The Passing of our Late CEO, Mr Noel Daniels

It is with great sadness that we at Cornerstone Institute announce the passing of our much beloved Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Noel Daniels.

Our institutional lead passed away yesterday, on the 18th of April 2023, after a short illness. He leaves behind his former wife Dawn, his daughter Carla, his family, many dear friends, and, of course, the community of Cornerstone Institute, its Board, staff, and alumni.

Noel Daniels joined the Cornerstone Institute as its Chief Executive Officer in September 2015, when the organisation was going through a period of change. He stepped into office with an immense experience in the field of education and community work.

He had for many years been an educator at Groenvlei High School where he became part of a group of committed and activist teachers and later moved on to be a lecturer in the field of education at Hewat College of Education and had been involved in some of the leading cultural organisations in Cape Town. In addition, he worked closely with colleagues in a range of social and artistic endeavours.

All of this experience was carried over into Cornerstone Institute’s mission and vision. Noel led the organisation with an amicable, unmatched sense of leadership, sensitivity, and skill set, which helped Cornerstone Institute become an educational institute of great stature within the private higher academic sphere. That lineage is still part of the DNA of Cornerstone Institute today.

The passing of our beloved Noel leaves the Institution with a mammoth gap due to the impact he had on all aspects of the operational and academic elements within the structures of Cornerstone Institute.

The manner in which he conducted himself was based on his vision rooted in his passion for social
justice and dignity for all.

Noel led colleagues with collegiality and encouraged self-improvement both in an individual and collective capacity, always aligning everyone to the mission and the vision of Cornerstone Institute.

Aluta continua in the quest for social justice as we carry the baton until actualisation.

Hamba kakuhle Noel Daniels, sorely missed, fondly remembered, never forgotten.