died on the 18th of January 2013.
Tersia is passionate about Palliative Care for All. She honours her child’s legacy every single day at Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services.
Tersia is the Interim Chairperson on the APCC Board. She also serves on APCC’s Accreditation Committee, Sustainability Committee, Standards Review Committee, Finance Committee and is Chairperson of the Mentorship Committee.
Tersia is passionate about palliative care for all.
Vice-Chair of the APCC
As the lead pastor of First City Baptists personal assistant many years ago, Melissa helped with securing PEPFAR funding for the church’s grassroots HIV AIDS NPO, Sophumelela Clinic. She then felt the call to shift her fulltime focus to non-governmental organisation management.
She spent 7 years in middle management as a Grants Compliance Officer and Technical Assistant for Organisational Change at Sophumelela Centre, the mother body of Hope Schools. She moved on to become the General Manager in July 2012 and joined St Bernard’s Hospice as their CEO in 2016.
She is passionate about eradicating social injustices and advocating for Palliative Care as a basic human right. She has a solution-oriented mind set to daily problems. She enjoys finding tools that can facilitate growth and performance, and thrives on providing relevant and tangible help to others.
She became Regional Chair for the Eastern Cape in 2019, and remains in this capacity.
She is happily married to her high school sweetheart and have two children. Joshua, who is 4 and Zoe, who is 15 months.
She loves the Lord with all her heart and is thankful for His promise that He will complete the good work that He has started in us.
Regional Chair for the Eastern Cape
Hanneke grew up on a farm in the southern Free State and attended school in Rouxville and Bloemfontein. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Radiography (Diagnostic) in 1993 from the University of the Free State. While living in Germany for thirteen years, she earned an Honours Degree in Psychology through UNISA in 2000. Upon returning to South Africa, she completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Counselling from SACAP.
After working for five years at St. Luke’s Hospice in Cape Town as a member of the Spiritual Care team, Hanneke relocated back to her hometown of Bloemfontein. In 2017, she co-founded Hospice Bloemfontein—a facility that has since expanded into a palliative care centre, providing not only home-based palliative care and training but also featuring an in-patient unit.
Following the opening of the hospice, she furthered her specialization by earning a Post-Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care, followed by a Master’s Degree in Palliative Care through the University of Cape Town. These qualifications, along with her training as a death doula, her experience as a trauma and grief counsellor, and her earlier role as a spiritual counsellor at St. Luke’s Hospice, have equipped her with the skills and understanding to effectively support patients and their loved ones.
Chairperson of Free State
Diane worked for Bidvest where she was the first female appointed manager and led the equity and transformation team for Waltons Kwa-Zulu Natal. During this time Diane served as president of the Hibiscus Chamber of Commerce and was appointed in 2005 as the South Coast Hospice Board Chairperson.
In 2012 she accepted the position of South Coast Hospice CEO on a permanent basis. Her passion is focused on community work and ensuring that the most vulnerable within her community is offered holistic and comprehensive Palliative Care. What she does to relax is gardening and spending time with her family and her pets (Gogi, Chalky and Rosie).
Provincial Chair of Kwazulu Natal
Nicola has a Bachelors of Social Sciences (B.Soc.Sci) and a Bachelors of Law (LLB) from Rhodes University, and has a passion for supporting the realization of rights for vulnerable communities.
Born in Cape Town, Nicola has lived in many areas throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries, including Namibia and Mozambique. She is currently happily settled in Tzaneen where she is raising her three children and remains committed to improving the health and development of rural communities through the work of CHoiCe Trust.
Chairperson of Limpopo and Mpumalanga
She is currently the Managing Director at Hospice Matlosana and the chairperson of the North West Hospice Association. She is married and has two children.
Provincial Chair of North West Province Hospice Association
Engagements and Bodies served:
- 1996 – youth pastor in Assemblies of God.
- 1999 – elected as a chairperson of the restoration Ministry helping rehabilitate youth with substance abuse in Johannesburg.
- 2007 – involved in soulwinning outreach in Northern Cape.
- 2010 – started a palliative care organization called Hearts of Compassion In Northern Cape, was the chairperson thereof, did a lot of outreaches in the mining areas, and continued with the ministry under Victory Ministries as a founder.
- 2015 – helped with the registration of John Taolo Ministerial fraternity and served as a secretary. Worked for the IEC when there are elections as a presiding officer- resigned from the board to become the CEO of the organization in 2015 up to today.
