Wits Health Consortium (WHC)

WHC was launched in 1998

WHC operates a Shared Services Centre (SSC) which supports over 100 research syndicates from the Faculty of Health Sciences:

  • WHC co-ordinates a comprehensive range of administrative and support tasks for research syndicates, donors and sponsors
  • Our SSC assists over 4000 people each year in WHC syndicates, with our SSC staffed by qualified and trained employees
  • We charge an approved management fee to fund our support and management services

WHC operates several subsidiaries, including Speer (IT software and solutions), Integrated Health Delivery Network (clinical service centres), Academic Advance (a training company) and Ukwenza (a graphic design agency)


WHC has proven experience in managing complex sponsorships, commercially-funded contracts and grants; we manage over 300 new contracts and grants each year, worth more than $72 million annually, with all our operations transparently audited:

  • WHC is managed by an executive leadership team led by Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alf Farrell
  • The WHC Board of Directors is chaired by Professor Martin Veller
  • WHC, as part of the University of the Witwatersrand, is a tax-exempt private company
  • WHC is audited annually by PricewaterhouseCoopers.Inc
  • WHC has an internal audit function that is outsourced 
  • WHC employs Deloitte & Touche Inc to conduct audits required for Federal and other grants
  • Over 110 audits are conducted annually on Grant awards to ensure transparency and optimal management of donor funding, grants and corporate sponsorships