She was a graduate of the IMM Graduate School of Marketing and enrolled in the WBS Masters of Management in Strategic Marketing (MMSM) course in January 2015. She had just completed and submitted her dissertation on branded content integration, consumer attitudes and purchase intent in South Africa, and was due to graduate in December 2016.

Kopano had worked for all four of the major banks, and at the time of her passing, she was Marketing Manager at Standard Bank.

Kopano’s fellow students and lecturers at WBS remember her as an extremely warm and engaging person, who had time for everyone. She was a highly valued member of her syndicate group who appreciated her strategic thinking, creative ideas and individual approach to her course work.

Kopano was the only daughter of Neo and Paballo Mamatela and a devoted wife to Sabelo Mwali. She leaves behind two young sons and a baby boy.