projects

Her work is inextricably linked to the systems she helped design, which are still operational in South Africa and being adapted for continental use. Dr. Mkhize's catalytic leadership transformed policy into infrastructure and vision into multi-stakeholder delivery techniques for trade, digital equity, energy, and women's empowerment.
These are active, evolving platforms that she has founded, endorsed, or stewarded into institutional tradition. Her contributions to these models continue to influence inclusive development, ethical governance, and Africa's future public sector institutions.

projects

Her work is inextricably linked to the systems she helped design, which are still operational in South Africa and being adapted for continental use. Dr. Mkhize's catalytic leadership transformed policy into infrastructure and vision into multi-stakeholder delivery techniques for trade, digital equity, energy, and women's empowerment. These are active, evolving platforms that she has founded, endorsed, or stewarded into institutional tradition. Her contributions to these models continue to influence inclusive development, ethical governance, and Africa's future public sector institutions.

See Focus Areas
See Catalytic Projects

strategic focus areas

Gender Justice & Women’s Economic Power

Advancing feminist public policy and economic inclusion across
systems.

  • Pioneered South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide.
  • Led the development of provincial and national women's economic empowerment frameworks.
  • Advocates for feminist fiscal policy and gender-sensitive governance.
  • Champions women's role in localisation, energy, trade, and innovation sectors.

Indigenous Knowledge & Social Cohesion

Enabling technology to serve public good, youth skills, and state modernisation.

  • Supported large-scale clean energy investment mobilisation.
  • Advocates for community-based energy models.
  • Connects public finance and private capital for climate-smart infrastructure.
  • Speaks globally on the ethics of climate financing and inclusion.

Inclusive Trade & Agri-Export Pathways

Championing systems that unlock export pathways, empower smallholders, and catalyze trade-driven rural development.

  • Empowering women and youth in agri-export value chains.
  • Designing inclusive supply and off-take systems.
  • Advocating trade justice and sustainable rural economies.
  • Promoting strategic partnerships between governments
    and buyers.

Digital Transformation & Innovation Ecosystems

Enabling technology to serve public good, youth skills, and state moderniSation.

  • Advocated for digital equity and broadband inclusion.
  • Supported the development of provincial innovation infrastructure.
  • Catalyzed 4IR and digital literacy programmes in government.
  • Continues to champion Africa-led digital sovereignty and infrastructure investment.

Ethical Governance & Public Sector Reform

Reimagining government as a platform for people-first
transformation.

  • Four-time clean audit recipient as Director-General.
  • Led multi-departmental realignment with national development frameworks.
  • Advocates for ethical public service, intergenerational leadership, and good governance.
  • Mentors emerging African leaders in values-based systems
    thinking.

Green Energy & Climate Resilience

Championing just transitions that uplift local communities
while advancing energy sovereignty.

  • Supported large-scale clean energy investment mobilization.
  • Advocates for community-based energy models.
  • Connects public finance and private capital for climate-smart infrastructure.
  • Speaks globally on the ethics of climate financing and inclusion.

Catalytic projects

Inclusive Trade and Agri-Export Pathways

  • Empowering smallholder farmers, rural women, and
    informal economies through market-linked trade systems.
  • Enabled provincial alignment with AfCFTA trade
    facilitation goals.
  • Helped pilot ethical aggregation models and rural off-
    take strategies.
  • Worked with both state and private actors to secure
    international buyers.
Flip Back

Inclusive Trade and Agri-
Export Pathways

          Flip Me

Digital Infrastructure and Innovation Hubs

  • Building the institutional frameworks for provincial innovation, youth digital access, and smart government.
  • Spearheaded the development of a provincial digital transformation strategy.
  • Catalysed investment into youth-focused tech training and ecosystem development.
  • Prioritised local ownership and connectivity for underserved regions.
Flip Back

Digital Infrastructure and
Innovation Hubs

          Flip Me

Women’s Economic Empowerment Ecosystems

  • Reshaping how provincial and national systems support women-led enterprises.
  • Led the conceptualisation of pooled funding
    mechanisms.
  • Supported grant aggregation strategies linked to localisation, green energy, and agriculture.
  • Mentored policy teams on gender-sensitive budgeting and implementation.
Flip Back

Women’s Economic
Empowerment
Ecosystems

          Flip Me

Green Energy & Climate Resilience Platforms

  • Advocating for energy sovereignty and investment readiness in renewable infrastructure.
  • Facilitated multi-stakeholder consensus for a just energy transition.
  • Enabled policy frameworks for large-scale, community-aligned solar generation.
  • Advocated for public–private investment models rooted in local benefit.
Flip Back

Green Energy & Climate
Resilience Platforms

          Flip Me
Women’s Economic Empowerment Ecosystems

Co-led South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide; instrumental in designing provincial women’s empowerment funding mechanisms.

