Dr. Progress Qhaqhi Thabani Mtshali, PhD
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Progress's obituary
Progress Qhaqhi Thabani Mtshali, Ph.D., unexpectedly passed away on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at the age of 67 in Ballito, South Africa.
He was born on January 17, 1958, in Natal (formerly Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa, to Isaac Ngubeni and Besta (Khumalo) Mtshali. After attending the prestigious University of Fort Hare and being part of the first generation of students of color to attend the previously segregated University of the Witwatersrand, he received an Institute of International Education fellowship to study in the U.S. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an A.S. in Computer Information Technology from Midlands Technical College, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University.
After leaving Buffalo and moving to Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Mtshali worked for many years at Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Accenture Software, and Duck Creek Technologies as a software developer, principal software architect, and technical researcher. Additionally, he taught at Midlands Technical College, Webster University, and Strayer University.
After 34 years in the U.S., he returned to South Africa, where he worked at the Central University of Technology – Free State and later retired as a full professor and Chief Information Officer at Durban University of Technology. In addition to his journal publications, he held two patents for applications that have played a significant role in mitigating insurance fraud.
Dr. Mtshali had a deep passion for research, teaching, and computer science. He also loved reading, spending time in nature, traveling, watching sports, staying physically active, and being with loved ones. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, and siblings Patrick, Gladness, and Glenrose.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Nempumelelo Zanele Khumalo, M.D., and their daughter, Thembeka Khumalo, of South Africa. He is also survived by his children from his first marriage to Marya Janelle Parker-Mtshali: Marya T. Mtshali, Ph.D., of Oxford, MA; Marcus T. Mtshali of Columbia, SC; and Jamal T. Mtshali of Washington, D.C. Additionally, he is survived by his daughter, Smangele Xaba, and his son, Langa Mtshali, along with four grandchildren, all residing in South Africa.
Dr. Mtshali will be laid to rest in his hometown of Madadeni Township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on Saturday, February 15. He touched hundreds of lives with his contagious laugh, caring heart, and zest for life, as well as through his decades of teaching and research. He left us too soon and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
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