Staff Profiles

Department of Chemistry

Dr Simon Mnyakeni Moleele, Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry)

Mrs René S. Pearce-Okwuashi – Lecturer – Science Foundation Department –  Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Mrs René S. Pearce-Okwuashi – Lecturer – Science Foundation Department – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Mrs René S. Pearce-Okwuashi is employed as the Science Foundation Chemistry Lecturer in the Science Foundation Department. She has worked for 16 years in the Higher Education sector and two years in the Department of Basic Education as a Physical Science Teacher.

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Dr Nikita Tawanda TAVENGWA – Senior lecturer (Analytical Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Dr Nikita Tawanda TAVENGWA – Senior lecturer (Analytical Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Qualifications: PhD (University of Witwatersrand), MSc (University of Witwatersrand) (Distinction), BSc (Hons) (University of Fort Hare) (Distinction), BSc (University of Zimbabwe) Email address: nikita.tavengwa@univen.ac.za Telephone number: +27 15 962 8279 Office number: SF009, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

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Dr Lutendo Chester MURULANA – Senior Lecturer (Physical Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Dr Lutendo Chester MURULANA – Senior Lecturer (Physical Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Qualifications: PhD (North West University), MSc (North West University) (Distinction), BSc (Hons) (North West University), BSc (University of Venda) Email address: lutendo.murulana@univen.ac.za Telephone number: +27 15 962 8394 Office number: SF011, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

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Prof Isaiah D. Ipfani RAMAITE – Associate Professor (Organic Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Prof Isaiah D. Ipfani RAMAITE – Associate Professor (Organic Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Email address: Isaiah.Ramaite@univen.ac.za Telephone number: +27 15 962 8262 Office number: SF004, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

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Dr Simon Mnyakeni Moleele – Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Dr Simon Mnyakeni Moleele – Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry) – Department of Chemistry – Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Designation: Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry) Qualifications: BSCHON (UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG), PHD (UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG) Telephone: 0159628190 Email address: mnyakeni.moleele@univen.ac.za

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Dr Simon Mnyakeni Moleele – Senior Lecturer (Organic Chemistry)

Email addressMnyakeni.moleele@univen.ac.za
Telephone number+27 15 962 8190
Office numberSF004, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building
  

Research interests: 

Synthesis of antituberculosis and antimalarial drugs using triazine as a linker. Synthesis of antidiabetic drugs. Isolation of biologically active ingredients from natural products.

 
List of selected publications:
 
[1]Isaiah DI Ramaite, Musa D Maluleke, Simon S Mnyakeni Moleele “Synthesis and Evaluation of Isoflavones as Potential Anti-inflammatory inhibitors”, Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 2017, 42, 4263–4271
[2]

Chigayo K, Mojapelo PEL, Mnyakeni Moleele SS, Misihairabgwi J

Phytochemical and antioxidant properties of different solvent extracts of Kirkia wilsii tubers,” Asian Pac J. Trop Biomed, 2016. 6, 1037-1043

[3]David Gravestock, Amanda L. Rousseau, Anna C. U. Lourens, Simon S. Moleele, Robyn L. van Zyl, Paul A. Steenkamp. “Expeditious synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 2, N6-disubstituted 1,2-dihydro-1,3,5-triazine-4,6-diamines as potential antimalarials” Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2011, 46, 2022-2030
[4]Moira L. Bode, David Gravestock, Simon S. Moleele, Christiaan W. van der Westhuyzen, Stephen C. Pelly, Paul A. Steenkamp, Heinrich C. Hoppe, Tasmiyah Khan and Lindiwe A. Nkabinde, “Synthesis and biological evaluation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-amines as HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)”, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2011, 19, 4227-4237
[5]S S Moleele, J P Michael and C B de Koning, “Tetralones as precursors for the synthesis of 2,2’-disubstituted 1,1’-binaphthyls and related compounds”, Tetrahedron, 2008, 64, 10573-10580

 Full list of publications:

