DR. MAKAZIWE (MAKI) MANDELA – was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on the 1st of March 1954. She grew up in Soweto, Johannesburg and is the eldest daughter of Evelyn Mase and Nelson Mandela.
After matriculating from High School in Swaziland, she went on to study for her BA degree in Social Work at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape, and then her Honours Degree in Sociology at the University of Natal in Durban. In 1984, she received a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship and a Fulbright Distinguished Fellowship Award to study at the University of Massachusetts in the US for a Masters in Sociology and a Doctorate in Anthropology.

She has had a full and chequered career that has involved working in several other countries, and holds directorships in Nestlé SA among others. She has presented numerous papers over the years, including the role of women in a changing South Africa. She has been intricately involved in developing a substantial investment portfolio within Nozala, a womens investment group, and using these funds in the economic upliftment and empowerment of women in South Africa.

She has worked for a number of academic institutions in South Africa and abroad. She spent a number of years working for the Development Bank of Southern Africa as Executive Manager Corporate Services. Prior to that, she worked for Spoornet as General Manager Human Resources.

Dr. Makaziwe Mandela previously sat on the Boards of Rand Water Services, Myriad Medical, Envirosev and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. She is also a consultant in training development and life skills at Self Empowerment International. Dr. Mandela is currently the Chairman of House of Mandela, a business that she started with her

TUKWINI MANDELA – was born in the Eastern Cape in December 1974. She is the oldest child of Dr Makaziwe Mandela and has three siblings Dumani, Kweku and Adjoa. While her mother was away studying at university, Tukwini, along with her siblings and many cousins, was raised by her grandmother Evelyn until the age of 10. In 1985,shortly before her 11th birthday, she moved with her mother, father and siblings to the US as her parents had received scholarships to further their studies.

The US proved to be quite an experience for Tukwini and her brother Dumani, as they spoke no English at all. In six months however, they were old pros. After matriculating from Amherst High School, Tukwini joined her mother in Kenya and lived there for six months.

She finally returned home to South Africa in 1994 where she obtained her degree in Social Work at Wits University, and a certificate in Account Management from the AAA School of Advertising. She went on to work for two advertising agencies, Leo Burnett, and Foote Cone and Belding where she managed accounts such as Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, Sasol and Kellogg’s.

Tukwini then joined First National Bank, one of South Africa’s largest retail banks, as a Communications Consultant in the Advertising Unit where she consulted internal clients on marketing and communication strategies, project management, management of budgets, development of advertising campaigns and the development of the Advertising Department’s operating processes.

Tukwini moved on to work for RMB Private Bank as a marketing consultant, Nortel Networks (UK) as a Marketing Specialist for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Absa as the Head of Marketing for Absa Wealth and Private Bank. While in the UK,she studied at the London College of Fashion. She is currently the Marketing Director for House of Mandela, a business that she runs with her mother Dr. Makaziwe Mandela.

Rudi was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. After finishing school in 1997, he studied law at the University of Stellenbosch and completed a LLB degree in 2002. After obtaining his law qualification, his passion for wine inspired him to study winemaking. From 2003-2005 he studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agriculture college in Stellenbosch.

His first winemaking position was at a small cellar in Paarl. At the time he also consulted for a larger cellar. His association with these cellars exposed him to different wine techniques and styles of wines. His experience was enhanced by working at various wineries in St Emillion, Bordeaux, France and Napa, California.

At the time of his law studies he assisted his father in the vineyards, his father is the viticulturist at D’Aria winery. This was instrumental in him obtaining his winemakers qualification. He convinced the owners of D’Aria to build a cellar. He became the first winemaker at D`Aria in 2007 starting with setting up the cellar. His main focus has since been building the D’Aria brand as a premium brand. Today almost 11 years later D`Aria is a well-known premium wine brand in South Africa with a production of over a million bottles yearly.

During his 13 year winemaking career he has been awarded numerous awards, local and international. The awards include the 2010 Winemakers Choice Diamond Winemaker of the Year for white wine, Top 10 Shiraz in the world at Syrah du Monde, 3 times winner of Top 12 Shiraz in South Africa , 2 years in a row National SA Terroir wine award for best Sauvignon blanc in South Africa. Currently 2 wines are ranked under South Africa`s top 100 wines.

His winemaking philosophy is a simple one of believing that wine must be as natural as possible. He is also not afraid to take risks in winemaking and don’t believe in recipe winemaking. He believes that every year you must listen to nature and respond accordingly.

Apart from winemaking he also has a love for making music. This love is clearly visible in his wines – all his wines have music names. He strongly believes in involving all the senses when drinking wine, this seeking to bring music and wine together. After 2 Original albums, he is currently working on a new album that is solely focused on bring music and wine together.

In May 2018 a production agreement was signed between D’Aria and House of Mandela for the production of the House of Mandela wine. Rudi and his team have started bottling the new vintages and is very excited to be associated with this Iconic brand.

The South African wine industry is an important economic sector in the Western and Northern provinces, and in the country as a whole it constitutes an over R20 billion sector, produces 3 % of global wine production (number nine in the world) and in 2008 exported over 400 million litres.  The industry sustains 3839 primary producers and 585 cellars.  There are an estimated 350,000 farm workers and their dependants, with a large number of workers and entrepreneurs operating in the wine trade and service sectors.

Although South Africans in general are not predominantly wine drinkers, we believe that this is an opportune time to enter the wine industry, not only to be a producer of a uniquely South African product of superb quality with a soul, but also to increase responsible domestic consumption of wine. Very few black South Africans participate in the wine industry and we believe we would be a welcome addition to the South African wine industry. Like wine, South Africa is a kaleidoscope of different colours and textures.

For more information about House of Mandela wines, please visit houseofmandela.com/

The Will Power Fund is named after a slave, who we know only as Will, that laid the foundation for the Old Queen’s Building. Today, this building houses some of the university’s most prestigious offices. Just as Will, and countless unnamed enslaved people, laid the physical foundation for this University, the Will Power Fund will help ensure that promising Rutgers students are able to attain the degree that will provide a foundation for their future success.

Established in response to recommendations from the Committee on Enslaved and Disenfranchised Populations in Rutgers History, the Will Power Fund is a retention scholarship fund that supports Rutgers students who would otherwise be unable to complete their education due to unmet financial need. This scholarship targets junior and senior undergraduate students, particularly males, who have unmet need after their financial aid has been awarded. It can be used to cover education-related expenses including textbooks, summer classes, housing, and tuition.