Thabang Owen was the chairperson of the Association of Pharmacy Students at the University of Limpopo (ULAPS) between 2016 and 2017.
ULAPS is a structure that focuses on forming, maintaining and establishing the relationship between Pharmacy Students, Alumni and staff members.
Prior to this, from 2014 to 2016, he served as the second Deputy President of Africa’s Pharmaceutical Sector Round table and he served as the Secretary General of the University of Limpopo Association for Pharmacy Students in 2014.
Among other achievements, he was named faculty chairperson of the Health Science department in 2015 and then the secretary general of the University in 2016. The following year saw him elected as the National President of the South African Pharmaceutical Students Federation.
Over this time, Thabang helped realise much change. His efforts contributed to the university Head of Departments committing to meet more often with students. He lobbied for the renovation of their laboratories; he was influential in getting the SA Pharmacy Council to register more graduates without the need to pay registration fees upfront.
He says his love for people and the country drives him every day to continue doing this work to influence industry change.
His goal for the next five years is to obtain master’s degree in public health and actively participate in the implementation of the National Health Insurance.
Thabang says he shares the same view as Oliver Reginald (O.R) Tambo that ‘a person or nation that does not invest in young people does not have a future,’ and says young people have great ideas and are capable of changing the current affairs of Africa.
Looking ahead, he would like to see free trade markets across the region, and he hopes to play a role in the drafting of trade policies.
