Unisa alumna Dr Refiloe Mabaso was recently appointed as Chairperson of the Board of the South African Library for the Blind (SALB), marking a historic milestone in South Africa’s library and information landscape.

Having recently concluded her tenure as Chairperson of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), her leadership at these institutions demonstrate an unmatched bridge between mainstream and specialised library services. "Libraries are not just about books, they are also about dignity, connection and opportunity," says Mabaso.

South Africa is the only African country with a national library dedicated to serving visually impaired people. Accordingly, both the SALB and NLSA have become continental benchmarks for inclusive information access. For Mabaso, growing continental engagement is a dual responsibility in preserving South Africa’s documentary heritage while extending equitable access to information. She remarks: "We live in an information age, investment in accessible information is not a luxury; it is nation-building."

Her strategic priorities for SALB include diversifying Stream B funding, forging new partnerships to expand service reach, and elevating public awareness of the library’s transformative impact on communities.

Model of strategic leadership

Mabaso's leadership at the helm of NLSA and SALB goes beyond personal achievement – it also serves as a beacon of visionary and inclusive leadership, exemplifying a profound commitment to fostering a vibrant, knowledge-driven society.

She remarks: "I have navigated through various types of libraries, cultivating services from the ground up to a state of maturity, and my journey of learning continues. This role serves as yet another classroom for me, where my knowledge, experience and wisdom can be harnessed to shape the future of SALB." She continues: "I am deeply committed to strengthening its foundation, driving innovation, and ensuring that access to information remains fundamentally intertwined with the essence of human dignity."

Mabaso is an advocate for positioning libraries at the forefront of inclusive technology development, rather than as late adopters. "We should be setting the specifications for accessible tools and formats," she says. With artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, Mabaso calls for human-centred innovations that enhance participation and accessibility to information resources. Hence, she envisions a future where libraries use AI to make access faster, smarter and more inclusive, aligning technological progress with social justice.

From Unisa scholar to sector trailblazer

Mabaso’s leadership trajectory is deeply intertwined with Unisa. She holds a Master of Business Administration and a PhD in Information Science from Unisa. She shares that Unisa sharpened her strategic confidence.

"The competencies I gained at Unisa gave me the confidence to engage at board level," she notes. "Through support, flexibility and academic rigour, open distance and e-learning (ODeL) aligned with my life as a mother and professional."

Her advice to students in ODeL setting is that they should communicate relentlessly by keeping close contact with their supervisors and to take ownership of their progress, mobilise and sustain support by seeking clarity and help where required, and to stay focused by avoiding distractions, prioritising their studies and aligning their environments with their goals.

Advancing knowledge management and aviation research

Beyond her leadership in libraries, Mabaso is also an expert in knowledge management, where she advocates for a national knowledge management policy to safeguard and leverage South Africa’s intellectual capital. She explains: "Our country generates vast knowledge, but it does not always convert it into capability."

Her doctoral research focused on developing an Integrated Information Governance Framework, which revealed a significant knowledge gap within Air Traffic Services. This groundbreaking insight has since shaped her strategic leadership at the Air Traffic and Navigation Services, where she currently serves as the Head of Information and Knowledge Management. This role entails enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of information utilisation across the organisation, ensuring that vital information and knowledge are readily accessible and seamlessly integrated into operational practices.

Through collaboration with Unisa’s Department of Information Science, Mabaso continues to strengthen research and practice in areas such as library and information services, archival and museum development, records and enterprise content management, and knowledge practices in safety-critical environments.

* By Cilla Boucher, Alumni Relations Officer, Department of Institutional Advancement