Women In Leadership - Hon. Nomusa Dube-Ncube

Trailblazing Her Way Back To National Leadership

By Jessie Taylor

Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s swearing-in as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training on 22 July 2025 marks more than a return - it symbolises the unwavering rise of women in leadership within South Africa’s public sector. As the first female Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, her journey reflects the power of resilience, academic rigour, and inclusive governance.

A Rising Star in Government Ranks

Born and educated in KwaMashu, Dr Dube-Ncube grew steadily through local government ranks, serving as Mayor of North Central Municipality and chief whip in eThekwini before becoming South African Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

In 2009, she entered the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and began a decade-long tenure as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Her adaptability saw her take on roles in economic development, tourism, environmental affairs, and finance before becoming the first woman Premier of KwaZulu-Natal in August 2022.

President Cyril Ramaphosa then selected her amid a leadership shake-up in higher education reform, pairing her with Minister Buti Manamela to replace.

In May 2025, the University of KwaZulu-Natal conferred Dr Dube Ncube with a Doctorate in Administration. Her thesis explores the institutional architecture and community engagement needed for genuine poverty alleviation in iLembe District Municipality—emphasising bottom-up strategy and governance reform.

This academic milestone underscores Dr Dube-Ncube’s commitment to evidence-based policy and her belief that high-level qualifications strengthen public service and governance. Dr Dube-Ncube brings exceptional administrative discipline: her decade in Cooperative Governance, followed by stewardship of KwaZulu-Natal’s Finance department, earned praise for reform-minded oversight and fiscal accountability. These capabilities are vital as the Higher Education Department handles funding and governance issues at scale.

Her appointment comes after Hon. Manamela (the previously Deputy Minister)was elevated to full Minister, creating a partnership that couples institutional continuity with provincial implementation insight.

Championing Women’s Leadership and Transformation

At each turn in her career, Dr Dube-Ncube has shattered ceilings: as MEC, finance head, ambassador and premier. Her national appointment reaffirms the government’s growing emphasis on gender parity and technologyenhanced institutional leadership.

As Deputy Minister, she steps into a portfolio facing urgent demands: reforming the NSFAS structure, accelerating access to tertiary education, stabilising SETA governance, and enabling transformation in historically underserved communities.

Dr Dube-Ncube has a proven track record of steering complex provincial portfolios with resilience and foresight, earning widespread respect for her strategic capability and decisiveness. As the first woman to serve as Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, and now as Deputy Minister of Higher Education, her rise reflects a commitment to gender equity and inclusivity in governance.

Her academic credentials, including a PhD focused on data-driven policy and poverty alleviation, position her as both a practitioner and a scholar - an asset in an era that demands informed, evidence-based leadership.

Dr Dube-Ncube is also known for her administrative integrity, having developed a reputation for strong financial stewardship, governance acumen, and operational oversight across government functions.

Her journey is a powerful testament to the ongoing transformation of public leadership in South Africa, where lived experience, academic insight, and governance competence intersect to drive systemic change.

As Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dr Dube-Ncube’s focus will be on stabilising student funding, particularly through reforming NSFAS to prevent fiscal leakage and clear backlogs. She is also expected to tighten SETA governance, ensuring better alignment between training programmes and the country’s skills development needs. Her priorities include enhancing institutional performance and transformation at universities and TVET colleges, with stronger governance standards and accountability. A key strength she brings is the ability to bridge provincial and national policy frameworks, with a particular emphasis on expanding rural access to higher education.

Her academic background supports a people-centred approach—emphasising community empowerment, decentralised decision-making, and inclusive growth —as educational and economic transformation pillars.

Dr Dube-Ncube’s life journey - from municipal politics to academic achievement and national Cabinet - stands as a powerful blueprint for women in public leadership. Her narrative shows how perseverance, educational attainment, and sectoral track record can combine to break structural barriers.

Her role as Deputy Minister therefore resonates beyond her portfolio: she represents the growing footprint of women in South Africa’s governance architecture and a commitment to transformation grounded in experience, scholarship, and integrity.

Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s appointment is a milestone in South Africa’s pathway toward inclusive public administration - anchored in experience, intellectual depth and gender empowerment. Her leadership in higher education holds promise for transformational policy, governance reform, and a stranger future for students nationwide. She embodies both beacon and builder in the broader women-leadership narrative: forging pathways and shaping institutional legacies.

Source: IOL | Government of South Africa | Daily News | UKwaZulu-Natal News