Role

Co-led South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide; instrumental in designing provincial women’s empowerment funding mechanisms.

Achievements
  • Pioneered South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide.
  • Led the development of provincial and national women's economic empowerment frameworks.
  • Advocates for feminist fiscal policy and gender-sensitive governance.
  • Champions women's role in localisation, energy, trade, and innovation sectors.
Result

Co-developed and championed the KwaZulu-Natal Women’s Advancement Fund, a trailblazing provincial initiative dedicated to grant and investment solutions for women.

Highlight

Its inaugural year saw strong interest from women-led enterprises in every district, validating its impact as a national model for women's economic inclusion.

Digital Transformation & Innovation Ecosystems

Enabling technology to serve public good, youth skills, and state modernisation.

Role

Oversaw development of KwaZulu-Natal’s digital transformation strategy and its implementation across key innovation infrastructure.

Achievements
  • Advocated for digital equity and broadband inclusion.
  • Supported the development of provincial innovation infrastructure.
  • Catalysed 4IR and digital literacy programmes in government.
  • Continues to support Africa-led digital sovereignty and infrastructure investment
Result

Led the creation of district innovation nodes and township-based digital skills accelerators to address youth and community access barriers.

Highlight

Her stewardship was central to the launch and provincial co-funding of the province's flagship digital transformation initiative.

Green Energy & Climate Resilience

Advocating for energy justice and climate-smart investment models that centre communities and secure Africa’s energy future.

Role

Championed multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and proposals for advancing a just energy transition.

Achievements
  • Supported large-scale clean energy investment mobilisation
  • Advocates for community-based energy models.
  • Connects public finance and private capital for climate-smart infrastructure.
  • Speaks globally on the ethics of climate financing and inclusion.
Result

Supported investment mobilisation and consensus-building for large-scale renewable energy platforms, most notably the groundwork for a solar corridor in northern KZN.

Highlight

These efforts influenced the development of KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Green Infrastructure Plan and increased collaboration among government, communities, and industry partners.

Ethical Governance & Public Sector Reform

Reimagining government as a platform for people-first transformation.

Role

Led cross-cutting public sector reforms and institutional strengthening to embed transparency, accountability, and citizen-centric service delivery across provincial governments.

Achievements
  • Achieved four consecutive clean audits as Director-General in two provinces.
  • Realigned government departments with Vision 2030 and the National Development Plan.
  • Designed and institutionalised performance monitoring and anti-corruption frameworks.
  • Mentors emerging African leaders and values-based governance.
Result

Drove a culture of ethical leadership and operational excellence, resulting in improved public trust, reduced inefficiencies, and stronger alignment between government action and national development priorities.

Highlight

Her tenure was marked by the first-ever clean audit in a historically troubled department, setting a new standard for governance in the region and inspiring similar reforms across other provinces.

Inclusive Trade & Agri-Export Pathways

Promoting mechanisms that open up export opportunities, empower smallholders, and accelerate trade-driven rural development.

Role

Guided and endorsed provincial models for integrating rural farmers into export supply chains, aligning with AfCFTA ambitions.

Achievements
  • Positioned rural development as a provincial priority through high-level rallying.
  • Facilitated interdepartmental and public–private forums to promote smallholder farmer participation.
  • Commissioned a study aligning export aggregation with AfCFTA trade objectives.
  • Connected agricultural departments, export certifiers, and DFIs to develop scalable off-take models.
Result

These efforts influenced the development of KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Green Infrastructure Plan and increased collaboration among government, communities, and industry partners.

Highlight

Pilots have expanded the reach of export readiness among rural producers, positioning KZN  as an innovator in regional agri-export strategies.

Indigenous Knowledge & Social Cohesion

Preserving culture as a vehicle for identity, justice, healing, and civic dignity.

Role

Advocated for the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into public policy and community development, fostering social cohesion and healing in post-conflict contexts.

Achievements
  • Led healing and heritage dialogues across conflict-prone communities.
  • Coordinated the welfare of the Zulu Royal House.
  • Supported cultural economy programmes in post-unrest KwaZulu-Natal.
  • Advanced frameworks for integrating indigenous knowledge into education and governance.
  • Promotes policy shifts that embed cultural wisdom into public development efforts.
Result

Strengthened community cohesion and cultural preservation, empowered ethical commercialisation of indigenous practices, and facilitated blended health and environmental solutions rooted in traditional wisdom.

Highlight

Pioneered digital and in-person platforms for preserving indigenous knowledge, and established a heritage forum that became a model for provincial cultural policy and reconciliation.

Women’s Economic Empowerment Ecosystems

Co-led South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide; instrumental in designing provincial women’s empowerment funding mechanisms.

Role

Co-led South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide; instrumental in designing provincial women’s empowerment funding mechanisms.