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57191979244

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=8583587900

 

Prof Isaiah D. Ipfani RAMAITE, Associate Professor (Organic Chemistry)

Prof Isaiah D. Ipfani RAMAITE, Associate Professor (Organic Chemistry)

Email addressIsaiah.Ramaite@univen.ac.za
Telephone number+27 15 962 8262
Office numberSF004, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building
  

Research interests:

 

Synthetic and bioactivity studies of heterocyclic compounds.  Green Chemistry. Natural Product Research on Local Medicinal Plants: Isolation, Structural elucidation of metabolites and their biological activities. Green Chemistry.

 
List of selected publications:
 
[1]Isaiah D.I. Ramaite, Musa D. Maluleke, Simon S Mnyakeni-Moleele, Synthesis and evaluation of isoflavones as potential anti-inflammatory inhibitors, Arabian Journal for Science and ngineering,  Arab J Sci Eng (2017). DOI:10.1007/s13369-017-2614-z
[2]Zininga T, Anokwuru CP, Sigidi MT, Tshisikawe MP, Ramaite IDI, Traoré AN , H Hoppe, Shonhai A, Potgieter N, Extracts obtained from Pterocarpus angolensis and Ziziphus mucronate exhibit antimalarial activity and inhibit heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) function, Molecules 2017, 22,12224; doi: 10.3390/molecules22071224
[3]M.Ndwammbi, M.H. Ligavha-Mbelengwa, C.P. Anokwuru, I.D.I. Ramaite, The effects of seasonal debarking on physical structure, polyphenolic content and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Sclerocarya birrea in the Nylsvley nature reserve, South African Journal of Botany 2018, 18, 138-143
[4]Dorcas B Tlhapi, Isaiah D.I Ramaite, Teunis van Ree, Chinedu P Anokwuru, Taglialatela S Orazio and Heinrich C Hoppe, Isolation, Chemical Profile and Antimalarial activities of bioactive compounds, Molecules 2019, 24, 39; doi: 10.3390/molecules240100039
[5]

Olutayo S. Shokunbi, Oladejo T. Adepeju, Paul E.L. Mojapelo, Isaiah D.I. Ramaite, Isaac O. Akinyele, Copper, manganese, iron and zinc contents of Nigerian foods and estimates of adult intakes, Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2019, 82, 103245

 

Full list of publications:

 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Isaiah_Ramaite

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57194426791

Mwombeki Mwadham KABANDA, Associate Professor (Physical Chemistry)

Qualifications

PhD (University of Venda), MSc (University of Venda), BSc (Hons) (University of Venda), BSc (University of Venda)

Email address

mwadham.kabanda@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 9329

Office number

SF001, New Life Sciences Building

 

Research interests:

 

Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. Investigations of the reaction mechanisms of small- to medium-sized molecules of biological and atmospheric relevance.

 

List of selected publications:

 

[1]

LO Olasunkanmi, IB Obot, MM Kabanda, EE Ebenso. Some Quinoxalin-6-yl Derivatives as Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in Hydrochloric Acid: Experimental and Theoretical Studies. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 119 (2015), 16004-16019

[2]

Xueyun Zheng, Ryan S Renslow, Mpho M Makola, Ian K Webb, Liulin Deng, Dennis G Thomas, Niranjan Govind, Yehia M Ibrahim, Mwadham M Kabanda, Ian A Dubery, Heino M Heyman, Richard D Smith, Ntakadzeni E Madala, Erin S Baker. Structural Elucidation of cis/trans Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Photoisomerization Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry. The journal of physical chemistry letters 8 (2017), 1381-1388

[3]

KRN Serobatse, MM Kabanda. An appraisal of the hydrogen atom transfer mechanism for the reaction between thiourea derivatives and OH radical: A case-study of dimethylthiourea and diethylthiourea. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry 1101 (2017) 83-95

[4]