- 2017 – was spotted by HW SETA presenting on E TV on palliative care and invited to participate in the skills development trainings as a means for sustainability for Hearts of Compassion Hospice. Since then, have done many trainings.
Provincial Chair of Northern Cape Hospice Association
With an MBA from the University of Maryland University College (2006) and an MPhil in Palliative Care (2016), Hilary dedicated her career to improving the quality of life for patients facing serious illnesses.
Passionate about extending the reach of palliative care, as a volunteer, Hilary continues to focus on palliative care standards, training and educating healthcare professionals to ensure that all patients in need receive compassionate and comprehensive care.
In her spare time Hilary likes exploring South Africa with a goal to visit every SanParks game reserve. She loves the ocean and is grateful to be able to see it every day.
Hilary is the Provincial Chair of Western Cape Hospice Palliative Care Association.
Provincial Chair of Western Cape Hospice Palliative Care Association
Barend Kellerman acquired his BA LLB degree from Stellenbosch University in 1997. He was admitted as an attorney in 2000. After practising with the firm Kellerman Hendrikse Inc. for more than 15 years, he joined Aimee Joubert to start Kellerman Joubert Incorporated (now Kellerman Joubert Heyns Incorporated).
He is primarily involved in the drafting of contracts and in the field of commercial litigation in the High Court, Magistrates’ Court and private arbitrations. He also deals with constitutional law, sports law (especially doping offences), insurance law, matrimonial disputes and property law. He is admitted as an attorney in the High Court.
He was involved in the Tygerberg Attorneys Association for many years and serves as Commissioner in the Small Claims Court in Bellville. He also serves as a director of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA as part of his service to the community.
Co-opted Member, Kellerman Joubert Inc. Attorneys
Master of Science in Bioethics and Health Law at the University of the Witwatersrand. Over the years, he has strengthened his expertise through international leadership and executive development programmes in the United Kingdom and Malaysia.
Dr. Billa has held several senior leadership positions, including Chief Executive Officer of Helen Joseph Hospital and Registrar/CEO of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). He also served in executive and clinical leadership roles at major institutions such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Sterkfontein Hospital, and Clinix Health Group, where he was Group Medical Officer until July 2025.
Beyond healthcare administration, Dr. Billa has been actively involved in community development, faith-based initiatives, and educational advocacy. He has served on university councils, led community outreach programmes, and contributed to healthcare awareness and social support initiatives. His interests include travelling, photography, and community service.
Co-opted Member
Since 2014, Marcel has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Group Financial Director of Melbro Holdings, overseeing the financial operations of a multinational group employing approximately 4,500 people across South Africa, Hong Kong, Botswana, and Namibia. He also chairs the Group’s Risk Management Committee and is an invitee to the Audit Committee.
In addition to his corporate leadership, Marcel has made significant contributions to the non-profit sector, serving as Treasurer of the NOW Fund and as a co-opted Director and Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee for APCC. He is recognised for his strong commitment to sound financial governance, strategic leadership, and organisational sustainability.
Co Opted member
Holding a Master’s degree in Bioethics and Health Law from the University of the Witwatersrand, she brings a multidisciplinary perspective to strategic decision-making across the public, non-profit, faith-based, and healthcare sectors.
She currently serves as Chairperson of the Flower Foundation and holds several other board and advisory positions, championing ethical governance, organisational transformation, and inclusive, people-centred care.
Passionate about advancing the wellbeing of older persons, women, youth, and vulnerable communities, Nombuso is recognised for her commitment to ethical leadership, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable social impact.
Co Opted member
Her career spans the healthcare, technology, retail, FMCG, automotive, recruitment and financial services sectors, where she has built a strong reputation for strategic financial leadership, operational excellence, governance, and organisational development.
Natasha currently serves as South African Finance and Country Manager for EASE Global, leading the financial and operational establishment of innovative healthcare solutions in South Africa.
She is also the Founder and Director of Baila Afrika, a successful Afro-Latin cultural organisation that has promoted community engagement, leadership and social impact for more than a decade.
A qualified Chartered Accountant (SA), Natasha has held senior finance leadership roles with organisations including Netcare, Massmart, Entelect, Centrica, GSK, Inchcape and Hays.
She combines strong commercial acumen with a passion for mentoring, empowering teams and supporting sustainable organisational growth. Beyond her professional career, she actively contributes to community development through mentorship, cultural initiatives and women’s leadership programmes.
Co Opted member