Achievements
  • Pioneered South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide.
  • Led the development of provincial and national women's economic empowerment frameworks.
  • Advocates for feminist fiscal policy and gender-sensitive governance.
  • Champions women's role in localisation, energy, trade, and innovation sectors.
Result

Co-developed and championed the KwaZulu-Natal Women’s Advancement Fund, a trailblazing provincial initiative dedicated to grant and investment solutions for women.

Highlight

Its inaugural year saw strong interest from women-led enterprises in every district, validating its impact as a national model for women's economic inclusion.

Digital Transformation & Innovation Ecosystems

Enabling technology to serve public good, youth skills, and state modernisation.

Role

Oversaw development of KwaZulu-Natal’s digital transformation strategy and its implementation across key innovation infrastructure.

Achievements
  • Advocated for digital equity and broadband inclusion.
  • Supported the development of provincial innovation infrastructure.
  • Catalysed 4IR and digital literacy programmes in government.
  • Continues to support Africa-led digital sovereignty and infrastructure investment
Result

Led the creation of district innovation nodes and township-based digital skills accelerators to address youth and community access barriers.

Highlight

Her stewardship was central to the launch and provincial co-funding of the province's flagship digital transformation initiative.

Green Energy & Climate Resilience

Advocating for energy justice and climate-smart investment models that centre communities and secure Africa’s energy future.

Role

Championed multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and proposals for advancing a just energy transition.

Achievements
  • Supported large-scale clean energy investment mobilisation
  • Advocates for community-based energy models.
  • Connects public finance and private capital for climate-smart infrastructure.
  • Speaks globally on the ethics of climate financing and inclusion.
Result

Supported investment mobilisation and consensus-building for large-scale renewable energy platforms, most notably the groundwork for a solar corridor in northern KZN.

Highlight

These efforts influenced the development of KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Green Infrastructure Plan and increased collaboration among government, communities, and industry partners.

Ethical Governance & Public Sector Reform

Reimagining government as a platform for people-first transformation.

Role

Led cross-cutting public sector reforms and institutional strengthening to embed transparency, accountability, and citizen-centric service delivery across provincial governments.

Achievements
  • Achieved four consecutive clean audits as Director-General in two provinces.
  • Realigned government departments with Vision 2030 and the National Development Plan.
  • Designed and institutionalised performance monitoring and anti-corruption frameworks.
  • Mentors emerging African leaders and values-based governance.
Result

Drove a culture of ethical leadership and operational excellence, resulting in improved public trust, reduced inefficiencies, and stronger alignment between government action and national development priorities.

Highlight

Her tenure was marked by the first-ever clean audit in a historically troubled department, setting a new standard for governance in the region and inspiring similar reforms across other provinces.

Inclusive Trade & Agri-Export Pathways

Promoting mechanisms that open up export opportunities, empower smallholders, and accelerate trade-driven rural development.

Role

Guided and endorsed provincial models for integrating rural farmers into export supply chains, aligning with AfCFTA ambitions.

Achievements
  • Positioned rural development as a provincial priority through high-level rallying.
  • Facilitated interdepartmental and public–private forums to promote smallholder farmer participation.
  • Commissioned a study aligning export aggregation with AfCFTA trade objectives.
  • Connected agricultural departments, export certifiers, and DFIs to develop scalable off-take models.
Result

These efforts influenced the development of KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Green Infrastructure Plan and increased collaboration among government, communities, and industry partners.

Highlight

Pilots have expanded the reach of export readiness among rural producers, positioning KZN  as an innovator in regional agri-export strategies.

Indigenous Knowledge & Social
Cohesion

Preserving culture as a vehicle for identity, justice, healing, and civic dignity.

Role

Advocated for the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into public policy and community development, fostering social cohesion and healing in post-conflict contexts.

Achievements
  • Led healing and heritage dialogues across conflict-prone communities.
  • Coordinated the welfare of the Zulu Royal House.
  • Supported cultural economy programmes in post-unrest KwaZulu-Natal.
  • Advanced frameworks for integrating indigenous knowledge into education and governance.
  • Promotes policy shifts that embed cultural wisdom into public development efforts.
Result

Strengthened community cohesion and cultural preservation, empowered ethical commercialisation of indigenous practices, and facilitated blended health and environmental solutions rooted in traditional wisdom.

Highlight

Pioneered digital and in-person platforms for preserving indigenous knowledge, and established a heritage forum that became a model for provincial cultural policy and reconciliation.

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Dr Nonhlanhla O. Mkhize

The views expressed are Dr Mkhize’s personal perspectives. Initiatives
referenced operate independently under their respective leadership.

Dr Nonhlanhla O. Mkhize

The views expressed are Dr Mkhize’s personal perspectives. Initiatives referenced operate independently under their respective leadership.