MM Kabanda, KRN Serobatse. A DFT study on the addition and abstraction reactions of thiourea with hydroxyl radical. Journal of Sulfur Chemistry 39 (2018), 23-46

[5]

KP Otukile, MM Kabanda. A DFT mechanistic and kinetic study on the reaction of phloroglucinol with OH in different media: Hydrogen atom transfer versus oxidation. Journal of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry 18 (2019), 1950017

 

 

Full list of publications:

 

https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=84XA7b4AAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mwadham_Kabanda2

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=15834833000

 

Dr Malebogo Andries LEGODI, Senior Lecturer (Inorganic Chemistry)

Qualifications

PhD (University of Pretoria), MSc (University of Pretoria), BSc (Hons) (University of Limpopo), BSc (University of Cape Town)

Email address

Malebogo.Legodi@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8519

Office number

SF008, New Life Sciences Building

 

Research interests:

 

Synthesis of Metal Complexes as chemotherapeutic agents for TB, Malaria and Diabetes. Development of cathode materials for sodium and lithium ion batteries. Chemistry Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

 

List of selected publications:

 

[1]

Malebogo Legodi, Liliana Mammino (2014): A computational study of the cis,cis,trans,trans,trans,trans-1,3,5-triamino-cyclohexane-2,4,6-triol molecule, Conference Proceedings of The 10th Theoretical Chemistry Conference in Africa (TCCA), 6th – 11 April 2014,University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa, pp 11 – 22, ISBN: 978-1-920320-71-3

[2]

Malebogo Legodi (2016). Are our students learning and understanding Chemistry as intended? Investigating the level of preparedness of University of Venda students for 2nd year Inorganic Chemistry module, Conference Proceedings of the 2nd African Conference on Research in Chemical Education (ACRICE 2), 22nd – 27th November 2015, University of Venda, South Africa, Article in press

[3]

Adeyemi OJ, Legodi MA and Obaleye JA (2015). Metal complexes as chemotherapeutic Agents: An important strategy currently used in Drug Formation, Centrepoint Journal, 21(1), 54 – 74

[4]

Swai, H; Hillie, KT; Cingo, N; Kalombo, Lonji; Legodi, MA; Semete, B (27-28 February 2006). Evaluation of nano encapsulation techniques in different polymeric system for the delivery of anti-tuberculosis drugs (ATD), CSIR Research and Innovation Conference: 1st CSIR Biennial Conference, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria

[5]

Legodi M. A. and De Waal D. (2008), The preparation of magnetite, goethite, hematite and maghemite of pigment quality from mill scale iron waste, Dyes and Pigments 74, 161 – 168 (2007) and Dyes and Pigments 78, 177

Dr Lutendo Chester MURULANA, Senior Lecturer (Physical Chemistry)

QualificationsPhD (North West University), MSc (North West University) (Distinction), BSc (Hons) (North West University), BSc (University of Venda)
Email addresslutendo.murulana@univen.ac.za
Telephone number+27 15 962 8394
Office numberSF011, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building
Research interests: 

Corrosion of Materials, Adsorption studies, Reactions kinetics and Thermodynamics of solutions

List of selected publications:
[1]Lutendo. C. Murulana, Mwadham. M. Kabanda and Eno. E. Ebenso (2016), Investigation of the adsorption characteristics of some selected sulphonamide derivatives as corrosion inhibitors at mild steel/hydrochloric acid interface surfaces: Experimental, quantum chemical and QSAR studies, Journal of Molecular Liquids. 215: 763-779
[2]Lutendo. C. Murulana, Mwadham. M. Kabanda and Eno. E. Ebenso (2015), Experimental and theoretical studies on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel by some sulphonamides in aqueous HCl, RSC Advances. 5: 28743-28761
[3]Mwadham M. Kabanda, Liliana Mammino, Lutendo C. Murulana, Henry M. Mwangi, Wilfred T. Mabusela (2015), Antioxidant Radical Scavenging Properties of Phenolic Pent-4-En-1-Yne Derivatives Isolated From Hypoxis Rooperi. A DFT Study in vacuo and in Solutio, International Journal of Food Properties. 18: 149-164
[4]Lutendo C. Murulana, Ashish K. Singh, Sudhish K. Shukla, Mwadham M. Kabanda and Eno E.Ebenso (2012) Experimental and quantum chemical studies of some bis (trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl) imide imidazolium-based ionic liquids as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research. 51 (40): 13282–13299
[5]Eno E. Ebenso, Mwadham M. Kabanda, Lutendo C. Murulana, Sudhish K. Shukla and Ashish K. Singh (2012) Electrochemical and quantum chemical investigation of some azine and thiazine dyes as potential corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research. 51: 12940-12958
 Full list of publications:

