Tumelo Mashabela
Managing Director Registered Patent Attorney

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world”– Mahatma Gandhi.

Tumelo is a black dynamic female patent attorney with extensive skills in various aspects of intellectual property, corporate and commercial law. Tumelo has more than 15 years working experience, with 13 years in the field of IP. Tumelo holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and an LLB degree from the University of South Africa. She worked as an engineer for a Denel SOC Ltd. This is where she obtained most of her technical experience.
After her stint at the weapons company, Tumelo joined the South African Government’s Innovation Fund (now known as Technology Innovation Agency), where she gained a lot of exposure on commercialisation of high-tech inventions in the field of electronics and the protection of IP. She joined Spoor & Fisher Attorneys and qualified as a first black African female patent attorney in South Africa.
She joined the South African Revenue Services (SARS) as an Intellectual Property Specialist. Her position included providing advice on claims for R&D allowances; identifying loopholes and tax avoidance schemes and suggesting potential solutions. She was also involved in assisting the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in approving/disapproving applications received for the expatriation of IP. Tumelo continued with her career and honing her corporate, commercial and IP skills by joining Adams & Adams Law Firm and left at partnership level.
Tumelo joined Armscor SOC Ltd as a Senior Manager: Innovation. In this position, she established a division which was responsible for the management of IP and exploitation thereof. The IP is developed or acquired by Armscor, for and on behalf of the Secretary for Defence.
She is a member of the Law Society of the Northern Province and an Advisory Board member for National Intellectual Property Office – an agency for Department of Science and Technology. Tumelo is the first Black African Female to qualify as a Patent Attorney in South Africa.

Florence Tshaya
Office Administrator

.“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke.

Florence Tshaya, is an Office Administrator and Searcher with 7 years’ experience in IP searches and reporting. Florence gained valuable searching, analysis and reporting experience while employed by Spoor & Fisher Attorneys. During these years, she gained highly valuable knowledge in IP. Florence’s’ role in the firm includes establishing and maintain rapport between Mashabela IP’s, present and prospective clients. She will ensure that you are welcomed at Mashabela IP with the outmost respect and passion for her position. Florence runs the day – to – day activities of Mashabela IP and keeps all team members informed and up to date.

Madillo Mofokeng
Legal Assistant Intern

Ms. Mofokeng is a fourth year LLB student at the University of South Africa. She assists the firm in doing legal research and receives IP and commercialization training.
During her third year level of her studies, she took a module on Negotiable Instruments and IP. She enjoyed IP more and realised where her passion and interest in IP. Her drive is to know more and help make a change in the IP industry. Madillo enjoys doing research and honing her schools on trademarks, copyright and commercial law. She has recently attended a Summer School on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer which was organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
Madillo is a former Secretary for the Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter for the UNISA Branch 2016/2017 and a former Deputy Chairperson of UNISA Law Student Association

SIPHO DIKWENI
Candidate Patent Attorney

Sipho Dikweni Holds a BSc Honours in Earth Observation (Applied Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems) from the University of Fort Hare, and has recently finished his MSc in Applied Remote Sensing and GIS from the University of Fort Hare.
Sipho worked for South African National Space Agency as a Remote Sensing Technologist. Following his time at SANSA, Sipho joined Chuma Commercialisation program which is run and managed by Technology Innovation Agency, UK Newton Fund and British Council from 2016 to February 2018. Through the program Sipho have been seconded to various institutions such as TIA’s ICT Innovation Funding and Pre-commercialisation (IFPC) Division, Mashabela IP and UNISA’s Directorate of Innovation and Technology Transfer.
Sipho has attended several Innovation and IP management as well as venture capital trainings.These include an International Technology Transfer and Innovation Talents in the process of new industrialisation, China, 2016. World Intellectual Property Organisation Summer School; SAVCA-GIBS Foundation Program in Private Equity; Venture Capital Training (Find-Make-Grow-Realise); Technology Innovation and Commercialization Workshops.