https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=lutendo+c+murulana&oq=

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=36634738400

 

Dr Eustina Batisai, Senior Lecturer (Inorganic Chemistry)

QualificationsPhD (Stellenbosch University), MSc (Stellenbosch University), BSc (Hons) (Stellenbosch University), BSc (University of Zimbabwe)
Email addressEustina.Batisai@univen.ac.za
Telephone number+27 15 962 8121
Office numberSF006, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building
  

Research interests:

 

Supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. Structure-property relationships in metal organic frameworks (MOFs), inclusion compounds and pharmaceutical co-crystals

 
List of selected publications:
 
[1]Eustina Batisai, Hong Su and Luigi R. Nassimbeni, Synergism in host–guest selectivity of picolinium chlorides by triphenylsilanol and triphenylmethanol, 2016, CrystEngComm, 18, 5952-5958
[2]Prashant M. Bhatt, Eustina Batisai, Vincent J. Smith and Leonard J. Barbour, Creation of new guest accessible space under gas pressure in a flexible MOF: multidimensional insight through combination of in situ techniques, 2016, Chem Commun, 52, 11374-11377
[3]Marivel Samipillai, Eustina Batisai, Luigi R. Nassimbeni and Edwin Weber, Separation of Lutidines by Enclathrarion, 2015, CrystEngComm, 17, 8332-8338
[4]Eustina Batisai, Alban Ayamine, Ornella E. Y. Kilinkissa and Nikoletta B. Báthori, Melting point–solubility–structure correlations in multicomponent crystals containing fumaric or adipic acid, 2014, CrystEngComm, 16, 9992-9998
[5]Eustina Batisai, Matteo Lusi, Tia Jacobs and Leonard J. Barbour, A mechanochemically synthesised solid solution enables engineering of the sorption properties of a Werner clathrate, 2012, Chem Commun, 48, 12171-12173

Dr Nikita Tawanda TAVENGWA, Senior lecturer (Analytical Chemistry)

Qualifications

PhD (University of Witwatersrand), MSc (University of Witwatersrand) (Distinction), BSc (Hons) (University of Fort Hare) (Distinction), BSc (University of Zimbabwe)

Email address

nikita.tavengwa@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8279

Office number

SF009, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

 

 

Research interests:

 

NRF rated researcher, interested in trace analysis of emerging organic pollutants using novel modern analytical techniques. Analytical method development. Chromatographic analysis (HPLC-(UV/MS), GC-(ECD/FID/MS).

 

List of selected publications:

 

[1]

Herbert Musarurwa, Luke Chimuka, Nikita Tawanda Tavengwa, (2019) Green pre-concentration techniques during pesticide analysis in food samples, Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B, 54 (9), 770-780

[2]

Somandla Ncube, Nikita Tavengwa, Akhona Soqaka, Ewa Cukrowska, (2018) Development of a single format membrane assisted solvent extraction-molecularly imprinted polymer technique for extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry determination, J. Chromatogr. A, 1569, 36–43

[3]

Lawrence Mzukisi Madikizela, Nikita Tavengwa, Luke Chimuka, (2017) Applications of molecularly imprinted polymers for solid-phase extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics from environmental waters and biological samples, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 147 (2018) 624–633

[4]

Tavengwa, N.T., Cukrowska, E.M. and Chimuka, L. (2017) Application of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers in selective extraction of 2,4-DNT explosive from aqueous solutions, Separation Science and Technology, 52(3), 467-475

[5]

Nikita Tavengwa Tavengwa, Pardon Nyamukamba and Luke Chimuka, (2016) Miniaturized pipette tip–based electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers for micro–solid–phase extraction of nitro based explosive compounds, Journal of Separation Science, 39 (24), 4819-4827

 

Full list of publications:

 

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55842608300

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=1FPZNzQAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nikita_Tavengwa2

 

Mr Thinashaka Ephraim Ramurafhi, Lecturer (Natural Products)

Qualifications

Msc (Sefako Makgatho University), Bsc (Hons) (Sefako Makgatho University), BSc (University of Venda)

Email address

Ephraim.ramurafhi@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8921

Office number

SF005, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

 

 

Research interests: 

Extraction and characterization of Organic compounds from plants that inhibit the growth of bacteria. The techniques for characterization are GC-MS, FTIR, NMR, UV and TLC

 

List of selected publications:

 

[1]

Oluwafemi O.S, Ramurafhi. E and Songca S.P (2013), A pentacyclic triterpene from the leaves of Combretum collinum Fresen showing antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus. African Journal of Biochemistry Research

Dr Mpelegeng Victoria Bvumbi, Part-Time Lecturer (General and Organic Chemistry)

Qualifications

PhD (University of Johannesburg), MSc (University of Cape Town), BSc (Hons) (University of Cape Town), BSc (University of South Africa)

Email address

Mpelegeng.bvumbi@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

 

Office number

SF 061, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

 

 

Research interests: 

My main area of research is in the medicinal chemistry, with specific interest in the design and synthesis of compounds with the potential to display both the antimalarial and tuberculosis activities. Recent research is focusing on the synthesis of 1,2,4-triazine derivatives. Spectroscopy analysis (NMR and IR)

Mr Thata Golden Ramonetha, Lecturer (Organic Chemistry)

QualificationsMSc (University of Venda), BSc (Hons) (University of Limpopo Medunsa Campus, Now SMU) BSc (University of Limpopo Medunsa Campus, Now SMU)
Email addressGolden.ramonetha@univen.ac.za
Telephone number 
Office numberSF056, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building
  

Research interests: 

Synthesis and biological evaluation of benzopyran derivatives (Chromones, Flavones, Chromanones, etc.). Characterization of benzopyran derivatives using various spectroscopic techniques such as CHN analysis, Mass Spectroscopy(MS), Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy(FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Run bioactivity tests such as anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, etc. on the compounds synthesized.

Mr Fhumulani MUTSHAENI, Senior Laboratory Technician Instrumentation

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) (University of Venda), National Diploma (Tshwane University of Technology)

Email address

fhumulani.mutshaeni@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8449

Office number

SF002, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

 

 

Research interests:

 

Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Applied chemistry focusing on Cosmetic sciences with use of Chromatographic techniques.

Mr Patrick Muswadzi PANDELANI, NMR operator

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) (University of Limpopo), BSc (University of Limpopo)

Email address

Patrick.pandelani@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8919

Office number

GF008, Life Sciences and Chemistry Building

 

 

Research interests: 

Voltametric analysis of catalytic activity of metallophthalocyanine complex towards the reduction and oxidation of organophosphate pesticides and NMR characterization of compounds found in medicinal plants.

Ms Nontlantla Regina Maseko, Laboratory Technician (Chemistry)

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) (University of Venda), BSc (University of the Witwatersrand)

Email address

Nontlantla.maseko@univen.ac.za

Telephone number

+27 15 962 8756

Office number

SF001, New Life Sciences Building

 

 

Research interests:

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers for catalysis in organic synthetic reactions. Development of cathode materials for sodium and lithium ion batteries

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